Deuteronomy 18:1
in Deuteronomy 18The 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, and his inheritance.
KJV
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 18
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThe priests, the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel,.... That is, in the land of Canaan, in the division of it among the tribes: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance; the meat offerings, see Lev 2:2, and whatsoever of the sin offerings and peace offerings which were the Lord's; so Ben Melech says, the flesh of the offerings which belonged to the priests was called fire offerings, after part of it was consumed by fire.
This site's exposition
have no part nor inheritance
on Deuteronomy 18:1-2
Numbers 18:20 said it to Aaron first, I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel, and Joshua 13:14 and 13:33 record the land being divided with Levi left out of the division. The tribe that handles the offerings holds no ground. Verse 1 puts priests and Levites under one standing, and verse 2 states what they hold as a person rather than a property, the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Their warfare and husbandry are both spiritual, and enough to fill their hands both with work and profit and to content them. The Lord is their inheritance,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Better, “there shall not be to the priests, the Levites, yea the whole tribe of Levi, any inheritance, etc.” And his inheritance - i. e., God’s inheritance, that which in making a grant to His people of the promised land with its earthly blessings He had reserved for Himself; more particularly the sacrifices and the holy gifts, such as tithes and first-fruits. These were God’s portion of the substance of Israel; and as the Levites were His portion of the persons of Israel, it was fitting that the Levites should be sustained from these.
The priests the Levites - shall have no part - That is, says Rab. Maimon, they shall have no part in the spoils taken from an enemy.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
THE FIRE OFFERINGS OF THE ETERNAL — “the hallowed offerings of the Sanctuary. AND HIS INHERITANCE — these are hallowed gifts that may be consumed outside of the Sanctuary and Jerusalem, such as the heave-offerings and the tithes.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִ֠הְיֶה | yihyeh | it will belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים | lakohanim | to the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֜ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| שֵׁ֧בֶט | shevet | [the] tribe of | H7626 → | 190 times |
| לֵוִ֛י | levi | Levi | H3878 → | 59 times |
| חֵ֥לֶק | chelek | a portion | H2506 → | 67 times |
| וְנַחֲלָ֖ה | venachalah | and an inheritance | H5159 → | 222 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אִשֵּׁ֧י | ʾishei | [the] fire offerings of | H801 → | |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְנַחֲלָת֖וֹ | venachalato | and inheritance his | H5159 → | 222 times |
| יֹאכֵלֽוּן׃ | yokhelun | they will eat ! | H398 → | 810 times |
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִ֠הְיֶהit will belong
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
לַכֹּהֲנִ֨יםto the priests
lakohanimH3548 →750 times
הַלְוִיִּ֜םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
שֵׁ֧בֶט[the] tribe of
shevetH7626 →190 times
לֵוִ֛יLevi
leviH3878 →59 times
חֵ֥לֶקa portion
chelekH2506 →67 times
וְנַחֲלָ֖הand an inheritance
venachalahH5159 →222 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אִשֵּׁ֧י[the] fire offerings of
ʾisheiH801 →
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְנַחֲלָת֖וֹand inheritance his
venachalatoH5159 →222 times
יֹאכֵלֽוּן׃they will eat !
yokhelunH398 →810 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
Joshua 13:14To 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.
it leads to
- 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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 14:3–4
For 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.
- Numbers 18:20–24
Through
Deuteronomy 10:9That is why Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.
it leads to
- 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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 44:28
In regard to their inheritance, I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.
- Deuteronomy 18:1–2
Through
Deuteronomy 12:19and be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 31:4–21
Moreover, he commanded the people living in Jerusalem to make a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.
- Nehemiah 10:34–39
We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our…
- Deuteronomy 14:27–29
And do not neglect the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
- 2 Chronicles 11:13–14
Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam.
- 2 Chronicles 31:4–21
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.