Portion for the Levites

18 (A)The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall not have a portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lords offerings by fire and His [a]property. (B)They shall not have an inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He [b]promised them.

(C)Now this shall be the priests’ portion from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, either an ox or a sheep: they shall give the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the stomach. You shall give him the (D)first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep. (E)For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to (F)stand to serve in the name of the Lord always.

“Now if a Levite comes from any of your [c]towns throughout Israel where he (G)resides, and he comes [d]whenever he desires to the place which the Lord chooses, then he shall serve in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord. (H)They shall eat [e]equal portions, except for what they receive from the sale of their fathers’ estates.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 18:1 Or inheritance
  2. Deuteronomy 18:2 Lit spoke to
  3. Deuteronomy 18:6 Lit gates
  4. Deuteronomy 18:6 Lit with all the desire of his soul
  5. Deuteronomy 18:8 Lit portion like portion

Offerings for Priests and Levites

18 The Levitical(A) priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings(B) presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance.(C) They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance,(D) as he promised them.(E)

This is the share due the priests(F) from the people who sacrifice a bull(G) or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head.(H) You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep,(I) for the Lord your God has chosen them(J) and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister(K) in the Lord’s name always.(L)

If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the Lord will choose,(M) he may minister in the name(N) of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the Lord. He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.(O)

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