New International Version
Deuteronomy 33:9
9He said of his father and mother, ‘I have no regard for them.’ He did not recognize his brothers or acknowledge his own children, but he watched over your word and guarded your covenant.
Deuteronomy 33:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
- English Standard Version (ESV)who said of his father and mother, 'I regard them not'; he disowned his brothers and ignored his children. For they observed your word and kept your covenant.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who says of his father and mother, ‘I have not seen them’; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers, Or know his own children; For they have observed Your word And kept Your covenant.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The Levites obeyed your word and guarded your covenant. They were more loyal to you than to their own parents. They ignored their relatives and did not acknowledge their own children.
Context of Deuteronomy 33:9
7And this he said about Judah: “Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah; bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes!” 8About Levi he said: “Your Thummim and Urim belong to your faithful servant. You tested him at Massah; you contended with him at the waters of Meribah. He said of his father and mother, ‘I have no regard for them.’ He did not recognize his brothers or acknowledge his own children, but he watched over your word and guarded your covenant. 10He teaches your precepts to Jacob and your law to Israel. He offers incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar. 11Bless all his skills, Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Strike down those who rise against him, his foes till they rise no more.”
Read all of Deuteronomy 33Deuteronomy 33:9 word by word
הָאֹמֵ֞ר לְאָבִ֤יו וּלְאִמּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִ֔יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֙ לֹ֣א הִכִּ֔יר וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְרוּ֙ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ וּבְרִֽיתְךָ֖ יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Who saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- and to his motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- I have not seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- him; neither did he acknowledgeנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
- his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- nor knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- his own childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- for they have observedשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- thy wordאִמְרָה'imrâh 'emrâh · wordH565
- and keptנָצַרnâtsar · to watchH5341
- thy covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 33:9
- Exodus 32:25Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies.
- Leviticus 10:6Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become unkempt and do not tear your clothes, or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community. But your relatives, all the Israelites, may mourn for those the Lord has destroyed by fire.
- Leviticus 21:11He must not enter a place where there is a dead body. He must not make himself unclean, even for his father or mother,
- Matthew 10:37“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
- Matthew 12:48He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
- Matthew 22:16They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.
- Luke 14:26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.
- 2 Corinthians 5:16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
- Galatians 1:10Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:4On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.
- 1 Timothy 5:21I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
- Genesis 29:32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
- 1 Chronicles 17:17And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.
- Job 37:24Therefore, people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?”
- Jeremiah 18:18They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.”
- Malachi 2:5“My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 33:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Who said unto his father, etc. - There are several difficulties in this and the following verses. Some think they are spoken of the tribe of Levi; others, of all the tribes; others, of the Messiah, etc.; but several of the interpretations founded on these suppositions are too recondite, and should not be resorted to till a plain literal sense is made out. I suppose the whole to be primarily spoken of Aaron and the tribe of Levi. Let us examine the words…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Who said unto his father and to his mother - Compare Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-23Verses 6-23 The order in which the tribes are here blessed, is not the same as is observed elsewhere. The blessing of Judah may refer to the whole tribe in general, or to David as a type of Christ. Moses largely blesses the tribe of Levi. Acceptance with God is what we should all aim at, and desire, in all our devotions, whether men accept us or not, 2Co 5:9. This prayer is a prophecy, that God will keep up a ministry in his church to the end of time. The…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9maintained Your covenant: This verse refers to the sin of the gold calf at Mount Sinai and to what happened at Baal-peor (Exodus 32:25–29; Numbers 25:6–9). At those times, the Levites chose to stand with the Lord. Their love for the Lord and their loyalty to his covenant (his binding agreement with his people) were stronger than their loyalty to their own families. Because of this, God did not destroy the whole nation. Instead, the Levites received the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-108-10. of Levi he said--The burden of this blessing is the appointment of the Levites to the dignified and sacred office of the priesthood (Le 10:11; De 22:8; 17:8-11), a reward for their zeal in supporting the cause of God, and their unsparing severity in chastising even their nearest and dearest relatives who had participated in the idolatry of the molten calf (Ex 32:25-28; compare Mal 2:4-6).Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 33:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 33
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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