God’s Word Translation
Deuteronomy 18:1
1The Levitical priests—in fact, the whole tribe of Levi—will receive no land or property of their own like the rest of the Israelites. They will eat what has been sacrificed to the Lord. These sacrifices will be what they receive.
Deuteronomy 18:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance.
- New International Version (NIV)The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the Lord's food offerings as their inheritance.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“The priests, the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and His portion.
Context of Deuteronomy 18:1
The Levitical priests—in fact, the whole tribe of Levi—will receive no land or property of their own like the rest of the Israelites. They will eat what has been sacrificed to the Lord. These sacrifices will be what they receive. 2So the Levites will have no land of their own like the other Israelites. The Lord will be their inheritance, as he promised them. 3This is what the people owe the priests whenever they sacrifice an ox, a sheep, or a goat: the shoulder, jaws, and stomach.
Read all of Deuteronomy 18Deuteronomy 18:1 word by word
לֹֽא־יִ֠הְיֶה לַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים הַלְוִיִּ֜ם כָּל־שֵׁ֧בֶט לֵוִ֛י חֵ֥לֶק וְנַחֲלָ֖ה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִשֵּׁ֧י יְהוָ֛ה וְנַחֲלָת֖וֹ יֹאכֵלֽוּן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- all the tribeשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
- of Leviלֵוִיlêvîy · LeviH3878
- shall have no partחֵ֫לֶקchêleq · portionH2506
- nor inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- with Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- they shall eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- the offeringsאִשֶּׁה'ishshâh · food offeringH801
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 18:1
- Deuteronomy 10:9This is why the tribe of Levi has no land of their own as the other tribes have. The Lord your God is their only possession, as he promised them.
- Deuteronomy 12:19Don’t forget to take care of the Levites as long as you live in your land.
- Numbers 18:20The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no land or property of your own as the other Israelites will have. I am your possession and your property among the Israelites.
- Numbers 26:62The total number of all the ⌞Levite⌟ males at least one month old was 23,000. They were not counted along with the other Israelites, because they were given no land of their own.
- Joshua 13:33Moses did not give any land as an inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The Lord God of Israel is what they inherited, as he had promised them.
- Joshua 18:7Levi’s tribe has no separate region among you, because their inheritance is to serve the Lord as priests. The tribes of Gad and Reuben and half of the tribe of Manasseh have received the inheritance that the Lord’s servant Moses gave them on the east side of the Jordan River.”
- 1 Peter 5:2Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it as God does: Don’t do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don’t do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve.
- Numbers 18:8The Lord said to Aaron, “I am putting you in charge of all the contributions given to me. I am giving you and your descendants all the holy gifts from the Israelites as your share. These contributions will always be yours.
- Joshua 13:14Moses did not give any land as an inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The sacrifices offered to the Lord God of Israel are what the Levites inherited, as the Lord had promised them.
- 1 Corinthians 9:13Don’t you realize that those who work at the temple get their food from the temple? Don’t those who help at the altar get a share of what is on the altar?
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 18:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The priests the Levites - shall have no part - That is, says Rab. Maimon, they shall have no part in the spoils taken from an enemy.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Better, “there shall not be to the priests, the Levites, yea the whole tribe of Levi, any inheritance, etc.” And his inheritance - i. e., God‘s inheritance, that which in making a grant to His people of the promised land with its earthly blessings He had reserved for Himself; more particularly the sacrifices and the holy gifts, such as tithes and first-fruits. These were God‘s portion of the substance of Israel; and as the Levites were His portion of the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1A provision respecting Levites. (1-8) The abominations of the Canaanites to be avoided. (9-14) Christ the great Prophet. (15-22) Verses 1-8 Care is taken that the priests entangle not themselves with the affairs of this life, nor enrich themselves with the wealth of this world; they have better things to mind. Care is likewise taken that they want not the comforts and conveniences of this life. The people must provide for them. He that has the benefit of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The term Levitical priests refers to the whole tribe of Levi. All Levites served the Lord in some way. However, in a strict sense, only the descendants of Aaron were priests. The other Levites were not priests. They served as assistants to the priests (see 12:12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-81. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 18:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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