Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.
Parallel translations
- WEB They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.
- KJV Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
- NKJV Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the Lord is their inheritance, as He said to them.
- NASB They shall not have an inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He promised them.
- NLT They will have no land of their own among the Israelites. The Lord himself is their special possession, just as he promised them.
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
The Levites have no land inheritance because Yahweh Himself is their inheritance. Their greatest possession is God, not property.
Overview
While the other tribes inherited territory, Levi's portion was the LORD as He had promised. This makes the Levites a living picture of what is true for all God's people: that God Himself is the highest treasure. It looks forward to the New Testament reality that believers are heirs of God, finding their inheritance in Him rather than in earthly goods.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Lam 3:24“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
- Ps 16:5The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.
- Ps 73:24–26You guide me with Your counsel, and later receive me in glory.
- 1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Isa 61:6But you will be called the priests of the LORD; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will feed on the wealth of nations, and you will boast in their riches.
- Ps 84:11For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Ps 119:57The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.
- Rev 1:5–6and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,
- 1 Pet 2:5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- Gen 15:1After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 18:2 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.