Deuteronomy 21:5

5 The levitical priests are to go there also, because they are to decide every legal case involving violence. The Lord your God has chosen them to serve him and to pronounce blessings in his name.

Deuteronomy 21:5 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 21:5

And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near
Who were clearly of the tribe of Levi, as Aben Ezra notes; about whom there could be no dispute; for it seems there sometimes were persons in that office, of whom there was some doubt at least whether they were of that tribe; these seem to be such that belonged to the court of judicature at Jerusalem; see ( Deuteronomy 17:9 ) , who were to be present at this solemnity, to direct in the performance of it, and to judge and determine in any matter of difficulty that might arise:

for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him;
in the service of the sanctuary, by offering sacrifices

and to bless in the name of the Lord;
the people; see ( Numbers 6:23-27 )

and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried;
every controversy between man and man respecting civil things, and every stroke or blow which one man may give another; and whatsoever came before them was tried by them, according to the respective laws given concerning the things in question, and were not determined by them in an arbitrary way, according to their own will and pleasure; see ( Deuteronomy 17:8-11 ) .

Deuteronomy 21:5 In-Context

3 Then the leaders of the town nearest to where the body was found are to select a young cow that has never been used for work.

4 They are to take it down to a spot near a stream that never runs dry and where the ground has never been plowed or planted, and there they are to break its neck.

5 The levitical priests are to go there also, because they are to decide every legal case involving violence. The Lord your God has chosen them to serve him and to pronounce blessings in his name.

6 Then all the leaders from the town nearest the place where the murdered person was found are to wash their hands over the cow

7 and say, "We did not murder this one, and we do not know who did it.