5 For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath chosen H977 him out of all thy tribes, H7626 to stand H5975 to minister H8334 in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 him and his sons H1121 for ever. H3117
At that time H6256 the LORD H3068 separated H914 the tribe H7626 of Levi, H3878 to bear H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 to stand H5975 before H6440 the LORD H3068 to minister H8334 unto him, and to bless H1288 in his name, H8034 unto this day. H3117
And thou shalt appoint H6485 Aaron H175 and his sons, H1121 and they shall wait on H8104 their priest's office: H3550 and the stranger H2114 that cometh nigh H7131 shall be put to death. H4191
And take H7126 thou unto thee Aaron H175 thy brother, H251 and his sons H1121 with him, from among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, H3547 even Aaron, H175 Nadab H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar H499 and Ithamar, H385 Aaron's H175 sons. H1121 And thou shalt make H6213 holy H6944 garments H899 for Aaron H175 thy brother H251 for glory H3519 and for beauty. H8597 And thou shalt speak H1696 unto all that are wise H2450 hearted, H3820 whom I have filled H4390 with the spirit H7307 of wisdom, H2451 that they may make H6213 Aaron's H175 garments H899 to consecrate H6942 him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. H3547 And these are the garments H899 which they shall make; H6213 a breastplate, H2833 and an ephod, H646 and a robe, H4598 and a broidered H8665 coat, H3801 a mitre, H4701 and a girdle: H73 and they shall make H6213 holy H6944 garments H899 for Aaron H175 thy brother, H251 and his sons, H1121 that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. H3547 And they shall take H3947 gold, H2091 and blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8144 H8438 and fine linen. H8336 And they shall make H6213 the ephod H646 of gold, H2091 of blue, H8504 and of purple, H713 of scarlet, H8144 H8438 and fine twined H7806 linen, H8336 with cunning H2803 work. H4639 It shall have the two H8147 shoulderpieces H3802 thereof joined H2266 at the two H8147 edges H7098 thereof; and so it shall be joined together. H2266 And the curious girdle H2805 of the ephod, H642 which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work H4639 thereof; even of gold, H2091 of blue, H8504 and purple, H713 and scarlet, H8144 H8438 and fine twined H7806 linen. H8336 And thou shalt take H3947 two H8147 onyx H7718 stones, H68 and grave H6605 on them the names H8034 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 Six H8337 of their names H8034 on one H259 stone, H68 and the other six H8337 names H8034 of the rest H3498 on the other H8145 stone, H68 according to their birth. H8435 With the work H4639 of an engraver H2796 in stone, H68 like the engravings H6603 of a signet, H2368 shalt thou engrave H6605 the two H8147 stones H68 with the names H8034 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 thou shalt make H6213 them to be set H4142 in ouches H4865 of gold. H2091 And thou shalt put H7760 the two H8147 stones H68 upon the shoulders H3802 of the ephod H646 for stones H68 of memorial H2146 unto the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 and Aaron H175 shall bear H5375 their names H8034 before H6440 the LORD H3068 upon his two H8147 shoulders H3802 for a memorial. H2146 And thou shalt make H6213 ouches H4865 of gold; H2091 And two H8147 chains H8333 of pure H2889 gold H2091 at the ends; H4020 of wreathen H5688 work H4639 shalt thou make H6213 them, and fasten H5414 the wreathen H5688 chains H8333 to the ouches. H4865
And he spake H1696 unto Korah H7141 and unto all his company, H5712 saying, H559 Even to morrow H1242 the LORD H3068 will shew H3045 who are his, and who is holy; H6918 and will cause him to come near H7126 unto him: even him whom he hath chosen H977 will he cause to come near H7126 unto him.
Seemeth it but a small thing H4592 unto you, that the God H430 of Israel H3478 hath separated H914 you from the congregation H5712 of Israel, H3478 to bring you near H7126 to himself to do H5647 the service H5656 of the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD, H3068 and to stand H5975 before H6440 the congregation H5712 to minister H8334 unto them? And he hath brought thee near H7126 to him, and all thy brethren H251 the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 with thee: and seek H1245 ye the priesthood H3550 also?
And it shall come to pass, that the man's H376 rod, H4294 whom I shall choose, H977 shall blossom: H6524 and I will make to cease H7918 from me the murmurings H8519 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 whereby they murmur H3885 against you. And Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and every one of their princes H5387 gave H5414 him a rod H4294 H4294 apiece, for each prince H5387 H5387 one, H259 H259 according to their fathers' H1 houses, H1004 even twelve H6240 H8147 rods: H4294 and the rod H4294 of Aaron H175 was among H8432 their rods. H4294 And Moses H4872 laid up H3240 the rods H4294 before H6440 the LORD H3068 in the tabernacle H168 of witness. H5715 And it came to pass, that on the morrow H4283 Moses H4872 went H935 into the tabernacle H168 of witness; H5715 and, behold, the rod H4294 of Aaron H175 for the house H1004 of Levi H3878 was budded, H6524 and brought forth H3318 buds, H6525 and bloomed H6692 blossoms, H6731 and yielded H1580 almonds. H8247 And Moses H4872 brought out H3318 all the rods H4294 from before H6440 the LORD H3068 unto all the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 and they looked, H7200 and took H3947 every man H376 his rod. H4294
And the man H376 that will do H6213 presumptuously, H2087 and will not hearken H8085 unto the priest H3548 that standeth H5975 to minister H8334 there before the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 or unto the judge, H8199 even that man H376 shall die: H4191 and thou shalt put away H1197 the evil H7451 from Israel. H3478
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 18
Commentary on Deuteronomy 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
De 18:1-8. The Lord Is the Priests' and the Levites' Inheritance.
1. The priests the Levites … shall eat the offerings—As the tribe of Levi had no inheritance allotted them like the other tribes but were wholly consecrated to the priestly office, their maintenance was to arise from tithes, first-fruits, and certain portions of the oblations presented on the altar, which God having by express appointment reserved to Himself made over, after being offered, to His ministers.
3. this shall be the priest's due from the people—All who offered sacrifices of thanksgiving or peace offerings (Le 7:31-33) were ordered to give the breast and shoulder as perquisites to the priests. Here "the two cheeks" or head and "the maw" or stomach, deemed anciently a great dainty, are specified. But whether this is a new injunction, or a repetition of the old with the supplement of more details, it is not easy to determine.
6-8. if a Levite … come with all the desire of his mind—It appears that the Levites served in rotation from the earliest times; but, from their great numbers, it was only at infrequent intervals they could be called into actual service. Should any Levite, however, under the influence of eminent piety, resolve to devote himself wholly and continually to the sacred duties of the sanctuary, he was allowed to realize his ardent wishes; and as he was admitted to a share of the work, so also to a share of the remuneration. Though he might have private property, that was to form no ground for withholding or even diminishing his claim to maintenance like the other ministering priests. The reason or principle of the enactment is obvious (1Co 9:13). 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.
De 18:9-14. The Abominations of the Nations Are to Be Avoided.
9-14. thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations—(See on Le 18:21; Le 19:26; Le 19:31; Le 20:4). In spite of this express command, the people of Canaan, especially the Philistines, were a constant snare and stumbling block to the Israelites, on account of their divinations and superstitious practices.
De 18:15-19. Christ the Prophet Is to Be Heard.
15-19. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet—The insertion of this promise, in connection with the preceding prohibition, might warrant the application (which some make of it) to that order of true prophets whom God commissioned in unbroken succession to instruct, to direct, and warn His people; and in this view the purport of it is, "There is no need to consult with diviners and soothsayers, as I shall afford you the benefit of divinely appointed prophets, for judging of whose credentials a sure criterion is given" (De 18:20-22). But the prophet here promised was pre-eminently the Messiah, for He alone was "like unto Moses" (see on De 34:10) "in His mediatorial character; in the peculiar excellence of His ministry; in the number, variety, and magnitude of His miracles; in His close and familiar communion with God; and in His being the author of a new dispensation of religion." This prediction was fulfilled fifteen hundred years afterwards and was expressly applied to Jesus Christ by Peter (Ac 3:22, 23), and by Stephen (Ac 7:37).
19. whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him—The direful consequences of unbelief in Christ, and disregard of His mission, the Jewish people have been experiencing during eighteen hundred years.