Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Provision for Priests and Levites

1 “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, ¹shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They ²shall eat the Lord’s food offerings^[a] as their^[b] inheritance.

2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.

3 And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: ³they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach.

4 ⁴The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.

5 For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes ⁵to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.

6 “And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel, ⁶where he lives—and he may come when he desires^[c]— ⁷to the place that the Lord will choose,

7 and ministers in the name of the Lord his God, ⁸like all his fellow Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord,

8 then he may have equal ⁹portions to eat, besides what he receives from the sale of his patrimony. ^[d]

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.

Cross References

• 1. 18:1 See Num. 18:20
• 2. 18:1 Num. 18:8, 9; Josh. 13:14; 1 Sam. 2:28; [1 Cor. 9:13]
• 3. 18:3 See Lev. 7:30-34
• 4. 18:4 Num. 18:12; 2 Chr. 31:5
• 5. 18:5 ch. 17:12
• 6. 18:6 Num. 35:2, 3; Judg. 17:7; 19:1
• 7. 18:6 See ch. 12:5
• 8. 18:7 [1 Chr. 23:6; 2 Chr. 31:2]
• 9. 18:8 2 Chr. 31:4; Neh. 12:44, 47; 13:10

Footnotes

• [a] 18:1 Or 'the offerings by fire to the 'Lord
• [b] 18:1 Hebrew 'his'
• [c] 18:6 Or 'lives—if he comes enthusiastically'
• [d] 18:8 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain