Deuteronomy 10:9
in Deuteronomy 10That is why Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; Jehovah is his inheritance, according as Jehovah thy God spake unto him.)
KJV
Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him.
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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
The Lord is his inheritance - That is, the Lord's portion, namely, tithes and offerings, which belong to God, are given by him to the Levites for their subsistence, from generation to generation.
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.
Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren,....
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
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּ֞ן | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָיָ֧ה | hayah | it belongs | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְלֵוִ֛י | lelevi | to Levi | H3881 → | 291 times |
| חֵ֥לֶק | chelek | a portion | H2506 → | 67 times |
| וְנַחֲלָ֖ה | venachalah | and an inheritance | H5159 → | 222 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| אֶחָ֑יו | ʾechav | brothers his | H251 → | 630 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| ה֣וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| נַחֲלָת֔וֹ | nachalato | [is] inheritance his | H5159 → | 222 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֛ר | diber | he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לֽוֹ׃ | lo | to <the> him |
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּ֞ן-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הָיָ֧הit belongs
hayahH1961 →3559 times
לְלֵוִ֛יto Levi
leleviH3881 →291 times
חֵ֥לֶקa portion
chelekH2506 →67 times
וְנַחֲלָ֖הand an inheritance
venachalahH5159 →222 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
אֶחָ֑יוbrothers his
ʾechavH251 →630 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
ה֣וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
נַחֲלָת֔וֹ[is] inheritance his
nachalatoH5159 →222 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֛רhe spoke
diberH1696 →1141 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
לֽוֹ׃to <the> him
lo
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
Joshua 14:3For Moses had given the inheritance east of the Jordan to the other two and a half tribes. But he granted no inheritance among them to the Levites.
it leads to
- Joshua 13:14
To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The offerings made by fire to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as He had promised them.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 13:14
Through
Ezekiel 44:28In regard to their inheritance, I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.
it leads to
- Numbers 18:20
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
- Joshua 13:33
To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them.
- Deuteronomy 18:1–2
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance.
- Numbers 18:20
Through
Numbers 26:62The registration of the Levites totaled 23,000, every male a month old or more; they were not numbered among the other Israelites, because no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.
it leads to
- Numbers 35:2–8
“Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance they will possess, cities for the Levites to live in and pasturelands around the cities.
- Numbers 3:39
The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.
- Numbers 1:49
“Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites.
- Numbers 18:20–24
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
- Numbers 35:2–8
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.
