Deuteronomy 18:5

5 For thy Lord God hath chosen him (out) of all thy lineages, that he stand and minister to the name of the Lord (that he stand to minister in the name of the Lord), he and his sons, [into] without end.

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 This shall be the doom of (the) priests, that is, the thing justly given, either granted, of the people, and of them that offer sacrifices (This shall be the priest's due, that is, the thing rightly given from the people, yea, from those who offer sacrifices); whether they offer an ox, either a sheep, they shall give to the priest the shoulder, and the paunch,

4 the first fruits of wheat, and of wine, and of oil, and a part of wools of the shearing of sheep. (the first fruits of thy corn, and of thy wine, and of thy oil, and a part of the wools from the shearing of thy sheep.)

5 For thy Lord God hath chosen him (out) of all thy lineages, that he stand and minister to the name of the Lord (that he stand to minister in the name of the Lord), he and his sons, [into] without end.

6 If a deacon goeth out of one of thy cities of all Israel, in which he dwelleth (If a Levite goeth out of any of thy cities in Israel, in which he liveth), and will come and desireth the place which the Lord (shall) choose,

7 he shall minister in the name of his Lord God, as all his brethren deacons, that shall stand in that time before the Lord. (then he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, like all of his fellow Levites, who stand before the Lord at that time.)