Deuteronomy 10:8
in Deuteronomy 10At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
At that time Jehovah set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, to stand before Jehovah to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
KJV
At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 10
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But it is found in the most ancient Hebrew manuscripts, and, believing that all contained in this book was given by inspiration and is entitled to profound respect, we must receive it as it stands, although acknowledging our inability to explain the insertion of these encampment details in this place.
This site's exposition
the Lord separated the tribe of Levi
on Deuteronomy 10:8-9
Levi is given three offices in one verse, to bear the ark, to stand before the Lord and minister, and to bless in his name, and the blessing is the one put into their mouths at Numbers 6:23-27. The tribe that drew the sword at Exodus 32:26-28 is the tribe handed the ark to carry. Verse 9 pays them by taking their land away, since the Lord is his inheritance, which Numbers 18:20 records as God's own word to Aaron.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Hence the angels are said to stand, 2Chr xviii, 18 Luke i, 19. To bless - The people, by performance of those holy ministrations for the people, and giving those instructions to them, to which God's blessing was promised; and this they did in God's name, that is, by command, and commission from him.
Commentary on Chapter X 2. I will write on the tables - Tho' the tables were broken, because they broke his commandment, they were now renewed, in proof that his wrath was turned away. And thus God's writing his law in our inward parts, is the surest proof of our reconciliation to him.
At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi,....
The Lord is his inheritance. Note, A settled ministry is a great blessing to a people, and a special token of God's favour. And, since the particular priests could not continue by reason of death, God showed his care of the people in securing a succession, which Moses takes notice of here,
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בָּעֵ֣ת | baet | at the time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| הַהִ֗וא | hahiv' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הִבְדִּ֤יל | hivdil | he set apart | H914 → | 42 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שֵׁ֣בֶט | shevet | [the] tribe of | H7626 → | 190 times |
| הַלֵּוִ֔י | halevi | the Levite[s] | H3878 → | 59 times |
| לָשֵׂ֖את | laset | to carry | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲר֣וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| בְּרִית־ | berit- | [the] covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לַעֲמֹד֩ | laamod | to stand | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לִפְנֵ֨י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֤ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לְשָֽׁרְתוֹ֙ | leshareto | to serve him | H8334 → | 97 times |
| וּלְבָרֵ֣ךְ | ulevarekh | and to bless | H1288 → | 330 times |
| בִּשְׁמ֔וֹ | bishmo | in name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
| עַ֖ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הַיּ֥וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַזֶּֽה׃ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
בָּעֵ֣תat the time
baetH6256 →296 times
הַהִ֗וא<the> that
hahiv'H1931 →1879 times
הִבְדִּ֤ילhe set apart
hivdilH914 →42 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שֵׁ֣בֶט[the] tribe of
shevetH7626 →190 times
הַלֵּוִ֔יthe Levite[s]
haleviH3878 →59 times
לָשֵׂ֖אתto carry
lasetH5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲר֣וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
בְּרִית־[the] covenant of
berit-H1285 →284 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לַעֲמֹד֩to stand
laamodH5975 →521 times
לִפְנֵ֨י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֤הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לְשָֽׁרְתוֹ֙to serve him
lesharetoH8334 →97 times
וּלְבָרֵ֣ךְand to bless
ulevarekhH1288 →330 times
בִּשְׁמ֔וֹin name his
bishmoH8034 →864 times
עַ֖דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
הַיּ֥וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַזֶּֽה׃<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 21:5And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every…
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce…
- Malachi 2:7
For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
- Deuteronomy 19:17
both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.
- Numbers 6:22–27
Then the LORD said to Moses,
- 1 Chronicles 23:13
Through
Numbers 4:15When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 6:6–7
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.
- Numbers 7:9
But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.
- Deuteronomy 31:9
So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
- Numbers 10:21
Then the Kohathites set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.
- 2 Samuel 6:6–7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.