⁵ The Levitical priests shall step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings^(A) in the name of the Lord and to decide all cases of dispute and assault.^(B)

⁷ “For the lips of a priest^(A) ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger^(B) of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.^(C)

⁸ At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi^(A) to carry the ark of the covenant^(B) of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister^(C) and to pronounce blessings^(D) in his name, as they still do today.^(E)

¹⁷ the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges^(A) who are in office at the time.

⁵ for the Lord your God has chosen them^(A) and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister^(B) in the Lord’s name always.^(C)

The Priestly Blessing

²² The Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless^(A) the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁷ “So they will put my name^(H) on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Law Courts

⁸ If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge^(A)—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults^(B)—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose.^{(C) 9} Go to the Levitical^(D) priests and to the judge^(E) who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.^{(F) 10} You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. ¹¹ Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left.^{(G) 12} Anyone who shows contempt^(H) for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering^(I) there to the Lord your God is to be put to death.^(J) You must purge the evil from Israel.^(K)