Deuteronomy 21:5

5 And the priests the Levites shall come, because the Lord God has chosen them to stand by him, and to bless in his name, and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be .

Deuteronomy 21:5 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 21:5

And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near
Who were clearly of the tribe of Levi, as Aben Ezra notes; about whom there could be no dispute; for it seems there sometimes were persons in that office, of whom there was some doubt at least whether they were of that tribe; these seem to be such that belonged to the court of judicature at Jerusalem; see ( Deuteronomy 17:9 ) , who were to be present at this solemnity, to direct in the performance of it, and to judge and determine in any matter of difficulty that might arise:

for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him;
in the service of the sanctuary, by offering sacrifices

and to bless in the name of the Lord;
the people; see ( Numbers 6:23-27 )

and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried;
every controversy between man and man respecting civil things, and every stroke or blow which one man may give another; and whatsoever came before them was tried by them, according to the respective laws given concerning the things in question, and were not determined by them in an arbitrary way, according to their own will and pleasure; see ( Deuteronomy 17:8-11 ) .

Deuteronomy 21:5 In-Context

3 and it shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not laboured, and which has not borne a yoke.

4 And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer into a rough valley, which has not been tilled and is not sown, and they shall slay the heifer in the valley.

5 And the priests the Levites shall come, because the Lord God has chosen them to stand by him, and to bless in his name, and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be .

6 And all the elders of that city who draw nigh to the slain man shall wash their hands over the head of the heifer which was slain in the valley;

7 and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen .

Footnotes

• [a]. his name.
• [b]. at their mouth.