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Selected Verse: Hebrews 7:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Heb 7:5	Strong Concordance	And [2532] verily [3303] they that are of [1537] the sons [5207] of Levi [3017], who [3588] receive [2983] the office of the priesthood [2405], have [2192] a commandment [1785] to take tithes [586] of the people [2992] according to [2596] the law [3551], that is [5123], of their [846] brethren [80], though [2539] they come [1831] out of [1537] the loins [3751] of Abraham [11]:
	King James	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:

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
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 (Heb 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" (Heb 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," Heb 7:4, in the case of Melchisedec, the type, with the "consider" (Greek, "contemplate attentively," see on Heb 3:1, a stronger word than here) in the case of Christ, the archetype.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

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 (Heb 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" (Heb 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," Heb 7:4, in the case of Melchisedec, the type, with the "consider" (Greek, "contemplate attentively," see on Heb 3:1, a stronger word than here) in the case of Christ, the archetype.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
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. Deu 14:22, Deu 14:27-29.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
If Melchisedec was greater than Abraham, he was greater than Abraham's descendants, including the tribe of Levi. They that are of the sons of Levi who receive, etc. (οἱ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Λευεὶ λαμβάνοντες) Those out of the sons of Levi who become priests. Not those who receive the priesthood from the sons of Levi. Not all Levites were priests, but only those of the house of Aaron. The office of the priesthood (τὴν ἱερατίαν) Only here and Luk 1:9. A commandment (ἐντολὴν) A special injunction. See on Jam 2:8; see on Eph 2:15. To take tithes (ἀποδεκατοῖν) See on Heb 7:4. That is of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham The people, the brethren of the Levites, are descended from their common ancestor, Abraham, yet the Levites exact tithes from them.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
The sons of Levi take tithes of their brethren - Sprung from Abraham as well as themselves. The Levites therefore are greater than they; but the priests are greater than the Levites, the patriarch Abraham than the priests, and Melchisedec than him.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
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.

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¹ Wherefore [3606], holy [40] brethren [80], partakers [3353] of the heavenly [2032] calling [2821], consider [2657] the Apostle [652] and [2532] High Priest [749] of our [2257] profession [3671], Christ [5547] Jesus [2424];

⁴ Now [1161] consider [2334] how great [4080] this man [3778] was, unto whom [3739] even [2532] the patriarch [3966] Abraham [11] gave [1325] the tenth [1181] of [1537] the spoils [205].

¹⁹ For [1063] when [5259] Moses [3475] had spoken [2980] every [3956] precept [1785] to all [3956] the people [2992] according [2596] to the law [3551], he took [2983] the blood [129] of calves [3448] and [2532] of goats [5131], with [3326] water [5204], and [2532] scarlet [2847] wool [2053], and [2532] hyssop [5301], and sprinkled [4472] both [5037] the book [975] [846], and [2532] all [3956] the people [2992],

²⁷ And the Levite [03881] that is within thy gates [08179]; thou shalt not forsake [05800] him; for he hath no part [02506] nor inheritance [05159] with thee.
²⁸ At the end [07097] of three [07969] years [08141] thou shalt bring forth [03318] all the tithe [04643] of thine increase [08393] the same year [08141], and shalt lay it up [03240] within thy gates [08179]:
²⁹ And the Levite [03881], (because he hath no part [02506] nor inheritance [05159] with thee,) and the stranger [01616], and the fatherless [03490], and the widow [0490], which are within thy gates [08179], shall come [0935], and shall eat [0398] and be satisfied [07646]; that the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] may bless [01288] thee in all the work [04639] of thine hand [03027] which thou doest [06213].

²² Thou shalt truly [06237] tithe [06237] all the increase [08393] of thy seed [02233], that the field [07704] bringeth forth [03318] year [08141] by year [08141].

⁴ Now [1161] consider [2334] how great [4080] this man [3778] was, unto whom [3739] even [2532] the patriarch [3966] Abraham [11] gave [1325] the tenth [1181] of [1537] the spoils [205].

¹⁵ Having abolished [2673] in [1722] his [846] flesh [4561] the enmity [2189], even the law [3551] of commandments [1785] contained in [1722] ordinances [1378]; for to [2443] make [2936] in [1722] himself [1438] of twain [1417] one [1519] [1520] new [2537] man [444], so making [4160] peace [1515];

⁸ If [1487] [3305] ye fulfil [5055] the royal [937] law [3551] according to [2596] the scripture [1124], Thou shalt love [25] thy [4675] neighbour [4139] as [5613] thyself [4572], ye do [4160] well [2573]:

⁹ According [2596] to the custom [1485] of the priest's office [2405], his lot [2975] was to burn incense [2370] when he went [1525] into [1519] the temple [3485] of the Lord [2962].