Deuteronomy 18:5

5 For the LORD your God chose the tribe of Levi out of all your tribes to minister in the LORD ’s name forever.

Deuteronomy 18:5 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 18:5

For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes,
&c.] That is, has chosen the tribe of Levi out of all the other tribes of Israel:

to stand to minister in the name of the Lord;
the priests to minister to the Lord by offering sacrifices, and the Levites to minister to the priests in assisting them in their service; and both their ministry were in the name of the Lord, and for his glory, and done standing; for there was no sitting in the sanctuary ^F23; the priestly ministry was only performed standing ^F24, whatever was done sitting was rejected {y}; see ( Hebrews 10:11 ) ,

him and his sons for ever;
Levi and his posterity, or the posterity of the tribe of Levi, were chosen by the Lord to this service, to be employed in it as long as the ceremonial law continued, on which stood the Levitical priesthood; but both are now abolished by Christ, having their accomplishment in him, ( Hebrews 7:11 ) ( 12:18 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Maimon. in Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1.
F24 Bartenora in ib.
F25 Misn. ib.

Deuteronomy 18:5 In-Context

3 “These are the parts the priests may claim as their share from the cattle, sheep, and goats that the people bring as offerings: the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach.

4 You must also give to the priests the first share of the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and the wool at shearing time.

5 For the LORD your God chose the tribe of Levi out of all your tribes to minister in the LORD ’s name forever.

6 “Suppose a Levite chooses to move from his town in Israel, wherever he is living, to the place the LORD chooses for worship.

7 He may minister there in the name of the LORD his God, just like all his fellow Levites who are serving the LORD there.