Deuteronomy 18:6
in Deuteronomy 18Now if a Levite moves from any town of residence throughout Israel and comes in all earnestness to the place the LORD will choose,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourneth, and come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah shall choose;
KJV
And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose;
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This verse in Deuteronomy 18
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
These verses presuppose that part of the Levites only will be in residence and officiating at the place of the sanctuary, the others of course dwelling at their own homes in the Levitical cities, or “sojourning” elsewhere; compare the marginal references. But if any Levite out of love for the service of the sanctuary chose to resort to it when he might reside in his own home, he was to have his share in the maintenance which was provided for those ministering in the order of their course.
This site's exposition
And if a Levite come
on Deuteronomy 18:6-8
The place which the Lord shall choose falls fifteen times between chapters 12 and 26 and this is one of them, and the book never says where it is. A Levite living in his own town may come with all the desire of his mind and serve beside the men on duty, and he eats a like portion with them. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown add that the admission was orderly, a Gershonite serving among Gershonites, so the established courses stood. His patrimony is his own on top of that, and Adam Clarke points to Abiathar at 1 Kings 2:26 and Jeremiah at Jeremiah 32:7-8 as Levites holding property.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
But if any of them were not contented with this attendance upon God in his tabernacle, or temple, and desired more entirely and constantly to devote himself to God's service there, he was permitted so to do, because this was an eminent act of piety joined with self - denial, to part with those great conveniences which he enjoyed in the city of his possession.
And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of Israel, where he sojourned,....
One would not think there had been so much need as it seems there was to arm the people of Israel against the infection of the idolatrous customs of the Canaanites. Was it possible that a people so blessed with divine institutions should ever admit the brutish and barbarous inventions of men and devils?
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
At the same time, while every facility was afforded for the admission of such a zealous and self-denying officer, this admission was to be in an orderly manner: he was to minister "as all his brethren"--that is, a Gershonite with Gershonites; a Merarite with Merarites; so that there might be no derangement of the established courses.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְכִֽי־ | vekhi- | and if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָבֹ֨א | yavo' | he will come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הַלֵּוִ֜י | halevi | <the> Levite | H3881 → | 291 times |
| מֵאַחַ֤ד | meachad | from one of | H259 → | 971 times |
| שְׁעָרֶ֙יךָ֙ | sheareikha | gates your | H8179 → | 374 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | from all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ה֖וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| גָּ֣ר | gar | [was] sojourning | H1481 → | 97 times |
| שָׁ֑ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| וּבָא֙ | uva' | and he will come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אַוַּ֣ת | ʾavat | [the] desire of | H185 → | 7 times |
| נַפְשׁ֔וֹ | nafsho | self his | H5315 → | 754 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמָּק֖וֹם | hamakom | the place | H4725 → | 401 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִבְחַ֥ר | yivchar | he will choose | H977 → | 171 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְכִֽי־and if
vekhi-H3588 →4482 times
יָבֹ֨אhe will come
yavo'H935 →2568 times
הַלֵּוִ֜י<the> Levite
haleviH3881 →291 times
מֵאַחַ֤דfrom one of
meachadH259 →971 times
שְׁעָרֶ֙יךָ֙gates your
sheareikhaH8179 →374 times
מִכָּל־from all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
ה֖וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
גָּ֣ר[was] sojourning
garH1481 →97 times
שָׁ֑םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
וּבָא֙and he will come
uva'H935 →2568 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
אַוַּ֣ת[the] desire of
ʾavatH185 →7 times
נַפְשׁ֔וֹself his
nafshoH5315 →754 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַמָּק֖וֹםthe place
hamakomH4725 →401 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
יִבְחַ֥רhe will choose
yivcharH977 →171 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
Psalms 84:5Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
it leads to
- Psalms 28:7–8
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of…
- Zechariah 10:12
I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD.
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Micah 4:2
And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that…
- Psalms 28:7–8
Through
Deuteronomy 12:5Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 12:11
then the LORD your God will choose a dwelling for His Name. And there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all…
- 2 Chronicles 7:12
the LORD appeared to him at night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.
- Deuteronomy 26:2
you are to take some of the firstfruits of all your produce from the soil of the land that the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go…
- Deuteronomy 12:11
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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 and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.