Deuteronomy 10:8

At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) At that time—i.e., at Sinai, after Moses’ second descent from the mount, not at the time of Aaron’s death. Yet the death of Aaron and the separation of the tribe of Levi are similar events in their way: both alike lose territorial inheritance through bearing the burden of the Law.

To bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name.—A recent critic has said that the writer of Deuteronomy knows no distinction between priests and Levites. (See on this point Deuteronomy 11:6.) Rashi’s note on this verse is better: “To bear the ark (He separated)—the Levites; to stand before Jehovah to minister to Him, and to bless in His name—the priests.”

Benson Commentary

Deuteronomy 10:8. At that time — About that time, that is, when I was come down from the mount, as was said, Deuteronomy 10:5. To stand before the Lord — A phrase used concerning the prophets, 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:15, this being the posture of servants, Hence the angels are said to stand, 2 Chronicles 18:18; and Luke 1:19. To bless — The people, by performing those holy ministrations for them, and giving those instructions to them, to and with which God’s blessing was promised; and this they did in God’s name, that is, by command and commission from him. Let it be observed here, that a settled ministry is a great blessing to a people, and a special token of God’s love to them. But they who are blessed with it should take care that it do not become a curse through their abuse or non-improvement of it.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:1-11 Moses reminded the Israelites of God's great mercy to them, notwithstanding their provocations. There were four things in and by which the Lord showed himself reconciled to Israel. God gave them his law. Thus God has intrusted us with Bibles, sabbaths, and sacraments, as tokens of his presence and favour. God led them forward toward Canaan. He appointed a standing ministry among them for holy things. And now, under the gospel, when the pouring forth of the Spirit is more plentiful and powerful, the succession is kept up by the Spirit's work on men's hearts, qualifying and making some willing for that work in every age. God accepted Moses as an advocate or intercessor for them, and therefore appointed him to be their prince and leader. Moses was a type of Christ, who ever lives, pleading for us, and has all power in heaven and in earth.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

At that time - i. e., that of the encampment at Sinai, as the words also import in Deuteronomy 10:1. Throughout the passage the time of the important events at Sinai is kept in view; it is reverted to as each incident is brought forward by Moses, alluded to sufficiently for his purpose, and dismissed.

Moses is evidently here speaking of the election by God of the tribe of Levi at large, priests and others also, for His own service.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6-9. the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera—So sudden a change from a spoken discourse to a historical narrative has greatly puzzled the most eminent biblical scholars, some of whom reject the parenthesis as a manifest interpolation. But it is found in the most ancient Hebrew manuscripts, and, believing that all contained in this book was given by inspiration and is entitled to profound respect, we must receive it as it stands, although acknowledging our inability to explain the insertion of these encampment details in this place. There is another difficulty in the narrative itself. The stations which the Israelites are said successively to have occupied are enumerated here in a different order from Nu 33:31. That the names of the stations in both passages are the same there can be no doubt; but, in Numbers, they are probably mentioned in reference to the first visit of the Hebrews during the long wandering southwards, before their return to Kadesh the second time; while here they have a reference to the second passage of the Israelites, when they again marched south, in order to compass the land of Edom. It is easy to conceive that Mosera (Hor) and the wells of Jaakan might lie in such a direction that a nomadic horde might, in different years, at one time take the former first in their way, and at another time the latter [Robinson].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

At that time, about that time, i.e. when I was come down from the mount, as was said Deu 10:5; for these words manifestly look to that verse, the sixth and seventh verses being put in by way of parenthesis, as was said before. Or, if it relate to the words immediately foregoing, this may be meant of a second separation of them upon Aaron’s death; and having mentioned the separation of Eleazar to the office of the high priest in his father’s stead, Deu 10:6, he now repeats it, that the Levites who were his, as they had been his father’s servants, were separated as before, or were confirmed in their office.

To stand before the Lord; a phrase used concerning the prophets, 1 Kings 17:1 18:15, this being the posture of ministers. Hence the angels are said to stand, 2 Chronicles 18:18 Luke 1:19.

To bless in his name; either,

1. Particularly, to pronounce the solemn blessing of God upon the congregation, which was done in God’s name, of which see Leviticus 9:23 Numbers 6:23, &c. But that work was peculiar to the priests, not common to all the Levites. Or, more generally, to bless, either,

1. God, i.e. to praise him, which being a considerable part of the Levites’ work, 1Ch 16, it is not probable it would be omitted here, where their office is so particularly described. Or,

2. The people, whom they did bless by performance of those holy ministrations for the people, and giving those instructions to them, to which God’s blessing was promised and usually given; and this they did in God’s name, i.e. by command and commission from him.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi,.... Not at the time that Moses came down from the mount with the tables of the law, but some considerable time after, even after the tabernacle was erected; nor at the time that Aaron died, and Eleazar succeeded him, but many years before that; unless there was a fresh separation of them, or a renewal of it when Eleazar became high priest in his father's stead; and so that being mentioned is the reason of its being repeated here:

to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord; even that into which the law, sometimes called the covenant, was put, and therefore here called the ark of the covenant: when this was carried from place to place, as it was especially in the wilderness, it was the business of the Levites to bear it, particularly the Kohathites; Numbers 3:31,

to stand before the Lord to minister unto him; that is, to his priests, in the tabernacle, and to keep and guard that:

and to bless in his name unto this day; not to bless the people, which was the work of the priest, but to sing praise in the name of the Lord, to give thanks unto him, and bless and praise him.

Geneva Study Bible

At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to {d} minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

(d) That is, to offer sacrifice, and to declare the Law to the people.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. At that time] Cp. Deuteronomy 9:20, Deuteronomy 10:1. If, as we have seen to be most probable, Deuteronomy 10:6-7 are a later intrusion and out of place where they stand, that time is not that of the sojourn at Yoṭbathah after Aaron’s death (though the editor who inserted Deuteronomy 10:6-7 may have meant to imply this; see the general note to these vv.), but the time at Ḥoreb (Deuteronomy 10:1). This conclusion is confirmed (a) by the subsequent Deuteronomy 10:10, in which the retrospect still rests on Ḥoreb; (b) by the natural connection between the mention of the making of the Ark and that of the appointment of its bearers; (c) by the fact that another line of tradition, P, assigns to Ḥoreb the consecration of Levites to priestly duties, and also makes this follow the order to build the ark (and sanctuary); and (d) because, although no such setting apart is recorded in JE, these lines of the tradition may also have originally contained it and even hint at it in Exodus 32:29, immediately after the account of the zeal of all the sons of Levi in the punishment of the people’s apostasy with the golden calf (see Dillmann on that and on this passage; also Driver’s note on Exodus 32:29).

the Lord separated] set apart, with a solemn religious sense, as for Himself; the verb is used when He takes Israel from other peoples, Leviticus 20:24 (H); or when Moses is directed to separate the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, Numbers 16:9 (P), that the Levites may be mine, Numbers 8:14 (P); or of the separation of the cities of refuge, Deuteronomy 4:41, Deuteronomy 19:2; Deuteronomy 19:7; and even of separating a person to evil, Deuteronomy 29:21 (20), and putting aside beasts that are unclean, Leviticus 20:25.

the tribe of Levi] Unambiguous, leaving no question possible as to whether they are meant in part or whole—a question which would have arisen had the term the Levites (in view of its narrower meaning in P) been used. Cp. Deuteronomy 18:1, all the tribe of Levi.

to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord] D’s name for the Ark; see on Deuteronomy 10:2. The O.T. data of the bearing of the Ark are summarily these. In JE, Joshua 3:6, the priests bear the Ark; and the priests bear it also at the consecration of Solomon’s Temple, 1 Kings 8:3; 1 Kings 8:6. Here in D the office is assigned to the whole (see above) tribe of Levi. These terms are combined in Deuteronomy 31:9 according to which the Ark is borne by the priests the sons of Levi; cp. the deuteronomic verse, Joshua 3:3, the priests the Levites bearing it. But in P, Numbers 4:1; Numbers 4:4; Numbers 4:15, the bearing of the Ark is specially allotted to one clan of Levi, the Kohathites, who are distinguished from the priests—in P, Aaron and his sons—by being forbidden to perform the more sacred priestly functions, Numbers 4:15; Numbers 4:17-20. Clearly then P differs from D, in which the whole tribe of Levi is regarded as priests and as such carry the Ark, besides performing the other more sacred functions which now follow.

to stand before the Lord to minister unto him] Both vbs, which are used of a servant’s attitude and duty to his human master (stand before, 1 Kings 10:8; minister, Genesis 39:4) are also employed (with and without the name of God, and either together or separately), specially to express religious service and in particular the distinctive office and functions of the priests, Deuteronomy 17:12 (before Jehovah); Jdg 20:28 (before the Ark), Ezekiel 44:15; 2 Chronicles 29:11. In D these are laid upon the whole tribe of Levi as here, in Deuteronomy 18:5; Deuteronomy 18:7, God hath chosen him, Levi, out of all thy tribes to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons for ever; and Deuteronomy 21:5, the priests the sons of Levi … for them hath Jehovah chosen to minister unto him. P uses the phrase to stand before Jehovah neither of the priests nor of the Levites, but says that the Levites stand before the congregation. The verb to minister (shârçth) P, both of Aaron and his sons, the priests, and of the Levites. Of the priests either absolutely Exodus 28:35; Exodus 39:26, or within the holy place Exodus 28:43, Exodus 29:30, Exodus 39:1, and in the priests’ office Exodus 35:19, Exodus 39:41; or of their ministry of the altar, i.e. the sacrifices, Exodus 30:20; and only once with regard to God Himself, Exodus 28:41, to minister unto me. Of the Levites P never uses to minister to Jehovah; but either to minister alone, Numbers 3:31; or to the camp, Numbers 4:9; or in the sanctuary, Numbers 4:12, cp. Numbers 1:50; or at the altar (in preparing it for the priests), Numbers 4:24; or to Aaron, Numbers 18:2. P and D then differ thus, that while D uses the double phrase, stand before and minister to Jehovah of the whole tribe of Levi, P says that the Levites stand before the congregation, and uses the phrase minister to Jehovah only of the priests, and intends by it the most sacred priestly functions of sacrifice, etc., the Levites’ ministering being confined to less sacred duties in regard to the care of the fabric of the Tabernacle and the Camp and in assisting the priests.

to bless in his name] So Deuteronomy 21:5 again of the sons of Levi, the priests. This is another of the distinctive priestly duties (though sometimes discharged by kïngs, 2 Samuel 6:18; 1 Kings 8:14; 1 Kings 8:55). It is twice assigned by P to Aaron: Leviticus 9:22, Numbers 6:23; and it is included in 1 Chronicles 23:18 among the offices to which Aaron was set apart.

unto this day] Cp. for ever in Deuteronomy 18:5.

Our detailed examination of this verse, and other O.T. passages relevant to the subject, makes it clear that in the Book of Deuteronomy all the tribe of Levi or sons of Levi are regarded as priests; and that every son of Levi, or Levite, could perform the distinctive priestly functions; whereas in P all these functions are limited to Aaron and his sons, except the bearing of the Ark, which is assigned to a Levite clan the Kohathites; while Levite has become a technical name for the non-Aaronic members of the tribe, to whom priestly functions were forbidden and who had less sacred duties about the altar and sanctuary. These distinctions are unknown to D: to him Levites and priests are identical terms. It is impossible to suppose that D silently presupposed the distinctions in P. There is not the slightest sign anywhere in his language that this was the case. On the contrary his addition, that the exercise of the priests’ office by all Levites continued to his own day and was for ever proves that he did not know P. And this is confirmed with its consequence, a late date for P, by the evidence of the earlier historical writings and especially by a comparison of Samuel and Kings with Chronicles. See further Chapman in Int. to the Pent. (in this series), pp. 154 ff., and App. vii. 5 and cp. below on Deuteronomy 18:1-8.

8, 9. The setting apart of the tribe of Levi to bear the Ark and perform other priestly functions. It is not wholly certain whether this passage belongs to the address itself or is another intrusion; yet with its opening clause (cp. Deuteronomy 10:1) the deuteronomic phraseology is resumed, and the appointment of the bearers of the Ark follows naturally upon 1–5, which record the making of the Ark; see further on Deuteronomy 10:8. The general question arising from the difference between the data of Deut. (and the pre-deuteronomic writers) and those of P regarding the tribe of Levi and the offices here assigned to the whole tribe, will be more suitably discussed later on.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 8, 9. - Moses, here resuming the form of address, refers to the separation of the tribe of Levi to the holy service. Verse 8. - At that time; the time when the covenant was restored at Sinai, not the time when Aaron died. The appointment of the tribe of Levi for service took place in connection with that of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood (Numbers 3:4). The service to which the tribe of Levi was chosen appertained to the tribe as such, including the priests as well as the non-priestly Levites, though parts of it specially belonged to the one class rather than the other. Thus the bearing of the ark was the special duty of non-priestly Levites, the Kohathites (Numbers 4:4, etc.; 1 Chronicles 15:15); but was also, on peculiarly solemn occasions, discharged by the priests (Joshua 3:6, etc.; Joshua 6:6; 8:33; 1 Kings 8:3, 6, etc.). To stand before the Lord to minister unto him was the special function of the priests (Deuteronomy 17:12; Deuteronomy 21:5; Ezekiel 40:46; Ezekiel 44:15, 16); but as the service of the Levites was also a sacred service, they too are said to stand to minister before the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:7; 1 Chronicles 15:2; 2 Chronicles 23:6; 2 Chronicles 29:4, 5, 11, 12). To bless in his name does not mean, as some propose, to invoke the Name of God, or to praise his Name, but to pronounce a benediction or invoke a blessing on the people in his Name (cf. 2 Samuel 6:18; 1 Chronicles 16:2). This was the special duty of the priests (cf. Numbers 6:22-27; Deuteronomy 21:5; 1 Chronicles 23:13), but might also be done by others (as by David), and in this benediction the Levites might join (2 Chronicles 25:27). Deuteronomy 10:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In Deuteronomy 10:8, Moses returns to the form of an address again, and refers to the separation of the tribe of Levi for the holy service, as a manifestation of mercy on the part of the Lord towards Israel. The expression "at that time" is not to be understood as relating to the time of Aaron's death in the fortieth year of the march, in which Knobel finds a contradiction to the other books. It refers quite generally, as in Deuteronomy 9:20 and Deuteronomy 10:1, to the time of which Moses is speaking here, viz., the time when the covenant was restored at Sinai. The appointment of the tribe of Levi for service at the sanctuary took place in connection with the election of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood (Exodus 28 and 29), although their call to this service, instead of the first-born of Israel, was not carried out till the numbering and mustering of the people (Numbers 1:49., Deuteronomy 4:17., Deuteronomy 8:6.). Moses is speaking here of the election of the whole of the tribe of Levi, including the priests (Aaron and his sons), as is very evident from the account of their service. It is true that the carrying of the ark upon the march through the desert was the business of the (non-priestly) Levites, viz., the Kohathites (Numbers 4:4.); but on solemn occasions the priests had to carry it (cf. Joshua 3:3, Joshua 3:6, Joshua 3:8; Joshua 6:6; 1 Kings 8:3.). "Standing before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His name," was exclusively the business of the priests (cf. Deuteronomy 18:5; Deuteronomy 21:5, and Numbers 6:23.), whereas the Levites were only assistants of the priests in their service (see at Deuteronomy 18:7). This tribe therefore received no share and possession with the other tribes, as was already laid down in Numbers 18:20 with reference to the priests, and in Numbers 18:24 with regard to all the Levites; to which passages the words "as the Lord thy God promised him" refer. - Lastly, in Deuteronomy 10:10, Deuteronomy 10:11, Moses sums up the result of his intercession in the words, "And I stood upon the mount as the first days, forty days (a resumption of Deuteronomy 9:18 and Deuteronomy 9:25); and the Lord hearkened to me this time also (word for word, as in Deuteronomy 9:19). "Jehovah would not destroy thee (Israel)." Therefore He commanded Moses to arise to depart before the people, i.e., as leader of the people to command and superintend their removal and march. In form, this command is connected with Exodus 34:1; but Moses refers here not only to that word of the Lord with the limitation added there in Exodus 34:2, but to the ultimate, full, and unconditional assurance of God, in which the Lord Himself promised to go with His people and bring them to Canaan (Exodus 34:14.).