Deuteronomy 14:27

 Deuteronomy 14:27 

And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

 

a. ASV: And the Levite that is within thy gates, thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no portion nor inheritance with thee.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: As to the Levite who is within thy gates, thou dost not forsake him, for he hath no portion and inheritance with thee.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: And you shall not forsake or neglect the Levite [God’s minister] in your towns, for he has been given no share or inheritance with you.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: You shall not forsake the Levite who is in your cities, for he has no portion or inheritance with you. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: And the Levite who is within your towns; you shall not forsake him; for he has no portion nor inheritance with you.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

f. The Israel Bible: But do not neglect the Levite in your community, for he has no hereditary portion as you have. [The English Translation was adapted by Israel 365 from the JPS Tanakh. Copyright Ⓒ 1985 by the Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.]

1. “And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.”

a. [And the] Levite [Strong: 3881 Leviyiy lay-vee-ee' or Leviy {lay-vee'}; patronymically from 3878; a Levite or descendant of Levi:--Leviite.

b. that [Strong: [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

c. [is] within thy gates [Strong: 8179 sha`ar shah'-ar from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).]

d. [thou shalt] not [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

e. forsake him [Strong: 5800 `azab aw-zab' a primitive root; to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.:--commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, X surely.

f. for [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

g. [he has] no [Strong: 369 'ayin ah'-yin as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without.]

h. part [Strong: 2506 cheleq khay'lek from 2505; properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment:--flattery, inheritance, part, X partake, portion.]

i. [nor] inheritance [Strong: 5159 nachalah nakh-al-aw' from 5157 (in its usual sense); properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion:--heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession.]

j. with [thee] [Strong: 5973 `im eem from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to, with(-al).]

1). Among the tithes that Israel gave was the Festival tithe, listed in Deuteronomy 12:17-19 & 14:22-27. This tithe (the second of three tithes) is sometimes referred to as the festival tithe because it was to be gathered and used to finance the family trips to Jerusalem during the Jewish festivals. There were three Jewish feasts during the year that the Jews were required to celebrate them in Jerusalem (Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles) . It was during these feasts that this tithe was to be used. 

2).  The First Tithe

a). Leviticus 27:30-33 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.

27:31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

b). Numbers 18:21-24 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

18:22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

18:23 But the Levites shall do the service shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

18:24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

c). Two New Testament witnesses that further establish a Levitical destination for the tithe are Hebrews 7:5 and 7:9.

(1) Hebrews 7:5 “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…”

(2) Hebrews 7:9 “And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes…” 

3). The Second Tithe

a). Deuteronomy 14:22-27 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

14:23 And thou shall eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of the herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.

14:24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

14:25 Then thou shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:

14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household.

14:27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

b). Deuteronomy 12:17-19 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:

12:18 But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

12:19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

c). This tithe is sometimes referred to as the festival tithe because it was to be gathered and used to finance the family trips to Jerusalem during the Jewish festivals. There were three Jewish feasts during the year that the Jews were required to celebrate them in Jerusalem. It was during these feasts that this tithe was to be used. As it is written this tithe was not to be eaten within my gates, but must be taken to Jerusalem and eaten with my family and the Levite.

4). The Third Tithe

a). Deuteronomy 14:28, 29 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:

14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

b). Deuteronomy 26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled.

c). This tithe was to be eaten within my gates with the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

5). The fact that there are different regulations and destinations for these tithes make it easy to determine they were different tithes.