From the soldiers
who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord one out of every five
hundred, whether people, cattle, donkeys or sheep. Take this
tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part. Numbers 31:28-29
Jerusalem
has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes,
tribute and duty were paid to them. Ezra
4:20
The
word “tribute” has different meanings in the Bible. In Numbers chapter 31, the word here means an
offering given as a proportion of something received. More like a freewill love tax. They paid a tribute to God after conquering
an enemy, based on a proportion of what they obtained.
In
Ezra and other places in the Bible, the “tributes” were taxes enforced by
outside ruling kingdoms, kind of like protection money to keep them from
invading the country. We call that
extortion and bribery. Very different.
As
for the difference between an offering and a freewill tribute, they are very
similar, but in only Numbers chapter 31 does it designate a tribute like an
offering.