Hebrews 7 · Verse 5

Hebrews 7:5

And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Hebrews 7:5, King James Version

Hebrews 7:5 in other translations

BSBNow the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Abraham.
WEBThey indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,
ASVAnd they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest’s office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham:
YLTand those, indeed, out of the sons of Levi receiving the priesthood, a command have to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, their brethren, even though they came forth out of the loins of Abraham;
DARBYAnd they indeed from among the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is from their brethren, though these are come out of the loins of Abraham:
BBEAnd it is true that by the law, those of the sons of Levi who have the position of priests may take a tenth part of the people's goods; that is to say, they take it from their brothers though these are the sons of Abraham.
WebsterAnd verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they come from the loins of Abraham:

What does Hebrews 7:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. sons of Levi--namely, those alone who belonged to the family of Aaron, to whom the priesthood was restricted. Tithes originally paid to the whole tribe of Levi, became at length attached to the priesthood. according to the law--sanctioned by Jehovah (He 9:19). of their brethren--with whom, in point of natural descent, they are on a level. though, &c.--Though thus on a level by common descent from Abraham, they yet pay tithe to the Levites, whose brethren they are. Now the Levites are subordinate to the priests; and these again to Abraham, their common progenitor; and Abraham to Melchisedec. "How great" (He 7:4) then, must this Melchisedec be in respect to his priesthood, as compared with the Levitical, though the latter received tithes! and now unspeakably great must "the Son of God" be, to whom, as the sacerdotal archetype (in God's purpose), Melchisedec was made like! Thus compare the "consider," He 7:4, in the case of Melchisedec, the type, with the "consider" (Greek, "contemplate attentively," see on He 3:1, a stronger word than here) in the case of Christ, the archetype.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 5. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi. The meaning of this verse is, that the Levitical priests had a right to receive tithes of their brethren, but still that they were inferior to Melchizedek. The apostle admits that their superiority to the rest of the people was shown by the fact that they had a right to require of them the tenth part of the productions of the land for their maintenance, and for the support of religion. But still he says that their inferiority to Melchizedek, and consequently to Christ as a priest, was shown by the fact that the illustrious ancestor of all the Jewish people, including the priests as well as others, had confessed his inferiority to Melchizedek by paying him tithes.

Who receive the office of the priesthood. Not all the descendants of Levi were priests. The apostle, therefore, specifies particularly those who "received this office," as being those whom he specially designed, and as those whose inferiority to Christ as a priest it was his object to show.

Have a commandment to take tithes. Have by the law a commission, or a right to exact tithes of the people, De 14:22,27-29.

(a) "who receive" Nu 18:21-26.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 They that are of the sons of Levi - The priests who are of the posterity of the Levites, and receive the priesthood in virtue of their descent from Aaron, have authority from the law of God to receive tithes from the people. According to the law - That is, the Levites received a tenth from the people. The priests received a tenth of this tenth from the Levites, who are here called their brethren, because they were of the same tribe, and employed in the same sacred work. The apostle is proceeding to show that Melchisedec was greater even than Abraham, the head of the fathers, for to him Abraham gave tithes; and as the Levites were the posterity of Abraham, they are represented here as paying tithes to Melchisedec through him. Yet Melchisedec was not of this family, and therefore must be considered as having a more honorable priesthood than even Aaron himself; for he took the tenth from Abraham, not for his maintenance, for he was a king, but in virtue of his office as universal high priest of all that region.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 7:4-10

That High Priest who should afterward appear, of whom Melchizedec was a type, must be much superior to the Levitical priests. Observe Abraham's great dignity and happiness; that he had the promises. That man is rich and happy indeed, who has the promises, both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This honour have all those who receive the Lord Jesus. Let us go forth in our spiritual conflicts…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 7:4-10 →

Hebrews 7:5 in the original Greek

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.

καὶkaiAndG2532
οἱhoithoseG3588
μὲνmenindeedG3303
ἐκekout fromG1537
τῶνtōntheG3588
υἱῶνhuiōnsonsG5207
ΛευὶLeuiof LeviG3017
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἱερατείανhi'erateianpriestly officeG2405
λαμβάνοντεςlambanontesreceivingG2983
ἐντολὴνentolēna commandmentG1785
ἔχουσινechousinhaveG2192
ἀποδεκατοῦνapodekatounto take a tenthG586
τὸνtonfrom theG3588
λαὸνlaonpeopleG2992
κατὰkataaccording toG2596
τὸνtontheG3588
νόμον,nomonlaw,G3551
τοῦτ᾽tout᾽ThatG3778
ἔστινestinisG1510
τοὺςtousfrom theG3588
ἀδελφοὺςadelphousbrothersG80
αὐτῶν,autōnof them,G846
καίπερkaiperthoughG2539
ἐξεληλυθόταςexelēluthotashaving comeG1831
ἐκekout ofG1537
τῆςtēstheG3588
ὀσφύοςosphuosloinG3751
Ἀβραάμ.Abraamof Abraham.G11

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

Cross references for Hebrews 7:5

  • Leviticus 27:30-33

    And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

  • 2 Chronicles 31:4-6

    Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord. And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.

  • Numbers 16:10-11

    And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

  • Numbers 18:21-32

    And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. …

  • Numbers 17:3-10

    And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. …

  • 1 Kings 8:19

    Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.

  • Hebrews 7:10

    For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

  • Nehemiah 13:10

    And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

  • Numbers 18:7

    Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

  • Genesis 46:26

    All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six;

  • Exodus 28:1

    And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
who.
5:4; Ex 28:1; Nu 16:10,11; 17:3-10; 18:7,21-26
to take.
Le 27:30-33; Nu 18:26-32; 2Ch 31:4-6; Ne 13:10
come.
10; Ge 35:11; 46:26; Ex 1:5; 1Ki 8:19

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

Context

  • Hebrews 7:4

    Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

  • Hebrews 7:5

    And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

  • Hebrews 7:6

    But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

Read all of Hebrews 7

Hebrews 7:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ciertamente los que de los hijos de Leví toman el sacerdocio, tienen mandamiento de tomar del pueblo los diezmos según la ley, es á saber, de sus hermanos aunque también hayan salido de los lomos de Abraham.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ceux d’entre les fils de Lévi qui reçoivent la sacrificature ont bien un commandement de dîmer le peuple selon la loi, c’est-à-dire leurs frères, bien qu’ils soient sortis des reins d’Abraham;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und zwar haben die von den Söhnen Levi, welche das Priestertum empfangen, ein Gebot, den Zehnten von dem Volke zu nehmen nach dem Gesetz, das ist von ihren Brüdern, wiewohl sie aus den Lenden Abrahams gekommen sind.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et quidem de filiis Levi sacerdotium accipientes, mandatum habent decimas sumere a populo secundum legem, id est, a fratribus suis: quamquam et ipsi exierint de lumbis Abrahæ.