Deuteronomy 18:5
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For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Laws Concerning the Cities of Refuge, the Sacredness of Landmarks,and the Punishment of False Witnesses - Deuteronomy 19 After laying down the most important features in the national constitution, Moses glances at the manifold circumstances of civil and family life, and notices in this and the two following chapters the different ways in which the lives of individuals might be endangered, for the purpose of awakening in the minds of the people a holy reverence for human life.
Open source ↗In this chapter, I. The rights and revenues of the church are settled, and rules given concerning the Levites' ministration and maintenance (Deu 18:1-8). II. The caution against the idolatrous abominable customs of the heathen is repeated (Deu 18:9-14). III. A promise is given them of the spirit of prophecy to continue among them, and to centre at last in Christ the great prophet (Deu 18:15-18). IV. Wrath threatened against those that despise prophecy (Deu 18:19) or counterfeit it (Deu 18:20), and a rule given for the trial of it (Deu 18:21, Deu 18:22).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.
Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to Him and who is holy, and He will bring that person near to Himself. The one He chooses, He will bring near to Himself.
It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”