Topical Bible: Priest: Benefits of No Part of the Land of Canaan Allowed To

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In the biblical narrative, the tribe of Levi, from which the priests of Israel were drawn, was uniquely set apart among the tribes of Israel. Unlike the other tribes, the Levites were not allocated a specific portion of the land of Canaan as an inheritance. This distinctive arrangement is rooted in several theological and practical considerations that underscore the special role and benefits associated with the priestly office.

Divine Appointment and Provision

The Levites' lack of territorial inheritance is first and foremost a reflection of their divine appointment. According to Numbers 18:20, the LORD declared to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites." This pronouncement highlights the unique relationship between the priests and God, where the LORD Himself is their inheritance. This spiritual inheritance signifies a direct and intimate reliance on God, setting the priests apart for sacred service.

Focus on Spiritual Duties

By not being tied to a specific land, the priests were free to focus entirely on their spiritual duties. Their primary responsibilities included offering sacrifices, maintaining the tabernacle (and later the temple), teaching the law, and interceding for the people. This arrangement allowed them to dedicate their lives to the service of God and the spiritual welfare of the nation without the distractions and obligations that come with land ownership and agricultural pursuits.

Provision through Tithes and Offerings

While the Levites did not receive a land inheritance, God provided for their needs through the tithes and offerings of the other tribes. Numbers 18:21 states, "Behold, I have given the Levites all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the Tent of Meeting." This system ensured that the priests and Levites were supported by the community they served, allowing them to focus on their sacred duties without concern for material sustenance.

Symbol of Holiness and Separation

The absence of a land inheritance also symbolized the holiness and separation of the priestly tribe. As mediators between God and the people, the priests were to embody a life set apart for divine purposes. Their unique status served as a constant reminder to the Israelites of the holiness required in approaching God and the distinct role of the priesthood in maintaining the covenant relationship.

Mobility and Accessibility

Without a fixed territorial inheritance, the Levites were distributed among the other tribes, residing in designated Levitical cities throughout Israel (Joshua 21). This distribution facilitated their accessibility to the entire nation, enabling them to teach the law and administer justice across the land. Their presence in various regions ensured that the spiritual and legal needs of the people were met, reinforcing the centrality of God's law in everyday life.

In summary, the lack of a land inheritance for the priests was not a deprivation but a divine provision that underscored their unique role and responsibilities. It highlighted their reliance on God, allowed them to focus on their spiritual duties, and ensured their presence and influence throughout the nation of Israel.

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Numbers 18:20
And the LORD spoke to Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any part among them: I am your part and your inheritance among the children of Israel.
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Deuteronomy 10:9
Why Levi has no part nor inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD your God promised him.
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Deuteronomy 14:27
And the Levite that is within your gates; you shall not forsake him; for he has no part nor inheritance with you.
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Deuteronomy 18:1,2
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.
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Joshua 13:14,33
Only to the tribes of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said to them.
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Joshua 14:3
For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but to the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.
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Joshua 18:7
But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.
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Ezekiel 44:28
And it shall be to them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and you shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.
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Library

The Polity Settled by Moses; and How He Disappeared from among ...
... Let every one commemorate before God the benefits which he ... laws are affronted, and
are made to no purpose. ... the senate, and Eleazar the high priest, and Joshua ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 the polity settled.htm

City of God
... Chapter 31.--What Benefits God Gives to the Followers of ... and Passing Over into
Mesopotamia, No Mention is ... Captivity and Was Blessed by Melchizedek the Priest. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
... given to enjoy, from engaging in it, benefits which cannot ... an acceptable sacrifice;
and as a priest, he makes ... types of good things which had no existence when ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter vi covenanting provided for.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... twofold function, religious and military, the priest at first ... of the Tigris and the
table-land of Iran ... lakes, having had for the most part no communication with ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The City of God. Index of Subjects.
... of a pirate to, [50]66; and Leo, an Egyptian priest,"a letter ... Animals, rational,
are they part of God ... Burial, the denial of, to Christians, no hurt to them, 9 ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /the city of god index.htm

Concerning the Lord's Supper
... safest then to go to the mass in no other spirit ... to thee through the ministry of
the priest as promised ... beset us, and prevent our receiving the benefits of the ...
/.../luther/first principles of the reformation/concerning the lords supper.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... as king and his son Auputi as high priest of Amon ... come people down by the middle
of the land, and one ... trusted that the inhabitants, who had taken no part in the ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Political Parties in Connecticut at the Beginning of the ...
... the charge that the people were priest-ridden, the ... by the Episcopalians and with
no objections from the ... his eloquent setting forth of the benefits and dangers ...
/.../chapter xiv political parties in.htm

The Saints' Privilege and Profit;
... but that when they come to him for benefits, they direct ... passive, or a sufferer;
as he is a priest, so he ... this, the rather because without blood is no remission ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the saints privilege and profit.htm

English Version of the Second Helvetic Confession, AD 1566.
... for that which is mumbled into some priest's ear, or ... grace of God or to Christ, and
part to ourselves ... ye abstain from all uncleanness, and that no man oppress ...
/.../english version of the second.htm