Deuteronomy 18:1-8
American Standard Version
18 The priests the Levites, [a]even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, and his inheritance. 2 And they shall have no inheritance among their brethren: Jehovah is their inheritance, as he hath spoken unto them. 3 And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. 4 The first-fruits of thy grain, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. 5 For Jehovah thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons for ever.
6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourneth, and come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah shall choose; 7 then he shall minister in the name of Jehovah his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before Jehovah. 8 They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
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- Deuteronomy 18:1 Or, and
Deuteronomy 18:1-8
Lexham English Bible
18 “And there shall not be for the Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, a plot of ground and an inheritance with Israel, rather they may eat an offering made by fire as their inheritance,[a] for Yahweh. 2 And there shall not be for them[b] an inheritance of land in the midst of his brothers; rather Yahweh is his inheritance, just as he promised[c] to them.[d]
3 Now this shall be the share of the priest from the people, from those who sacrifice the sacrifice,[e] whether it is an ox, sheep, or goat, and they shall give the priest the shoulder and the jawbones and the stomach. 4 The firstfruits[f] of your grain, your wine, and your olive oil and the firstfruits[g] of the fleece of your sheep you shall give to him. 5 For Yahweh your God has chosen him from among all your tribes to stand to minister in the name of Yahweh, he and his sons forever.[h]
6 And if a[i] Levite comes from one of your towns[j] from anywhere in Israel[k] where he is residing, he may come whenever he desires,[l] to the place that Yahweh will choose, 7 and he may minister in the name of Yahweh his God, just like all his brothers, the Levites who stand there[m] before[n] Yahweh. 8 They shall eat equal portions,[o] apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.[p]
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- Deuteronomy 18:1 The meaning of the Hebrew text here is uncertain; possibly it reads: “rather an offering by fire then they will eat as their inheritance/patrimony”
- Deuteronomy 18:2 Hebrew “him”
- Deuteronomy 18:2 Literally “spoke”
- Deuteronomy 18:2 Hebrew “him”
- Deuteronomy 18:3 Literally “the sacrificers of the sacrifice”
- Deuteronomy 18:4 Hebrew “firstfruit”
- Deuteronomy 18:4 Hebrew “firstfruit”
- Deuteronomy 18:5 Literally “all of the days”
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Hebrew “the”
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Literally “gates”
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Literally “all of Israel”
- Deuteronomy 18:6 Literally “he may come in all the desire of his soul/inner self”
- Deuteronomy 18:7 Literally “the Levites the ones standing there”
- Deuteronomy 18:7 Literally “to the face of”
- Deuteronomy 18:8 Literally “a portion like a portion”
- Deuteronomy 18:8 Hebrew meaning of these phrases/words is not certain; also could translate as “except what they receive from the sale of their fathers’ estates” (NASB); or “what he may inherit from his father’s family”
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