ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Deuteronomy 18.5

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: Deuteronomy chapter: 18 verses: "5" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 1 enriched: false

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Deuteronomy 18.5

Book: Deuteronomy · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"3. And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. 4. The first-fruits of thy grain, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him."

"5. For Jehovah thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons for ever."

"6. 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; 7. then he shall minister in the name of Jehovah his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before Jehovah." (Deuteronomy 18:3-7, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"3. This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts. 4. The first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him."

"5. For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to minister in Yahweh’s name, him and his sons for ever."

"6. If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he lives as a foreigner, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose; 7. then he shall minister in the name of Yahweh his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh." (Deuteronomy 18:3-7, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"3. And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. 4. The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him."

"5. For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever."

"6. 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; 7. Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD." (Deuteronomy 18:3-7, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"3. 'And this is the priest's right from the people, from those sacrificing a sacrifice, whether ox or sheep, he hath even given to the priest the leg, and the two cheeks, and the stomach; 4. the first of thy corn, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy flock, thou dost give to him;"

"5. for on him hath Jehovah thy God fixed, out of all thy tribes, to stand to serve in the name of Jehovah, He and his sons continually."

"6. 'And when the Levite cometh from one of thy cities out of all Israel, where he hath sojourned, and hath come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah doth choose, 7. then he hath ministered in the name of Jehovah his God, like all his brethren, the Levites, who are standing there before Jehovah," (Deuteronomy 18:3-7, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Moses (sermons recorded by narrator)
  • Audience: second-generation Israelites about to enter Canaan
  • Location: plains of Moab, east of the Jordan
  • Time period: events c. 1406 BC; composed c. 1406 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.