Deuteronomy 18:8
in Deuteronomy 18They shall eat equal portions, even though he has received money from the sale of his father’s estate.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
KJV
They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 18
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThe sale of his patrimony - So we find that, though the Levites might have no part of the land by lot, yet they were permitted to make purchases of houses, goods, and cattle, yea, of fields also. See the case of Abiathar, 1Ki 2:26 (note), and of Jeremiah, Jer 32:7-8 (note).
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
Beside that which cometh - The reason of this law was, because he that waited on the altar, ought to live by the altar: and because it was fit he should keep his money, wherewith he might redeem what he sold, if afterwards he saw occasion for it.
They shall have like portions to eat,....
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
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חֵ֥לֶק | chelek | a portion | H2506 → | 67 times |
| כְּחֵ֖לֶק | kechelek | like a portion | H2506 → | 67 times |
| יֹאכֵ֑לוּ | yokhelu | they will eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| לְבַ֥ד | levad | <to> besides | H905 → | 200 times |
| מִמְכָּרָ֖יו | mikarav | sales his | H4465 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָאָבֽוֹת׃ ס | haavot | the fathers | H1 → | 1212 times |
חֵ֥לֶקa portion
chelekH2506 →67 times
כְּחֵ֖לֶקlike a portion
kechelekH2506 →67 times
יֹאכֵ֑לוּthey will eat
yokheluH398 →810 times
לְבַ֥ד<to> besides
levadH905 →200 times
מִמְכָּרָ֖יוsales his
mikaravH4465 →
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָאָבֽוֹת׃ סthe fathers
haavotH1 →1212 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
Luke 10:7Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 5:17–18
Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
- Matthew 10:10–11
Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.
- 1 Corinthians 9:4–15
Have we no right to food and to drink?
- 2 Timothy 2:6
The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.
- 1 Timothy 5:17–18
Through
2 Chronicles 31:4Moreover, 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.
it leads to
- 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.
- Numbers 18:8–21
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons…
- Malachi 2:7
Through
Nehemiah 12:44And on that same day men were appointed over the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes. The portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites were gathered into these…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 10:37–39
Moreover, we will bring to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God the firstfruits of our dough, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of…
- Nehemiah 13:12–13
and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
- Nehemiah 10:37–39
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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.