Joshua 13:14

Jos 13:14 Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire [are] their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Ver. 14. Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance.] Because God was to be their portion: Yεος η προσοδος, as Lucian speaketh of his heathenish priests.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jos 13:14. To the tribe of Levi he — Namely, Moses; gave none inheritance — That is, none in the land beyond Jordan, where yet a considerable part of the Levites were to have their settled abode. This is mentioned as the reason both why Moses gave all that land to the Reubenites, and Gadites, and Manassites, and why Joshua should divide the land only into nine parts and a half, as was said, Jos 13:7; because Levi was otherwise provided for. Made by fire — Which are here put for all the sacrifices and oblations, including first-fruits and tithes, that were assigned to the Levites, and this passage is repeated to prevent those calumnies and injuries which God foresaw the Levites were likely to meet with, from the malice, envy, and covetousness of their brethren.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13:14 The tribe of Levi inherited no tribal land of its own (see Deut 18:1-8). Levitical cities were located in the territories of the other tribes (Josh 21).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Levi shall live by the sacrifices, Num. 11:23.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

14. Only unto the tribe of Levi, etc This exception was also necessary, lest the Levites might allege that they were unjustly disinherited, and thus excite great commotions in regard to their right. He therefore reminds them that Moses was the author of this distinction, and, at the same time, shows that they have no reason to complain of having been in any way defrauded, because an excellent compensation was given them. For although the sacrifices were not equally divided among the Levites, their subsistence was sufficiently provided for by all the first-fruits and the tithes. Moreover, as God allures them by hire to undertake the charge of sacred things, so he exhorts the people in their turn to be faithful in paying the sacred oblations by declaring that their sacrifices are the maintenance of the Levites.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

14. Only unto the tribe of Levi] The Levites not being destined for agriculture, but being intended to become the regular teachers of the people, received no inheritance. See Jos_13:33, and ch. Jos_14:3-4.

the sacrifices of the Lord God] “the sacryfices, and the slayn offryngis of the Lord God of Yrael,” Wyclif. The offerings of Jehovah were to be their portion (Num_18:20; Deu_10:9; Deu_18:2).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance,.... Neither the Lord, nor Moses by his order, nor did he appoint any inheritance for them, either beyond Jordan, or on this side it, for the Lord was to be their inheritance, Num 18:20;

the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them; Deu 18:1; and which are put for the whole of what was granted to them for their subsistence, as tithes, firstfruits, &c.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Victims. Hebrew, "the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire."

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He, i.e. Moses, as is expressed Jos 13:33, gave none inheritance, to wit, in the land beyond Jordan, where yet a considerable part of the Levites were to have their settled abode. This is mentioned as the reason both why Moses gave all that land to the Reubenites, and Gadites, and Manassites; and why Joshua should divide the land only into nine parts and a half, as was said, Jos 13:7, because Levi was otherwise provided for

Sacrifices of the Lord made by fire; which by a synecdoche are here put for all those sacrifices and oblations, including first-fruits and tithes, which were assigned to the Levites; and this passage is so oft repeated and urged, to prevent those calumnies and injuries which God foresaw the Levites were likely to meet with from the malice, envy, and covetousness of their brethren; and to oblige all the other tribes to a cheerful and conscionable giving to the Levites their dues, to which they had as good a right and title as they had to their several possessions.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. Only unto the tribe of Levi — Moses did not give any inheritance to the nine and a half tribes, not from lack of purpose, but from lack of opportunity. But the Levites he excluded from a territorial allotment by an express prohibition to Joshua. They received scattered cities with a narrow margin of pasture lands, but no separate share of the land. See chap. 21. Sacrifices is here used, in a broad sense, to include all offerings, even those, like the show bread, which were eaten and not burned. The Vulgate has it sacrificia et victimae. They were to receive a tenth of the fruits of the field, the trees, and the cattle. Twelve tribes received allotments because the two sons of Joseph were each reckoned as a tribe.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Only unto the tribe of Levi. See Num_18:20-24, where the original command is recorded. Like the clergy under the Christian dispensation, it was seen that they could not at once perform the duties of the priesthood, and act as instructors of the people, if they were burdened, like the rest, with the duty of carrying on war. Their place was supplied by the division of the tribe of Joseph into two, so that the inheritance of Israel was still divided among twelve tribes. Bahr, in his "Symbolik des Alten Testaments," 2:48, 49, gives other reasons for the dispersion of the Levites throughout the land. If the Levites were to keep the Law and Word of God, to take measures for its being properly kept by the nation in general, to spread abroad a knowledge of the precepts of the religion of Israel, to stir up the tribes to a devout and religious life, it was not merely desirable, but absolutely necessary, that they should be scattered among the tribes. On the other hand, to secure a proper esprit de corps, a mutual sustaining influence, and a common action, too complete a dispersion would have been a mistake. Hence their collection into the Levitical cities, which, however, (see note on Jos_21:11) were not given up wholly to them. The Divine wisdom which dictated the provisions of the Mosaic law is clearly visible here. The instinct of the Christian Church in early times devised a similar provision for the evangelisation of the people in the organisation of the ancient and mediaeval cathedrals. As he said unto them. This quotation of Num_18:20, 24 by a later writer would, under all ordinary circumstances, be regarded as a proof that the Book of Joshua was quoting one of the books of Moses. But the "Elohistic" and "Jehovistic" theory escapes this conclusion in the cumbrous fashion to which reference has been already made. Origen regards this passage as symbolical of the more spiritually earnest among the laity, who" so excel others invirtue of mind and grace of merits, as that the Lord should be called their inheritance." "How very rare," he says, "are those who devote themselves to wisdom and knowledge and preserve their mind clear and pure, and exercise their minds in all excellent virtues, who illuminate the way wherein they walk for simpler souls by the grace of learning, and thus attain to salvation. They are the true priests and Levites, whose inheritance is the Lord, who is wisdom" (Hom. 17 on Joshua). The Sacrifices. The word is derived from vae fire. It does not itself, as Keil asserts, signify fire in any place in Holy Writ, but it is used of the shewbread in Lev_24:7, Lev_24:9. It thus came to mean any sacrifice, whether offered by fire or not. And thus the tenth which (Num_18:21, Num_18:23, Num_18:24) was given to the Levites, as being offered for God"s service, might be reckoned as in some sense a sacrifice. With this passage we may compare various passages in the New Testament, where, in this respect at least, the Christian ministry stands on the same footing. (1Co_9:11, 13 Gal_6:6, Gal_6:7) Thus the maintenance of the Christian ministry is a kind of sacrifice as we find such deeds called, in fact, in Heb_13:16. And an order of men who are set apart to the ministry of souls has a right to claim a sufficient maintenance at the hands of those to whom they minister a point which in these days of affluence and clerical destitution combined ought to be more largely recognised than it is. (see Num_18:20-24) "For the law is entrusted to the priests and Levites, and they devote their energies to this alone, and without any anxiety are able to give their time to the Word of God. But that they may be able to do this, they ought to depend upon the support of the laity. For if the laity do not allow the priests and Levites all the necessaries of life, they would be obliged, to engage themselves in temporal occupations, and would thus have less time for the law of God. And when they had no time to spare for the study of God"s law, it is thou who wouldst be in danger. For the light of knowledge that is in them would grow dim, because thou hast given no oil for the lamp, and through thy fault it would come to pass, what the Lord said, "If the blind lead the blind, shall they not both fall into the ditch? (Orig., Hom. 17 on Joshua). These words are well worthy of attention now, when a multiplicity of worldly business and a weight of worldly cares are devolved upon God"s ministers by a laity which has to too great an extent washed its hands of all cooperation in the work of God"s Church.

HOMILIES BY W.F. ADENEY Vers. 14, 33. The inheritance of Levi.

I THE TRIBE OF LEVI RECEIVED NO INHERITANCE OF LAND.

(1) They who devote themselves to the service of God must be prepared to make earthly sacrifices. We cannot serve God and mammon. If our service of God costs nothing it is worth nothing. (Luk_14:33) Therefore count the cost. (Luk_14:28)

(2) Earthly possessions distract our attention from heavenly service. Therefore it is hard for the rich to enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Luk_18:24)

(3) It is right that they who have the care of souls should be freed from the care of earthly business.

II THE TRIBE OF LEVI HAD ITS TEMPORAL WANTS ADEQUATELY PROVIDED FOR (see verse 14).

(1) They who serve at the altar have a right to live by the altar. (1Co_9:7) This is

(a) just, (1Co_9:11)

(b) necessary for unhindered service, and

(c) not injurious to true devotion so long as the servant of God does not degrade his vocation into a trade by working for money instead of receiving money that he may have means for work.

(2) In contributing to the support of God"s servants we are offering sacrifices to God. The sacrifices were the priests" and Levites" portion. (Deu_18:1) We cannot benefit God by our gifts, but we can give to God through His servants. (Mat_25:40) It is our duty to provide in temporal things for those who minister to us in spiritual things. He who starves the ministers of Christ is as guilty as if he starved their Master. (Mat_25:45)

III THE TRIBE OF LEVI FOUND ITS TRUE INHERITANCE IN GOD. The sacrificial gifts of the people were not its chief inheritance, but only the small necessary earthly portion of what it was to receive. Its true heritage was spiritual.

(1) The Christian minister should not regard the earthly returns which he receives for his service as his main reward. To do so is to commit the sin of simony. His real reward is spiritual.

(2) He who makes any sacrifice for God will be amply compensated in Divine riches. (Mar_10:29, 30)

(3) It is better to have God for our portion than any earthly inheritance. (Psa_73:26) To have God for an inheritance is

(a) to enjoy communion with Him;

(b) to be protected by Him;

(c) to live for His service.

This is the best inheritance, because

(a) it is satisfying to the soul, while the earthly inheritance is full of dissatisfaction, and can never supply our greatest wants;

(b) it is eternal; and

(c) it is pure and lofty.

Note: In the Christian Church, though there is diversity of orders (Rom_12:6-8) there is no distinction of caste. All Christians are called to the altar of sacrifice, (Heb_13:10) all are to serve as priests of the temple, (1Pe_2:9) and all should find their true inheritance in God. W.F.A. (1Pe_1:4)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He gave - That is, Moses. None inheritance - Namely, in the land beyond Jordan, where yet a considerable part of the Levites were to have their settled abode. This is mentioned as the reason both why Moses gave all that land to the Reubenites and Gadites and Manassites; and why Joshua should divide the land only into nine parts and an half, as was said, ver. 7, because Levi was otherwise provided for. Made by fire - Which are here put for all the sacrifices and oblations, including first-fruits and tithes, that were assigned to the Levites; and this passage is repeated, to prevent those calumnies and injuries which God foresaw the Levites were likely to meet with, from the malice, envy and covetousness of their brethren.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Moses gave no inheritance

The land that Moses assigned to the tribes of Israel is spoken of as if it were an inheritance that they received as a permanent possession. (See: Metaphor)

The offerings of Yahweh ... are their inheritance

The writer speaks of the great honor that the Levites had by serving Yahweh as priests as if the offerings were something that they would inherit. AT: "The offerings of Yahweh ... are what they will have for their provision" (See: Metaphor)

offerings of Yahweh

"offerings that the people were to bring to Yahweh"

made by fire

This can be stated in active form. AT: "that the priests burned with fire" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

tribe

Levi

Moses

inherit

sacrifice

Yahweh

God

Israel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.