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Deuteronomy 18:1-8 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 The priests H3548 the Levites, H3881 and all the tribe H7626 of Levi, H3878 shall have no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with Israel: H3478 they shall eat H398 the offerings H801 of the LORD H3068 made by fire, H801 and his inheritance. H5159

2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance H5159 among H7130 their brethren: H251 the LORD H3068 is their inheritance, H5159 as he hath said H1696 unto them.

3 And this shall be the priest's H3548 due H4941 from the people, H5971 from them that offer H2076 a sacrifice, H2077 whether it be ox H7794 or sheep; H7716 and they shall give H5414 unto the priest H3548 the shoulder, H2220 and the two cheeks, H3895 and the maw. H6896

4 The firstfruit H7225 also of thy corn, H1715 of thy wine, H8492 and of thine oil, H3323 and the first H7225 of the fleece H1488 of thy sheep, H6629 shalt thou give H5414 him.

5 For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath chosen H977 him out of all thy tribes, H7626 to stand H5975 to minister H8334 in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 him and his sons H1121 for ever. H3117

6 And if a Levite H3881 come H935 from any H259 of thy gates H8179 out of all Israel, H3478 where he sojourned, H1481 and come H935 with all the desire H185 of his mind H5315 unto the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 shall choose; H977

7 Then he shall minister H8334 in the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 his God, H430 as all his brethren H251 the Levites H3881 do, which stand H5975 there before H6440 the LORD. H3068

8 They shall have like portions H2506 to eat, H398 beside that which cometh of the sale H4465 of his patrimony. H1

Commentary on Deuteronomy 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 18

De 18:1-8. The Lord Is the Priests' and the Levites' Inheritance.

1. The priests the Levites … shall eat the offerings—As the tribe of Levi had no inheritance allotted them like the other tribes but were wholly consecrated to the priestly office, their maintenance was to arise from tithes, first-fruits, and certain portions of the oblations presented on the altar, which God having by express appointment reserved to Himself made over, after being offered, to His ministers.

3. this shall be the priest's due from the people—All who offered sacrifices of thanksgiving or peace offerings (Le 7:31-33) were ordered to give the breast and shoulder as perquisites to the priests. Here "the two cheeks" or head and "the maw" or stomach, deemed anciently a great dainty, are specified. But whether this is a new injunction, or a repetition of the old with the supplement of more details, it is not easy to determine.

6-8. if a Levite … come with all the desire of his mind—It appears that the Levites served in rotation from the earliest times; but, from their great numbers, it was only at infrequent intervals they could be called into actual service. Should any Levite, however, under the influence of eminent piety, resolve to devote himself wholly and continually to the sacred duties of the sanctuary, he was allowed to realize his ardent wishes; and as he was admitted to a share of the work, so also to a share of the remuneration. Though he might have private property, that was to form no ground for withholding or even diminishing his claim to maintenance like the other ministering priests. The reason or principle of the enactment is obvious (1Co 9:13). At the same time, while every facility was afforded for the admission of such a zealous and self-denying officer, this admission was to be in an orderly manner: he was to minister "as all his brethren"—that is, a Gershonite with Gershonites; a Merarite with Merarites; so that there might be no derangement of the established courses.

De 18:9-14. The Abominations of the Nations Are to Be Avoided.

9-14. thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations—(See on Le 18:21; Le 19:26; Le 19:31; Le 20:4). In spite of this express command, the people of Canaan, especially the Philistines, were a constant snare and stumbling block to the Israelites, on account of their divinations and superstitious practices.

De 18:15-19. Christ the Prophet Is to Be Heard.

15-19. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet—The insertion of this promise, in connection with the preceding prohibition, might warrant the application (which some make of it) to that order of true prophets whom God commissioned in unbroken succession to instruct, to direct, and warn His people; and in this view the purport of it is, "There is no need to consult with diviners and soothsayers, as I shall afford you the benefit of divinely appointed prophets, for judging of whose credentials a sure criterion is given" (De 18:20-22). But the prophet here promised was pre-eminently the Messiah, for He alone was "like unto Moses" (see on De 34:10) "in His mediatorial character; in the peculiar excellence of His ministry; in the number, variety, and magnitude of His miracles; in His close and familiar communion with God; and in His being the author of a new dispensation of religion." This prediction was fulfilled fifteen hundred years afterwards and was expressly applied to Jesus Christ by Peter (Ac 3:22, 23), and by Stephen (Ac 7:37).

19. whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him—The direful consequences of unbelief in Christ, and disregard of His mission, the Jewish people have been experiencing during eighteen hundred years.