Deuteronomy 12:19
in Deuteronomy 12and be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest in thy land.
KJV
Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 12
Commentary
5 notes on this verseTake heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite,.... By withholding from him the tithes appointed for his maintenance; or rather by neglecting to take him with him in order to partake of the feast or entertainment before spoken of: as long as thou livest upon the earth; so that it was not one time only, but always; whenever he ate these holy things before the Lord, as long as he lived, he was to be careful he had the Levite with him, for a reason given, Deu 12:12.
This site's exposition
Within your gates you must not eat the tithe of your grain
on Deuteronomy 12:17-19
The concession stops at the tithe of grain, new wine and oil, the firstborn, the vows and the freewill offerings. These keep their old destination, and verse 19 makes the Levite a standing duty “as long as you live in your land”.
This site's exposition
not to neglect the Levites
Gill gives two readings of neglect, withholding the Levite's tithe or leaving him out of the feast, and he prefers the second. Clarke applies the verse to those in the ministry, who should have the necessaries of life. Paul makes the same case at 1 Corinthians 9:13 to 14.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is a great mercy to have Levites near us, within our gates, that we may ask the law at their mouth, and at our feasts to be a check upon us, to restrain excesses. And it is the duty of people to be kind to their ministers that give them good instructions and set them good examples.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Forsake not the Levite - These had no inheritance, and were to live by the sanctuary: if therefore the offerings were withheld by which the Levites were supported, they of course must perish. Those who have devoted themselves to the service of God in ministering to the salvation of the souls of men, should certainly be furnished at least with all the necessaries of life. Those who withhold this from them sin against their own mercies, and that ordinance of God by which a ministry is established for the salvation of souls.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִשָּׁ֣מֶר | hishamer | take heed | H8104 → | 468 times |
| לְךָ֔ | lekha | to yourself | ||
| פֶּֽן־ | pen- | lest | H6435 → | 133 times |
| תַּעֲזֹ֖ב | taazo | you should neglect | H5800 → | 215 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַלֵּוִ֑י | halevi | the Levite | H3881 → | 291 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יָמֶ֖יךָ | yameikha | days your | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אַדְמָתֶֽךָ׃ ס | ʾadmatekha | land your | H127 → | 225 times |
הִשָּׁ֣מֶרtake heed
hishamerH8104 →468 times
לְךָ֔to yourself
lekha
פֶּֽן־lest
pen-H6435 →133 times
תַּעֲזֹ֖בyou should neglect
taazoH5800 →215 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַלֵּוִ֑יthe Levite
haleviH3881 →291 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
יָמֶ֖יךָdays your
yameikhaH3117 →2304 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אַדְמָתֶֽךָ׃ סland your
ʾadmatekhaH127 →225 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.