Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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:
5. who receive the office of the priesthood ] The word used for “priesthood” is defined by Aristotle to mean “care concerning the gods.”
to take tithes of the people according to the law ] Indirectly, through the agency of the Levites. Delitzsch argues that after the Exile the Priests collected the tithes themselves. It cannot however be proved that the Priests themselves tithed the people. This was done by the Levites, who gave the tithe of their tithes to the priests, Num 18:22-26, Neh 10:38. There is however no real difficulty about the expression, for the Priests might tithe the people, as Jewish tradition says that they did in the days of Ezra; and (2) Qui facit per alium facit per se. There is therefore no need to alter “the people” ( laon) into Levi ( Leuin). The Priests stood alone in receiving tithes and giving none.
come out of the loins ] A Hebrew expression, Gen 35:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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 honourable 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This is a proof by instance out of the Levitical law, that he who receiveth is greater than he who giveth.
And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood: the seed of Levi the son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, Num 1:48-50; 3:1-5, and not all of them neither, but the sons of Levi descending from Aaron, were separated and consecrated in the priesthood by Gods precept, and vindicated from those who would usurp it, Num 16:1-17:13, and confirmed in it by miracle.
Have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law: God himself gave them a law from heaven to tithe by, and a charge to observe this law, as to all parts of tithes, such as were due to all Levites, Num 18:24, to the high priest only as Gods substitute, Num 18:8-19,25-29; to the Levites, widows, and poor together, Deu 14:22-29. These the same law obliged all the Israelites to pay to these Levites as a homage due from them to God, and so delivered to his substitutes superior unto them, as his priests and ministers, and due to them by his own constitution, being the first-fruits of his own blessing.
That is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: yet these Israelites who were to pay those tithes to these as superior to them in office, were their own brethren by nature, of the same rank, coming out of the same loins of Abraham, but subjected to these priests, who, by Gods ordinance, were set above them in their office; and their receiving tithes was an inseparable property of that superiority.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. sons of Levinamely, thosealone who belonged to the family of Aaron, to whom the priesthood wasrestricted. Tithes originally paid to the whole tribe of Levi, becameat length attached to the priesthood.
according to thelawsanctioned by Jehovah (Heb9:19).
of their brethrenwithwhom, in point of natural descent, they are on a level.
though, c.Though thuson a level by common descent from Abraham, they yet pay tithe to theLevites, whose brethren they are. Now the Levites are subordinate tothe priests and these again to Abraham, their common progenitor; andAbraham to Melchisedec. “How great” (Heb7:4) 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, towhom, as the sacerdotal archetype (in God’s purpose), Melchisedec wasmade like! Thus compare the “consider,” Heb7:4, in the case of Melchisedec, the type, with the “consider”(Greek, “contemplate attentively,” see on Heb3:1, a stronger word than here) in the case of Christ, thearchetype.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And verily they that are of the sons of Levi,…. Or Levites; who are of the tribe of Levi, whose descent is from him:
who receive the office of the priesthood; as some of them were priests, though not all; and the Levites therefore are sometimes called priests. R. Joshua ben Levi says, that in twenty four places the priests are called Levites; and this is one of them, Eze 44:15 “and the priests and Levites”, c. k
these have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law the ceremonial law, Nu 18:20, these they took of all the people of Israel in the rest of the tribes, by the commandment of God, on account of their service in the tabernacle; and because they had no inheritance in the land; and to show that the Israelites held their land of God himself:
that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham; who are their brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, though of different tribes; and from these they receive, notwithstanding they are the sons of Abraham: but here a difficulty arises, how the Levites that were priests can be said to receive tithes from the people, when they received the tenth part of the tithes, or the tithe of tithes from the Levites, Nu 18:26, but it should be observed, that it was not necessary that the Levites should give these tithes to the priests themselves; an Israelite might do it, and so give the Levites the less; on which account the priests may be said to receive from the people; besides, Ezra in his time ordered, that the first tithe should not be given to the Levites, but to the priests, because they would not go up with him to Jerusalem l.
k T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 86. 2. & Becorot, fol. 4. 1. l Maimon. Hilchot Maaser, c. 1. sect. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The priest’s office ( ). LXX and Koine word from , in N.T. only here and Lu 1:9.
To take tithes (). Present active infinitive (in –, not –, as the best MSS. give it) of a LXX word (, ), to take a tenth from ().
Brethren (). Accusative case in apposition with (people) unaffected by the explanatory phrase ‘ (that is).
Though come out ( ). Concessive participle (cf. 5:8) with (perfect active of ).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
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. [ ] . 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 [ ] . Only here and Luk 1:9. A commandment [] . A special injunction, See on Jas 2:8; Eph 2:15.
To take tithes [] . See on ver. 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.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
MELCHISEDEC PRIEST HIGHER THAN AARONIC
1) “And verily they that are of the sons of Levi,” (kai hoi men ek ton huion Levi) “And those on the one hand out of the sons of Levi,” offering of Levi, of the Levitical tribe line, Num 18:21; Num 18:26.
2) “Who receive the office of the priesthood,” (ten hierateian lombanontes) “Those receiving or taking (holding) the priestly office; Num 18:7-20; Heb 5:4.
3) “Have a commandment to take tithes of the people,” (entolen echousin apo ekatoun ton laon) “They have a commandment to take or receive tithes from the laity,” the people, then give a heave offering from the tithe to the Lord, then to Aaron, the High Priest, Num 18:27-28.
4) “According to the law,” (kata ton nomon) “according to the (requirement of) law,” the law of Moses, Lev 27:30; Lev 27:32.
5) “That is, of their brethren,” (tout’ estin tous adelphous auton) “This tithe is of their brethren, .
6) “Though they come out of the loins of Abraham,” (eksele luthotas ek tes osphuos Abraam) “Who have come forth out of the loins of Abraham,” Lev 27:34; Mal 4:4; Melchisedec as a patriarch, priest, and king, as a type of Christ, received tithes of the Levites while they were yet in Abraham’s loins. Christ still in heaven receives tithes of men today, Heb 7:6-7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
5. And verily they, etc. It would be more suitable to render the words thus, “because they are the sons of Levi.” The Apostle indeed does not assign it as a reason that they received tithes because they were the sons of Levi; but he is comparing the whole tribe with Melchisedec in this way. Though God granted to the Levites the right of requiring tithes from the people, and thus set them above all the Israelites, yet they have all descended from the same parent; and Abraham, the father of them all, paid tithes to a priest of another race: then all the descendants of Abraham are inferior to this priest. Thus the right conferred on the Levites was particular as to the rest of their brethren; yet Melchisedec, without exception, occupies the highest place, so that all are inferior to him. Some think that the tenths of tenths are intended, which the Levites paid to the higher priests; but there is no reason thus to confine the general declaration. The view, then, I have given is the most probable.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) They that are of the sons.Rather, those of the sons of Levi that receive, &c. There is an apparent difficulty here. The priests, it is urged, did not receive tithes from the people; the tithe was paid to the Levites, and but the tenth part of this tithe fell to the lot of the priests. Two considerations seem entirely to remove this difficulty. (1) The question is not one of emolument, but of position. The authority to exact tithes was in strictness vested in the priests, the supreme guardians of the laws relating to all religious duties and observances, and the Levites were but their assistants. That the priests received for their own use but a part of the tribute paid by the nation is a matter of no moment here. (2) The Levites themselves paid tithes to the priests, who therefore stood alone in receiving tithes but paying none. It is the positive ordinance of the law, and nothing but this, that raises brethren above brethren, and gives to the priest this claim upon men who would otherwise be on an equality with himself through common descent from Abraham.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5-7. First point. The lineal Levites tithe the people even though descendants of Abraham; but unlineal Melchizedek tithed and conferred blessing on Abraham himself.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5. They of the sons of Levi Especially Aaron’s line, to whom, within the tribe of Levi, the priesthood was limited.
Receive By descent recorded in the genealogical table.
A commandment A special ordinance according to, and forming part of, the general law. Take tithes of their brethren, of all Israelites.
Though Exalting the Levites as tithing sons of Abraham, in order to exalt Melchizedek still higher. The Levites, indeed, tithe the Israelites, though Abraham’s sons; but Melchizedek, far greater, tithed Abraham himself.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they indeed of the sons of Levi who 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.’
This argument about tithes is now illustrated from the fact that the levitical priests, descended from Levi’s ‘sons’, themselves received tithes from the people by God’s commandment due to their status as God’s chosen priests, as great ones, even though they were described as subject to death. They received them by virtue of their office. And these were gathered for them by the Levites. And the reason they received them was that they had a divine right to receive such tithes according to the Law precisely because they were priests, even though humanly speaking they came from the same roots as the people, from the loins of Abraham. This receiving of tithes demonstrated their rights and uniqueness as priests, demonstrating that they were truly God’s chosen priests, that they were greater than the people.
However, while that was so, their being from the loins of Abraham shows that they were inferior to Melchizedek, and post-dated Melchizedek. For Abraham, their ‘father’, gave tithes to Melchizedek, and therefore being ‘in the loins of Abraham’ they also in Abraham gave Melchizedek tithes. So Melchizedek in his priesthood was greater than and anterior to them.
The picture is therefore clear. The people gave tithes to the Levites, the Levites gave tithes to the priests, and the priests (in Abraham) gave tithes to the priesthood of Melchizedek, all in ascending order. The Melchizedekian priesthood was thus greater than all.
Note the emphasis on ‘sons of Levi’. While this description may be strictly more historically correct, by custom he could normally have simply said ‘Levi’. However here he wished to indicate that Levi died, and his sons were born and they died, and so on. The family produced a priesthood that was subject to death, generation after generation, from a family that was subject to death. This in contrast to the priesthood of Melchizedek where there is no mention of death and the appointing of a new priest.
‘According to the Law.’ All their rights were based on the Law. They had no claims beyond what the Law gave them. Their appointment was by the Law. They taught the Law. They carried through the Law. They were subject to the Law. But Melchizedek was outside and above the Law.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Heb 7:5. To take tithes, &c. According to the law, to take tithes of the people, that is, of their brethren. Our author’s design is to magnify the priesthood of Melchisedec: in order whereto he magnifies the dignity of the Levitical priesthood, and then shews that the other, of Melchisedec, was to be preferred to it. Thus stands his argument: “It was a great honour conferred on theLevitical priesthood, that they were empowered to receive tithes of the whole nation who were their brethren; and this honour appears yet the greater, when it is considered that these their brethren came out of the loins of Abraham, the friend of God; for whom, and whose posterity, God had a particular regard, as appears by his promises; and who, therefore, it might be expected, should be exempted from such a burden. But Melchisedec appears to have had a yet much more honourable priesthood, because he received tithes of one who was not of his brethren, even of Abraham himself,which shews him to be greater than Abraham, and with a priestly authority blessed him: and hereby, in effect, he received tithes of Abraham’s posterity, even of Levi, and that tribe which descended from him.” This gives a satisfactory account of the word although, which at the first reading seems obscure.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Heb 7:5 . Admission of the relatively privileged position of the Levitical priests.
] the explanatory: and certainly .
. . .] preparatory to the adversative . . ., Heb 7:6 .
] those of the sons (descendants) of Levi who obtain the office of priest . For not all Levites, but only those of them who claimed lineage from the house of Aaron, were entitled to enter upon the priesthood. Comp. Exo 28:1 ff.; Num 3:10 ; Num 3:38 ; Num 3:16 ; Num 18:1 ff., al . Mistaken is the opinion of Delitzsch, Maier, and Moll (in coinciding with Hofmann), that the in is the causal of origin : “those who receive the priesthood from the sons of Levi, i.e. by virtue of their descent from Levi, in such wise that their person is not taken into account as such, but only in so far as they belong to this lineage.” If that had been intended, must have been written.
] have a charge to tithe the people according to the law . Comp. Num 18:20-32 ; Deu 14:22-29 ; Neh 10:38-39 ; de Wette, Lehrb. der hebr.-jd. Archologie , 3 Aufl. p. 273 f.; Delitzsch, Talmudische Studien , XIV. Justification of Heb 7:5 [81] (in Guericke’s Zeitschr. f. d. gesammte luth. Theol. u. Kirche , 1863, H. 1, p. 16 ff.).
] belongs not to (Seb. Schmidt, Hammond, Starck, Bhme, Hofmann), against which even the non-repetition of the article after decides; nor yet to (Owen, Delitzsch, Alford, Maier, Ewald), but to .
In the closing words, , . . . , Bleek, after the example set by Bhme, erroneously finds the sense: “that, although they are the posterity of Abraham, the lauded patriarch, who are tithed by the Levitical priests, yet they are, after all, still the brethren of the latter, i.e. fellow-Israelites; which cannot be so astonishing as when Abraham himself paid the tithes to Melchisedec.” On the contrary, the elucidation of by serves to bring into more striking relief the singularity of the ; since elsewhere only the higher receives tithes from the lower, not the equal from the equal (as here an Abrahamides from an Abrahamides), and this singularity of the is then yet further manifested by . The author can therefore only design, by means of Heb 7:5 , to characterize the priests as primi inter pares . This superiority, however, in regard to their own fellow-Israelites, the author concedes only in order immediately after, Heb 7:6 , to oppose to the same the inferiority in regard to Melchisedec.
] So the LXX. render the Hebrew , Gen 35:11 ; 2Ch 6:9 .
[81] The justification consists of the attempted proof that in the post-exilian age the tenth was no longer levied in the first place by the Levites, who had been wont only afterwards to render to the priests the portion pertaining to the same, but the priests themselves had entered upon the right of levying the tenth, which had been originally assigned to the Levites. Nevertheless, however the matter may have stood in this respect, there was hardly any need of a justification of the words Heb 7:5 , since no statement whatever as to the mode of receiving the tenths is contained in the same; on the contrary, these words are equally appropriate for indirect as for direct levying of the tithes.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Heb 7:5-7 . First point of superiority . The Levitical priests, indeed, take tithes of their brethren, although these brethren, in like manner as they, have descended from Abraham: they have thus, it is true, a pre-eminence above these; but they are inferior to Melchisedec, since this man took tithes of Abraham himself, the common ancestor of the Jewish people, and blessed him.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Heb 7:5-10 . Unfolding of the . . ., Heb 7:4 , in that Melchisedec is compared with the Levitical priests, and a threefold superiority of the former over the latter is pointed out.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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:
Ver. 5. To take tithes of the people ] If tithes be Jewish, saith M. Harris, and yet ministers must have a maintenance, how will men satisfy their consciences in the particular quantity they must bestow upon them? the Scripture speaks only of the tenth part. Can any show us where the old apportion is reversed, and which is that quota pars now that conscience must rest in?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
5 .] Continuation of Heb 7:4 , setting forth the reason of the . And (‘et quidem:’ the E. V. “and verily,” is rather too strong) they of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood (or, and perhaps more properly, ‘ they of the sons of Levi, when they receive the priesthood :’ in either case meaning the family of Aaron, not as Wolf, al., the whole tribe of Levi, which indeed was appointed by God to receive tithes, see Num 18:20 ; the words . will not admit of this interpretation. The Writer speaks of the custom, whereby not all the Levites, but the priests only, received tithes. , as frequently, ‘capessentes,’ taking as of course and right: Xen. Cyr. i. 5. 2, . . , the office of priest: mostly a late word, Dion. Hal., al.: but also found in Aristot. Pol. vii. 8, , . In Heb 7:11-12 ; Heb 7:24 , is used in the same sense. If any distinction is to be made between the two words, it would rather seem to be the opposite of that laid down by Schulz and others: seems more to denote the service of the priest, the office and power . So in Aristot. above: so Herod. iii. 142, , . , and Demosth. p. 1313. 20, ) have commandment to take tithes of ( is the Greek form, – the Hellenistic. See reff.) the people according to the law (the words have been joined by Seb. Schmidt, Hammond, al., to : “the (people according to law):” i. e. either God’s people, who were under the law, or those who according to the law were the , in distinction from the priests and Levites, as , Exo 19:24 . But, though an article after would not be, as commonly supposed, absolutely required in such a construction (witness , , and the like), yet it is difficult to imagine the construction without it here. Bleek would refer the words to , justifying it by ch. Heb 9:19 , , where however it is far better to join it with . If it there belonged to , we should certainly expect either , or , .
The commandment referred to, on the ordinary construction of the first words of the verse would be Num 18:20-32 . But it seems more natural to understand those first words as I have given them in the alternative there, and then falls into its place easily: ‘Those of the sons of Levi, when they are invested with the priesthood, receive commandment to tithe the people according to the law.’ On the ways in which the right of tithe was understood at different times, and how it became at length attached to the priesthood only, see Bleek’s note), that is, their brethren, though come out of the loins of Abraham (the formula . for to spring from, as an ancestor, is only Hellenistic, arising from the rendering by the LXX of the Heb. , as in reff. Compare , 3 Kings 8:19; , Gen 46:26 .
The meaning is very difficult to assign. Certainly it cannot be as Bleek, after Bhme, “Abrahamidas quidem, sed fratres tamen:” for this quite reverses the and . I take this to be intended: by the first clause, , that the Levitical tithe right was all within the limits of one race, a privilege ‘de Abrahamide in Abrahamidem,’ and therefore less to be wondered at, and involving less difference between man and man, than the tithe right of Melchisedek over Abraham, one of different race, and indeed over all his progeny with him. Then the second clause, ., is inserted to shew the deep subjection of the ordinary Abrahamid to the Melchisedek priesthood, seeing that, notwithstanding his privilege of descent, he was subjected to his own priest, his brother, who in turn paid tithes in Abraham to Melchisedek).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Heb 7:5 . The significance of this tithing is perceived when it is considered that, although the sons of Levi take tithes of their brethren, this is the result of a mere legal appointment. Those who pay tithes are, as well as those who receive them, sons of Abraham. Paying tithes is in their case no acknowledgment of personal inferiority, but mere compliance with law. But Abraham was under no such law to Melchizedek, and the payment of tithes to him was a tribute to his personal greatness. adds a fresh aspect of the matter. “those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly service have an ordinance to tithe the people in accordance with the law, that is, their brethren, although these have come out of the loins of Abraham”. Not all the tribe of Levi, but only the family of Aaron received ( cf. Heb 5:4 ) the (also in Luk 1:9 ), which Bleek shows to have been used by classical writers of priestly service, while was used of the priestly office. See Heb 7:11-12 ; Heb 7:24 . , “The best MSS. make the infinitive of verbs in – to end in – ” (Westcott and Hort, G., T . ii., sec. 410, and cf. Jannaris, Greek Gram. , 851). The verb occurs only in Biblical Greek, the classical form being . follows . , . . . Not their fellow-Levites, although it is true that the Levites tithed the people, and the priests tithed the Levites (Num 18:21-24 ; Num 18:26-28 ), but the words are added in explanation of in order to emphasise the fact that the priests exacted tithes not in recognition of any personal superiority. Those who paid tithes were Abraham’s descendants equally with the priests; it was merely the law which conveyed the right to tithe their brethren .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
verily they = they indeed
sons Greek. huios App-108.
office, &c Greek. hierateia. Only here and Luk 1:9.
take tithes of Greek. apodekatoo See Luk 11:42
according to. Greek. kata. App-104.
out of. Greek. ek, as above
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
5.] Continuation of Heb 7:4, setting forth the reason of the . And (et quidem: the E. V. and verily, is rather too strong) they of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood (or, and perhaps more properly, they of the sons of Levi, when they receive the priesthood: in either case meaning the family of Aaron, not as Wolf, al., the whole tribe of Levi, which indeed was appointed by God to receive tithes, see Num 18:20; the words . will not admit of this interpretation. The Writer speaks of the custom, whereby not all the Levites, but the priests only, received tithes. , as frequently, capessentes, taking as of course and right: Xen. Cyr. i. 5. 2, . . , the office of priest: mostly a late word, Dion. Hal., al.: but also found in Aristot. Pol. vii. 8, , . In Heb 7:11-12; Heb 7:24, is used in the same sense. If any distinction is to be made between the two words, it would rather seem to be the opposite of that laid down by Schulz and others: seems more to denote the service of the priest, the office and power. So in Aristot. above: so Herod. iii. 142, , . ,-and Demosth. p. 1313. 20, ) have commandment to take tithes of ( is the Greek form, -the Hellenistic. See reff.) the people according to the law (the words have been joined by Seb. Schmidt, Hammond, al., to : the (people according to law): i. e. either Gods people, who were under the law, or those who according to the law were the , in distinction from the priests and Levites, as , Exo 19:24. But, though an article after would not be, as commonly supposed, absolutely required in such a construction (witness , , and the like), yet it is difficult to imagine the construction without it here. Bleek would refer the words to , justifying it by ch. Heb 9:19, , where however it is far better to join it with . If it there belonged to , we should certainly expect either , or , .
The commandment referred to, on the ordinary construction of the first words of the verse would be Num 18:20-32. But it seems more natural to understand those first words as I have given them in the alternative there, and then falls into its place easily: Those of the sons of Levi, when they are invested with the priesthood, receive commandment to tithe the people according to the law. On the ways in which the right of tithe was understood at different times, and how it became at length attached to the priesthood only, see Bleeks note), that is, their brethren, though come out of the loins of Abraham (the formula . for to spring from, as an ancestor, is only Hellenistic, arising from the rendering by the LXX of the Heb. , as in reff. Compare , 3 Kings 8:19; , Gen 46:26.
The meaning is very difficult to assign. Certainly it cannot be as Bleek, after Bhme, Abrahamidas quidem, sed fratres tamen: for this quite reverses the and . I take this to be intended: by the first clause, , that the Levitical tithe right was all within the limits of one race, a privilege de Abrahamide in Abrahamidem, and therefore less to be wondered at, and involving less difference between man and man, than the tithe right of Melchisedek over Abraham, one of different race, and indeed over all his progeny with him. Then the second clause, ., is inserted to shew the deep subjection of the ordinary Abrahamid to the Melchisedek priesthood, seeing that, notwithstanding his privilege of descent, he was subjected to his own priest, his brother, who in turn paid tithes in Abraham to Melchisedek).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Heb 7:5. , the people) An abbreviated expression, to be resolved into a subject and predicate consisting each of two members. The priests (and Levites) tithe (the Levites and) the people, Num 18:21; Num 18:26; Neh 10:38. So the style of Paul admits, Rom 5:16, note.- ) according to or in the law, ch. Heb 9:19.-, brethren) with whom they are of the same natural condition. To these, however, are preferred the Levites; to these latter, the priests; to these again, Abraham: to Abraham is preferred Melchisedec.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
who: Heb 5:4, Exo 28:1, Num 16:10, Num 16:11, Num 17:3-10, Num 18:7, Num 18:21-26
to take: Lev 27:30-33, Num 18:26-32, 2Ch 31:4-6, Neh 13:10
come: Heb 7:10, Gen 35:11, Gen 46:26, Exo 1:5, 1Ki 8:19
Reciprocal: Luk 24:50 – he lifted
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 7:5. This verse continues the argument based on likenesses and contrasts between important characters. It is evident that he who pays tithes is less than the one to whom he pays them. Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec hence was of less importance than he. But the Levite priests (who descended from the great man Abraham) took tithes from the people. The argument is that although the Levitical priests were great enough to receive tithes from the people, yet their great ancestor was not great enough to receive tithes from Mel-chisedec, but rather had to pay them to him. All this is according to the teaching, that the priestly order of this great man Melchisedec being more like that of Christ than was that of Levi, it follows that the priesthood of Christ should be accepted over all previous ones.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 7:5. And they verily (or, indeed, as in Heb 7:8; or better, the emphatic and they, the Greek particle calling attention to the contrast between those mentioned in this verse and in the following) that are of the sons of Levi, when they (not who) receive . . . have a commandment, etc. The meaning here is best learned from the facts. The Levites, the teachers of the Jewish people, received their portion of the land of promise in the form of a tithe of all the produce of the ground (Num 18:21-24); of this tithe, the priests properly so called received a tithe (Num 18:26-28): the priests share, therefore, was taken from their brethrens share, and all from the people. This was the arrangement according to the law.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Still the apostle goes on to give Melchizedek the preference above Abraham, and from thence to infer, that Christ, whom Melchizedek typified, was much mor excellent than Abraham, and all the Levitical priests which sprang from him.
The argument lies thus: “The law allowed Aaron and the other priests to take tithes of their brethren that sprung from Abraham; but Melchizedek received tithes of Abraham, who was none of his people, yea, and blessed Abraham also, which is a demonstration that he was greater than Abraham; and consequently it is evident, that Christ is greater than the Jewich priests; to bless authoritatively is an act of superiority; Now Melchizedek blessed Abraham, he is therfore greater than Abraham: because he that blessed is greater than he whom he blesseth.
Behold here the excellency of the office of God’s ministers, namely, to bless the people in God’s name: They bless authoritatively, they bless declaratively, they bless optatively. God help them to take heed, lest, by their miscarriages, they prove a snare and a curse unto them whom they ought to bless.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 5
Have a commandment to take tithes; Deuteronomy 14:22-29.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
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 {b} come out of the loins of Abraham:
(b) Were begotten by Abraham.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The descendants of Abraham paid tithes to their priests, the sons of Levi, but Abraham himself paid tithes to Melchizedek. The writer was really contrasting Aaron and Melchizedek more than Abraham and Melchizedek in this section. The writer implied that the one to whom Abraham paid tithes (Melchizedek) was superior to the one to whom Abraham’s descendants paid tithes (the Levitical priests).