EXPOSITION RIGHTS OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES . THE ARTS OF DIVINATION OF THE HEATHEN TO BE AVOIDED . PROPHETS PROMISED WHOM ISRAEL MUST HEAR . THE FALSE AND PRESUMPTUOUS PROPHET TO BE PUT TO DEATH . After the ruling powers, the judges and the king, come the priests and the Levites. In regard to them Moses repeats here the law as before laid down (cf. Numbers 18:20 , Numbers 18:23 , Numbers 18:24 ). read more
The support of the ministry the duty of God's people. In a note on a corresponding passage in Numbers 18:21 , Numbers 18:22 , Dr. Jameson remarks, "Neither the priests nor the Levites were to possess any allotments of land, but to depend entirely upon him who liberally provided for them out of his own portion; and this law was subservient to many important purposes, such as that, being exempted from the cares and labors of worldly business, they might be exclusively devoted to his... read more
God's provision for the priests and Levites. From the limitations of the monarchy, Moses next turns to the provision for the " priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi." They were not to receive any estate in Canaan beyond the suburbs of certain cities. They were to take " the Lord as their inheritance." We have already seen that Palestine was a good land for training up a spiritual people; it was a land where dependence upon God was constantly enforced. Bat among this... read more
The true priest is the highest type of man. God here lays down the lines along which men may rise to the dignity of the true priesthood. The ordinance did not secure the ideal reality. "The Law was weak through the flesh." Human choice and endeavor were requisite to attain to God's ideal priest. It is his privilege to receive from God, and to reveal to men. I. DIVINE CHOICE AND HUMAN DESIRE MUST COMBINE TO MAKE A REAL PRIEST . The man, though born a Levite, must... read more
As he hath said unto them (cf. Numbers 18:20 ). The shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw ; i . e . the front leg, the two jaw-bones, and the rough stomach of ruminants, in which the digestion is completed. These were regarded as the choice parts of the animal, and were to be given to the priests in addition to the wave breast and heave leg of the peace offerings (Le 7:32, etc.; Numbers 18:11 ), which belonged to the firings of Jehovah, mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:1 . To... read more
Better, “there shall not be to the priests, the Levites, yea the whole tribe of Levi, any inheritance, etc.”And his inheritance - i. e., God’s inheritance, that which in making a grant to His people of the promised land with its earthly blessings He had reserved for Himself; more particularly the sacrifices and the holy gifts, such as tithes and first-fruits. These were God’s portion of the substance of Israel; and as the Levites were His portion of the persons of Israel, it was fitting that... read more
For “maw” read stomach, which was regarded as one of the richest and choicest parts. As the animal slain may be considered to consist of three principal parts, head, feet, and body, a portion of each is by the regulation in question to be given to the priest, thus representing the consecration of the whole; or, as some ancient commentators think, the dedication of the words, acts, and appetites of the worshipper to God.The text probably refers to peace-offerings, and animals killed for the... read more
Deuteronomy 18:1. His inheritance The Lord’s portion or inheritance, which God had reserved to himself, as tithes and first-fruits, and other oblations distinct from those which were made by fire. read more
Deuteronomy 18:3. The maw The Hebrew word here rendered maw, or stomach, may have another signification; and some render it the breast; others take it for the part which lies under the breast. read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:1-2
The Lord our inheritance. True of the priests and Levites, it is true also of each believer, that "the Lord is his inheritance" ( Psalms 16:5 , Psalms 16:6 ). He is in this respect a "priest unto God" ( 1 Peter 2:9 ; Revelation 1:6 ). I. THE MEANING OF THE EXPRESSION . Inheritance—equal to lot, part, share. Inheritance in families—the share which each receives of the patrimony. In the partition of Canaan, each tribe had its lot, its portion, its share. God's portion... read more