Deuteronomy 18:6

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;

Complete Jewish Bible:

"If a Levi from one of your towns anywhere in Isra'el where he is living comes, highly motivated, to the place which ADONAI will choose,

Berean Standard Bible:

Now if a Levite moves from any town of residence throughout Israel and comes in all earnestness to the place the LORD will choose,

American Standard Version:

And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourneth, and come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah shall choose;

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And if a Levite^{H3881} come^{H935} from any^{H259} of thy gates^{H8179} out of all Israel^{H3478}, where he sojourned^{H1481}, and come^{H935} with all the desire^{H185} of his mind^{H5315} unto the place^{H4725} which the LORD^{H3068} shall choose^{H977};

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Deuteronomy 18:6

Deuteronomy 18:6 is a verse that speaks to the special status and role of the Levites within ancient Israelite society. The Levites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, but unlike the other tribes, they were not given a specific territory in the Promised Land. Instead, they were set apart for religious service to God and were dispersed among the other tribes to teach the law and perform priestly duties.

In the historical context, this verse reflects the period after the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, as they are poised to enter the Promised Land under the leadership of Moses. The book of Deuteronomy is presented as Moses' final speeches to the Israelites, reiterating the law before they enter the land of Canaan.

The verse describes a scenario where a Levite decides to leave the city where he has been residing—a place where he might have been engaged in various duties—and travels to the central sanctuary that God will designate. This journey is motivated by the Levite's wholehearted desire to serve the Lord at the place of worship, which at that time was the Tabernacle, and later would be the Temple in Jerusalem.

The themes of Deuteronomy 18:6 include devotion to God's service, the centralization of worship, and the unique role of the Levites as religious leaders and teachers among the Israelite community. The verse underscores the idea that service to God should be wholehearted and voluntary, driven by an internal desire to draw near to God and fulfill one's divine calling. It also anticipates the future when the place of worship would be fixed, and all Levites would serve in a unified manner at the central sanctuary. This concept of centralized worship was an important aspect of the religious reforms enacted during the reigns of King David and his son Solomon, culminating in the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3881
   There are 258 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לֵוִיִּי
   Transliteration: Lêvîyîy
   Pronunciation: lay-vee-ee'
   Description: or לֵוִי; patronymically from לֵוִי; a Levite or descendant of Levi; Leviite.
   
2. Strong's Number: H935
   There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בּוֹא
   Transliteration: bôwʼ
   Pronunciation: bo
   Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
   
3. Strong's Number: H259
   There are 801 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶחָד
   Transliteration: ʼechâd
   Pronunciation: ekh-awd'
   Description: a numeral from אָחַד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,
   
4. Strong's Number: H8179
   There are 302 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שַׁעַר
   Transliteration: shaʻar
   Pronunciation: shah'-ar
   Description: from שָׁעַר in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or gate; city, door, gate, port ([idiom] -er).
   
5. Strong's Number: H3478
   There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
   Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
   Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
   Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.
   
6. Strong's Number: H1481
   There are 94 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: גּוּר
   Transliteration: gûwr
   Pronunciation: goor
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose), i.e. sojourn (as a guest); also to shrink, fear (as in a strange place); also to gather forhostility (as afraid); abide, assemble, be afraid, dwell, fear, gather (together), inhabitant, remain, sojourn, stand in awe, (be) stranger, [idiom] surely.
   
7. Strong's Number: H185
   There are 60 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אַוָּה
   Transliteration: ʼavvâh
   Pronunciation: av-vaw'
   Description: from אָוָה; longing; desire, lust after, pleasure.
   
8. Strong's Number: H5315
   There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
   Transliteration: nephesh
   Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
   Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.
   
9. Strong's Number: H4725
   There are 379 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָקוֹם
   Transliteration: mâqôwm
   Pronunciation: maw-kome'
   Description: or מָקֹם; also (feminine) מְקוֹמָה; or מְקֹמָה; from קוּם; properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind); country, [idiom] home, [idiom] open, place, room, space, [idiom] whither(-soever).
   
10. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
    
11. Strong's Number: H977
    There are 164 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בָּחַר
    Transliteration: bâchar
    Pronunciation: baw-khar'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select; acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.