Deuteronomy 18:5

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

Deuteronomy 18:5 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 18:5

For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes,
&c.] That is, has chosen the tribe of Levi out of all the other tribes of Israel:

to stand to minister in the name of the Lord;
the priests to minister to the Lord by offering sacrifices, and the Levites to minister to the priests in assisting them in their service; and both their ministry were in the name of the Lord, and for his glory, and done standing; for there was no sitting in the sanctuary ^F23; the priestly ministry was only performed standing ^F24, whatever was done sitting was rejected {y}; see ( Hebrews 10:11 ) ,

him and his sons for ever;
Levi and his posterity, or the posterity of the tribe of Levi, were chosen by the Lord to this service, to be employed in it as long as the ceremonial law continued, on which stood the Levitical priesthood; but both are now abolished by Christ, having their accomplishment in him, ( Hebrews 7:11 ) ( 12:18 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Maimon. in Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1.
F24 Bartenora in ib.
F25 Misn. ib.

Deuteronomy 18:5 In-Context

3 "And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it is bull or sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach.

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

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

6 "So if a Levite comes from any of your gates, from where he dwells among all Israel, and comes with all the desire of his mind to the place which the Lord chooses,

7 then he may serve in the name of the Lord his God as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before the Lord.