Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
Parallel translations
- WEB They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.
- BSB Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised 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 3:24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
- Ps 16:5The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
- Ps 73:24–26Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
- 1 Pet 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- Isa 61:6But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
- Ps 84:11For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
- Ps 119:57Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.
- Rev 1:5–6And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
- 1 Pet 2:5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
- Gen 15:1After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.