Provision for Priests and Levites

18 “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, (A)shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They (B)shall eat the Lord's food offerings[a] as their[b] inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them. And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: (C)they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. (D)The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes (E)to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.

“And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel, (F)where he lives—and he may come when he desires[c](G)to the place that the Lord will choose, and ministers in the name of the Lord his God, (H)like all his fellow Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord, then he may have equal (I)portions to eat, besides what he receives from the sale of his patrimony.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 18:1 Or the offerings by fire to the Lord
  2. Deuteronomy 18:1 Hebrew his
  3. Deuteronomy 18:6 Or lives—if he comes enthusiastically
  4. Deuteronomy 18:8 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain

Provisions for the Levites

18 “The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, will have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They will eat the Lord’s food offerings; that is their[a][b] inheritance. Although Levi has no inheritance among his brothers, the Lord is his inheritance, as he promised him.(A) This is the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether it is an ox, a sheep, or a goat; the priests are to be given the shoulder, jaws, and stomach. You are to give him the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and fresh oil,(B) and the first sheared wool of your flock. For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes to stand and minister in his name from now on.[c] When a Levite leaves one of your towns in Israel where he was staying and wants to go to the place the Lord chooses, he may serve in the name of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who minister there in the presence of the Lord. They will eat equal portions besides what he has received from the sale of the family estate.[d](C)

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Footnotes

  1. 18:1 LXX; MT reads his
  2. 18:1 Or his
  3. 18:5 Lit name all the days
  4. 18:8 Hb obscure