New King James Version
Deuteronomy 33:9
9Who 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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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 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 of Judah: “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people; Let his hands be sufficient for him, And may You be a help against his enemies.” 8And of Levi he said: “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, Whom You tested at Massah, And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah, 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. 10They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, And Israel Your law. They shall put incense before You, And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar. 11Bless his substance, Lord, And accept the work of his hands; Strike the loins of those who rise against him, And of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”
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 32:25Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies),
- Leviticus 10:6And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled.
- Leviticus 21:11nor shall he go near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother;
- Matthew 10:37He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
- Matthew 12:48But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”
- Matthew 22:16And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.
- Luke 14:26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
- 2 Corinthians 5:16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
- Galatians 1:10For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:4But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
- 1 Timothy 5:21I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.
- Genesis 29:32So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
- 1 Chronicles 17:17And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O Lord God.
- Job 37:24Therefore men fear Him; He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.”
- Jeremiah 18:18Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”
- Malachi 2:5“My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries