Deuteronomy 10:9

9 That is why the Levites did not receive any land of their own; instead, they received the Lord himself as their gift, as the Lord your God told them.)

Deuteronomy 10:9 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 10:9

Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren,
&c.] In the division of the land of Canaan, because being separated to the service of the sanctuary, he had no leisure to plough and sow, as Jarchi observes:

the Lord is his inheritance,
as the Lord thy God promised him; not in a spiritual sense, for so the Lord was an inheritance and portion of other Israelites; though these being taken off of worldly employments, and devoted to sanctuary service, might have more communion with God than others; but in a temporal sense, provision being made particularly by tithes, which were the Lord's, for their maintenance; and so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase the words;

``gifts which the Lord gave him are his inheritance;''

see ( Numbers 18:20 Numbers 18:21 ) .

Deuteronomy 10:9 In-Context

7 From Moserah they went to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah they went to Jotbathah, a place with streams of water.

8 At that time the Lord chose the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord. They were to serve the Lord and to bless the people in his name, which they still do today.

9 That is why the Levites did not receive any land of their own; instead, they received the Lord himself as their gift, as the Lord your God told them.)

10 I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights just like the first time, and the Lord listened to me this time also. He did not want to destroy you.

11 The Lord said to me, "Go and lead the people so that they will go in and take the land I promised their ancestors."