And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham;
Parallel translations
- WEB They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,
- KJV And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
- BSB Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Abraham.
- NASB And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their countrymen, although they are descended from Abraham.
- NLT Now the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel, who are also descendants of Abraham.
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 Levitical priests, by the law, collect tithes from their fellow Israelites, their own kinsmen descended from Abraham. Their authority to receive tithes operates within the family of Abraham.
Overview
Under the law, Levi's descendants who held the priesthood were commanded to take tithes from their brothers, the rest of Israel. Both priests and people sprang from Abraham, sharing the same lineage. This sets up the contrast: Melchizedek, outside that family, received tithes from Abraham himself, showing his greater rank.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Lev 27:30–33“‘All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is Yahweh’s. It is holy to Yahweh.
- 2 Chr 31:4–6Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to Yahweh’s law.
- Num 18:21–32“To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the Tent of Meeting.
- Num 16:10–11and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? Do you seek the priesthood also?
- Neh 13:10I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field.
- Num 17:3–10You shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.
- 1 Kgs 8:19Nevertheless, you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come out of your body, he shall build the house for my name.’
- Num 18:7You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil. You shall serve. I give you the service of the priesthood as a gift. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”
- Heb 7:10for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.
- Gen 46:26All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct offspring, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six.
- Exod 28:1“Bring Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, near to you from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
- Exod 1:5All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already.
- Heb 5:4Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.
- Gen 35:11God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body.
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Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 7:5 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
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