Deuteronomy 18:8

8 They shall eat {equal portions}, apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.

Deuteronomy 18:8 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 18:8

They shall have like portions to eat
Equal parts of the sacrifices with the priests that usually ministered there; hence we learn, says Jarchi, that they divided the skins and flesh of the sin offerings; perhaps even such as did not come by virtue of the feast, as the daily sacrifices, and the additions of the sabbath, and the vows, and the freewill offerings:

beside that which cometh by the sale of his patrimony:
for though the priests and Levites had no inheritance divided to them in the land, yet they might buy houses and fields, and leave them to their children, and this may be called their patrimony; now it was not reasonable that they should wholly live upon this, or spend what their fathers left them; but, besides the income of that, were to have their part and portion with their brethren in the sacrifices of the sanctuary. But some interpret these words in a different way, as if they had respect to the gifts and oblations in the several wards in which the priests ministered, as they were ordered by their fathers, Eleazar, Ithamar, Samuel, David, and Solomon; so the Targums of Onkelos, Jonathan, and Jarchi. In the times of Eleazar and Ithamar, there were only eight wards or courses, which ministered in their turns, but in the days of David they were divided into twenty four; (See Gill on Luke 1:8); now the ordering and fixing these in their turns is called a vendition or sale; and these country priests might partake of all sacrifices at the feast, excepting those which belonged to him whose course it was that week.

Deuteronomy 18:8 In-Context

6 And if a Levite comes from one of your {towns} from {anywhere in Israel} where he is residing, {he may come whenever he desires}, to the place that Yahweh will choose,
7 and he may minister in the name of Yahweh his God, [just] like all his brothers, {the Levites who stand there} {before} Yahweh.
8 They shall eat {equal portions}, apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.
9 "When you come to the land that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you, you must not learn to do like the detestable practices of those nations.
10 [There] shall not be found among you one who makes his son or his daughter go through the fire, [or] {one who practices divination}, [or] an interpreter of signs, or an augur, or sorcerer,

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Literally "a portion like a portion"
  • [b]. Hebrew meaning of these phrases/words is not certain; also could translate as "except [what they receive] from the sale of their fathers' [estates]" (NASB); or "what he may inherit from his father's family"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.