Deuteronomy 18:1-22

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Magistracy and ministry are two divine institutions of admirable use for the support and advancement of the kingdom of God among men. Laws concerning the former we had in the close of the foregoing chapter, directions are in this given concerning the latter. Land-marks are here set between the estates of the priests and those of the people. I. Care is taken that the priests entangle not themselves with the affairs of this life, nor enrich themselves with the wealth of this world; they have... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:9-14

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? Were they in any danger of making those their tutors and directors in religion whom God had made their captives and tributaries? It seems they were in danger, and therefore, after many similar... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:15-22

Here is, I. The promise of the great prophet, with a command to receive him, and hearken to him. Now, 1. Some think it is the promise of a succession of prophets, that should for many ages be kept up in Israel. Besides the priests and Levites, their ordinary ministers, whose office it was to teach Jacob God's law, they should have prophets, extraordinary ministers, to reprove them for their faults, remind them of their duty, and foretel things to come, judgments for warning and deliverances... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:1

The priests, the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel ,.... That is, in the land of Canaan, in the division of it among the tribes: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance ; the meat offerings, see Leviticus 2:2 , and whatsoever of the sin offerings and peace offerings which were the Lord's; so Ben Melech says, the flesh of the offerings which belonged to the priests was called fire offerings, after part... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:2

Therefore shall they have none inheritance among their brethren ,.... Neither of the field, nor of the vineyard, as the above Targum, because provision was made for them otherwise, and especially because the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them ; see Gill on Numbers 18:20 , which as it may be understood in a spiritual sense of their interest in God, as their covenant God, and of their enjoyment of him, and communion with him; so chiefly in a temporal sense of all those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:3

And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer sacrifice ,.... Not from the priests, as Jarchi observes, but from those that bring the sacrifices to the priests, particularly the peace offerings: whether it be ox or sheep ; the one of the herd, the other of the flock, creatures used in sacrifice, and takes in goats and the kids of them, rams and lambs: and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw ; the first of these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:4

The firstfruit also of thy corn, and of thy wine, and of thy oil ,.... This is the "terumah", or heave offering, the offering of the firstfruits; what the measure or quantity was is not declared, but is fixed by the Jews; See Gill on Exodus 22:29 , and the first of the fleece of thy sheep shall thou give him : concerning which in the Misnah F18 Cholin, c. 11. sect. 1, 2. it is said, the first of the fleece is used in the land and without the land, of which they give the weight of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:5

For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes ,.... That is, has chosen the tribe of Levi out of all the other tribes of Israel: to stand to minister in the name of the Lord ; the priests to minister to the Lord by offering sacrifices, and the Levites to minister to the priests in assisting them in their service; and both their ministry were in the name of the Lord, and for his glory, and done standing; for there was no sitting in the sanctuary F23 Maimon. in Misn.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:6

And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of Israel, where he sojourned ,.... In any of the cities through the land, for they were dispersed all over the country, and employed in instructing and teaching the people; and, excepting the cities which were given them to dwell in out of the various tribes, they were but sojourners: and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose ; the city of Jerusalem, where the temple would be built, and sacrifices... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:7

And he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God ,.... The Targum of Jonathan is,"he shall minister in the name of the Word of the Lord his God;'in the name of Christ, as a type of him, as every priest and every sacrifice were: he was to be allowed to officiate, though it was not his course or turn: as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the Lord ; daily offering the same sacrifices, and whatsoever are brought unto them; who might be said to stand before the... read more

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