Deuteronomy 10:9

10:9 Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance ¹  among his brothers; ²  the Lord is his inheritance just as the Lord your God told him.

Deuteronomy 12:12

12:12 You shall rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God, along with your sons, daughters, male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages ³  (since they have no allotment or inheritance with you). ⁴ 

Deuteronomy 16:14

16:14 You are to rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who are in your villages. ⁵ 

Deuteronomy 17:9

17:9 You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict.

Deuteronomy 17:18

17:18 When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law ⁶  on a scroll ⁷  given to him by the Levitical priests.

Deuteronomy 18:1

Provision for Priests and Levites

18:1 The Levitical priests ⁸  – indeed, the entire tribe of Levi – will have no allotment or inheritance with Israel; they may eat the burnt offerings of the Lord and of his inheritance. ⁹ 

Deuteronomy 24:8

Respect for Human Dignity

24:8 Be careful during an outbreak of leprosy to follow precisely ¹⁰  all that the Levitical priests instruct you; as I have commanded them, so you should do.

Deuteronomy 26:11

26:11 You will celebrate all the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family, ¹¹  along with the Levites and the resident foreigners among you.

Deuteronomy 27:9

27:9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel: “Be quiet and pay attention, Israel. Today you have become the people of the Lord your God.

¹ sn Levi has no allotment or inheritance. As the priestly tribe, Levi would have no land allotment except for forty-eight towns set apart for their use (Num 35:1-8; Josh 21:1-42). But theirs was a far greater inheritance, for the Lord himself was their apportionment, that is, service to him would be their full-time and lifelong privilege (Num 18:20-24; Deut 18:2; Josh 13:33).

² tn That is, among the other Israelite tribes.

³ tn Heb “within your gates” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “who belongs to your community.”

⁴ sn They have no allotment or inheritance with you. See note on the word “inheritance” in Deut 10:9.

⁵ tn Heb “in your gates.”

⁷ tn Or “instruction.” The LXX reads here τὸ δευτερονόμιον τοῦτο (to deuteronomion touto, “this second law”). From this Greek phrase the present name of the book, “Deuteronomy” or “second law” (i.e., the second giving of the law), is derived. However, the MT’s expression מִשְׁנֶה הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת (mishneh hattorah hazzo’t) is better rendered “copy of this law.” Here the term תּוֹרָה (torah) probably refers only to the book of Deuteronomy and not to the whole Pentateuch.

⁸ tn The Hebrew term סֵפֶר (sefer) means a “writing” or “document” and could be translated “book” (so KJV, ASV, TEV). However, since “book” carries the connotation of a modern bound book with pages (an obvious anachronism) it is preferable to render the Hebrew term “scroll” here and elsewhere.

⁹ tn The MT places the terms “priests” and “Levites” in apposition, thus creating an epexegetical construction in which the second term qualifies the first, i.e., “Levitical priests.” This is a way of asserting their legitimacy as true priests. The Syriac renders “to the priest and to the Levite,” making a distinction between the two, but one that is out of place here.

¹⁰ sn Of his inheritance. This is a figurative way of speaking of the produce of the land the Lord will give to his people. It is the Lord’s inheritance, but the Levites are allowed to eat it since they themselves have no inheritance among the other tribes of Israel.

¹¹ tn Heb “to watch carefully and to do.”

¹³ tn Or “household” (so NASB, NIV, NLT); Heb “house” (so KJV, NRSV).