New English Translation
Deuteronomy 18:6
6Suppose a Levite comes by his own free will from one of your villages, from any part of Israel where he is living, to the place the Lord chooses
Deuteronomy 18:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose;
- New International Version (NIV)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,
- English Standard Version (ESV)"And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel, where he lives—and he may come when he desires—to the place that the Lord will choose,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“So if a Levite comes from any of your gates, from where he dwells among all Israel, and comes with all the desire of his mind to the place which the Lord chooses,
Context of Deuteronomy 18:6
4You must give them the best of your grain, new wine, and olive oil, as well as the best of your wool when you shear your flocks. 5For the Lord your God has chosen them and their sons from all your tribes to stand and serve in his name permanently. Suppose a Levite comes by his own free will from one of your villages, from any part of Israel where he is living, to the place the Lord chooses 7and serves in the name of the Lord his God like his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord. 8He must eat the same share they do, despite any profits he may gain from the sale of his family’s inheritance.
Read all of Deuteronomy 18Deuteronomy 18:6 word by word
וְכִֽי־יָבֹ֨א הַלֵּוִ֜י מֵאַחַ֤ד שְׁעָרֶ֙יךָ֙ מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־ה֖וּא גָּ֣ר שָׁ֑ם וּבָא֙ בְּכָל־אַוַּ֣ת נַפְשׁ֔וֹ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And if a Leviteלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- from anyאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of thy gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gate: townH8179
- out of all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- where he sojournedגּוּרgûr · to sojournH1481
- with all the desireאַוָּה'avvâh · desireH185
- of his mindנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: appetiteH5315
- unto the placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- shall chooseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 18:6
- Numbers 35:2“Instruct the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. You must also give the Levites grazing land around the towns.
- Psalms 26:8O Lord, I love the temple where you live, the place where your splendor is revealed.
- Psalms 27:4I have asked the Lord for one thing – this is what I desire! I want to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord and contemplate in his temple.
- Psalms 63:1O God, you are my God! I long for you! My soul thirsts for you, my flesh yearns for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
- Psalms 84:5How blessed are those who find their strength in you, and long to travel the roads that lead to your temple!
- 1 Timothy 3:1This saying is trustworthy: “If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.”
- 1 Peter 5:2Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 18:6
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6-8Verses 6-8 These verses presuppose that part of the Levites only will be in residence and officiating at the place of the sanctuary, the others of course dwelling at their own homes in the Levitical cities, or “sojourning” elsewhere; compare the marginal references. But if any Levite out of love for the service of the sanctuary chose to resort to it when he might reside in his own home, he was to have his share in the maintenance which was provided for…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-86-8. 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…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 18:6
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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