Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Portion of the Levites

1 "¹The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the LORD'S offerings by fire and His portion.

2 "²They shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.

3 "³Now this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, either an ox or a sheep, of which they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach.

4 "You shall give him the ⁴first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first shearing of your sheep.

5 "⁵For the LORD your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to ⁶stand and serve in the name of the LORD forever *.

6 "Now if a Levite comes from any of your towns throughout * Israel where * he ⁷resides, and comes whenever he desires to the place which the LORD chooses,

7 then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD.

8 "⁸They shall eat equal portions, except what they receive from the sale of their fathers' estates.

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. Deuteronomy 10:9; 1 Corinthians 9:13
• 2. Numbers 18:20
• 3. Leviticus 7:32-34; Numbers 18:11, 12
• 4. Numbers 18:12
• 5. Exodus 29:9
• 6. Deuteronomy 10:8
• 7. Numbers 35:2, 3
• 8. Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21-24; 2 Chronicles 31:4; Nehemiah 12:44

Footnotes

• [a] Or "inheritance"
• [b] Lit "brothers"
• [c] Lit "spoke to"
• [d] Lit "to"
• [e] Lit "gates"
• [f] Lit "with all the desire of his soul"
• [g] Lit "portion like portion"