Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Provisions for the Levites

1 "The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, will have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They will eat the Lord's fire offerings; that is their^{[a] [b]} inheritance.

2 Although Levi has no inheritance among his brothers, the Lord is his inheritance, as He promised him.^[c]

3 This is the priests' share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether it is an ox, a sheep, or a goat; the priests are to be given the shoulder, jaws, and stomach.

4 You are to give him the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the first sheared [wool] of your flock.

5 For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes to stand and minister in the Lord's name from now on.^[d]

6 When a Levite leaves one of your towns where he lives in Israel and wants to go to the place the Lord chooses,

7 he may serve in the name of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who minister there in the presence of the Lord.

8 They will eat equal portions besides what he has received from the sale of the family estate.^{[e] [f]}

Deuteronomy 18:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 18

This chapter gives an account of the provision made for the priests and Levites, with the reason of it, De 18:1-5, of allowance of a country Levite to minister at Jerusalem, and take his portion with the rest, De 18:6-8, and of several persons of bad practices not to be suffered among the people of Israel, De 18:9-14, and of an extraordinary prophet that should be raised up among them, to whom they should hearken, or it would be the worse for them, De 18:15-19, but a false prophet was to be put to death, of whom a sign is given by which he might be known, De 18:20-22.

Footnotes

• [a] LXX; MT reads his
• [b] Or His
• [c] Nm 18:20
• [d] Lit name all the days
• [e] Hb obscure
• [f] Nm 18:8-32