And do not neglect the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you.
- KJV And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
- NKJV You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.
- NASB Also you shall not neglect the Levite who is in your town, for he has no portion or inheritance among you.
- NLT And do not neglect the Levites in your town, for they will receive no allotment of land among you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel was not to neglect the Levites, who had no land inheritance of their own. Those who served at worship were to be provided for.
Overview
The Levites received no tribal allotment because the Lord himself was their inheritance, so they depended on the offerings of the people. Including them in the festal generosity guarded against their being forgotten. This principle that those devoted to God's service should be supported by the community carries into the New Testament's teaching that gospel workers deserve their living.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Deut 14:29Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance among you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied. And the LORD your God will bless you in all the work of your hands.
- Num 18:20Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
- Deut 12:12And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
- Deut 12:18–19Instead, you must eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates. Rejoice before the LORD your God in all you do,
- Deut 18:1–2The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance.
- 1 Tim 5:17Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
- Gal 6:6Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 14:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.