Devarim 18:5

5 For Hashem Eloheicha hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the Shem of Hashem, he and his banim kol hayamim.

Devarim 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.

Devarim 18:5 In-Context

3 And this shall be the mishpat hakohanim (the right of the kohanim) from the people, from them that offer the zevach, whether it be shor or seh; and they shall give unto the kohen the shoulder, and the two jowls, and the stomach.

4 The reshit also of thy grain, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the reshit of the shearing of thy tzon, shalt thou give him.

5 For Hashem Eloheicha hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the Shem of Hashem, he and his banim kol hayamim.

6 And if a Levi come from any of thy she’arim (gates, i.e., towns) out of kol Yisroel, where he is living, and come with all the earnestness of his nefesh unto the place which Hashem shall choose;

7 Then he shall minister in the Shem of Hashem Elohav, as all his achim the Levi’im do, which stand there before Hashem.