Deuteronomy 18 · Verse 3

Deuteronomy 18:3

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.

Deuteronomy 18:3, King James Version

Deuteronomy 18:3 in other translations

BSB	This shall be the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether a bull or a sheep: the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach.
WEB	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.
ASV	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.
YLT	‘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;
DARBY	And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that sacrifice a sacrifice, whether ox, or sheep: they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the jawbones, and the maw.
BBE	And this is to be the priests' right: those who make an offering of a sheep or an ox are to give to the priest the top part of the leg and the two sides of the head and the stomach.
Webster	And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether ox or sheep; and they shall give to the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.

What does Deuteronomy 18:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. this shall be the priest's due from the people--All who offered sacrifices of thanksgiving or peace offerings (Le 7:31-33) were ordered to give the breast and shoulder as perquisites to the priests. Here "the two cheeks" or head and "the maw" or stomach, deemed anciently a great dainty, are specified. But whether this is a new injunction, or a repetition of the old with the supplement of more details, it is not easy to determine.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 Offer a sacrifice - זבחי הזבח zobechey hazzebach. The word זבח zebach is used to signify, not only an animal sacrificed to the Lord, but also one killed for common use. See Gen 46:1; Pro 17:1; Eze 39:17. And in this latter sense it probably should be understood here; and, consequently, the command in this verse relates to what the people were to allow the priests and Levites from the animals slain for common use. The parts to be given to the priests were, 1. The shoulder, probably cut off from the beast with the skin on; so Maimonides. 2. The two cheeks, which may include the whole head. 3. The maw - the whole of those intestines which are commonly used for food.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Care is taken that the priests entangle not themselves with the affairs of this life, nor enrich themselves with the wealth of this world; they have better things to mind. Care is likewise taken that they want not the comforts and conveniences of this life. The people must provide for them. He that has the benefit of solemn religious assemblies, ought to give help for the comfortable support of those that minister…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 18:1-8 →

Deuteronomy 18:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְזֶ֡הve.Zehand thisH2088

יִהְיֶה֩yih.Yehit will beH1961

מִשְׁפַּ֨טmish.Pat[the] right ofH4941

הַכֹּהֲנִ֜יםha.ko.ha.Nimthe priestsH3548

מֵאֵ֣תme.'Etfrom withH854

הָעָ֗םha.'Amthe peopleH5971

מֵאֵ֛תme.'Etfrom withH854

זֹבְחֵ֥יzoe.Chei[those who] sacrificeH2076

הַזֶּ֖בַחha.Ze.vach<of> the sacrificeH2077

אִם\־'im-whetherH518

שׁ֣וֹרShoroxH7794

אִם\־'im-orH518

שֶׂ֑הSehsheepH7716

וְנָתַן֙ve.na.Tanand he will giveH5414

לַכֹּהֵ֔ןla.ko.Hento the priestH3548

הַזְּרֹ֥עַha.ze.Ro.a'the armH2220

וְהַלְּחָיַ֖יִםve.ha.le.cha.Ya.yimand the two cheeksH3895

וְהַקֵּבָֽה\׃ve.ha.ke.Vahand the stomachH6896

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 18:3

Leviticus 7:30-34
His own hands shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord. And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part. …
Deuteronomy 12:27
And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the Lord thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the Lord thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

offer a sacrifice.
12:27; Le 7:30-34

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Deuteronomy 18:2
Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
Deuteronomy 18:3
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.
Deuteronomy 18:4
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.

Read all of Deuteronomy 18

Deuteronomy 18:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y este será el derecho de los sacerdotes de parte del pueblo, de los que ofrecieren en sacrificio buey ó cordero: darán al sacerdote la espalda, y las quijadas, y el cuajar.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or c’est ici le droit des sacrificateurs de la part du peuple, de la part de ceux qui offrent un sacrifice, que ce soit un bœuf, ou un mouton: on donnera au sacrificateur l’épaule, et les mâchoires, et l’estomac.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und dies soll das Recht der Priester sein von seiten des Volkes, von seiten derer, die ein Schlachtopfer opfern, es sei Rind- oder Kleinvieh: Man soll dem Priester die Schulter geben und die Kinnbacken und den rauhen Magen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Hoc erit judicium sacerdotum a populo, et ab his qui offerunt victimas: sive bovem, sive ovem immolaverint, dabunt sacerdoti armum ac ventriculum: