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◄ Joshua 13:33►

New International Version
But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.

New Living Translation
But Moses gave no allotment of land to the tribe of Levi, for the LORD, the God of Israel, had promised that he himself would be their allotment.

English Standard Version
But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the LORD God of Israel is their inheritance, just as he said to them.

Berean Standard Bible
To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

King James Bible
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave notany inheritance: the LORD God of Israelwas their inheritance, as he said unto them.

New King James Version
But to the tribe of Levi Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD God of Israelwas their inheritance, as He had said to them.

New American Standard Bible
But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He had promised to them.

NASB 1995
But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He had promised to them.

NASB 1977
But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He had promised to them.

Legacy Standard Bible
But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; Yahweh, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He had promised to them.

Amplified Bible
But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He told them.

Christian Standard Bible
But Moses did not give a portion to the tribe of Levi. The LORD, the God of Israel, was their inheritance, just as he had promised them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Moses did not give a portion to the tribe of Levi. The LORD, the God of Israel, was their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

American Standard Version
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance: Jehovah, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spake unto them.

Contemporary English Version
But Moses did not give any land to the Levi tribe, because the LORD had promised that he would always provide for them.

English Revised Version
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave none inheritance: the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spake unto them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Moses did not give any land as an inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The LORD God of Israel is what they inherited, as he had promised them.

Good News Translation
But Moses did not assign any land to the tribe of Levi. He told them that their possession was to be a share of the offerings to the LORD God of Israel.

International Standard Version
Moses allotted no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The LORD God of Israel is their inheritance, as he promised them.

NET Bible
However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the LORD God of Israel, as he instructed them.

New Heart English Bible
But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.

Webster's Bible Translation
But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said to them.

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

World English Bible
But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. Yahweh, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and Moses did not give an inheritance to the tribe of Levi; YHWH, God of Israel, Himself, [is] their inheritance, as He has spoken to them.

Young's Literal Translation
and to the tribe of Levi Moses gave not an inheritance; Jehovah, God of Israel, Himself is their inheritance, as He hath spoken to them.

Smith's Literal Translation
And to the tribe of Levi Moses gave not an inheritance: Jehovah the God of Israel, he their inheritance as he spake to them.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
But to the tribe of Levi he gave no possession: because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their possession, as he spoke to them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But to the tribe of Levi he did not give a possession. For the Lord, the God of Israel, is himself their possession, just as he spoke to him.

New American Bible
But Moses gave no heritage to the tribe of Levi: the LORD, the God of Israel, is their heritage, as he had promised them.

New Revised Standard Version
But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the LORD God of Israel is their inheritance, as he said to them.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; because, as he said to them, the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And to the tribe of Levi Moshe did not give an inheritance, because LORD JEHOVAH, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as he said to them

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He spoke unto them.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Manasseh's Eastern Inheritance
…32These were the portions Moses had given them on the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan, east of Jericho.33To the tribe of Levi,however,Moses had given no inheritance.The LORD,the God of Israel,is their inheritance,just as He had promised them.

Berean Standard Bible ·Download

Cross References

Numbers 18:20
Then the LORD said 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.

Deuteronomy 10:9
That is why Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.

Deuteronomy 18:1-2
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance. / Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.

Numbers 18:23-24
The Levites are to perform the work of the Tent of Meeting, and they must bear their iniquity. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come. The Levites will not receive an inheritance among the Israelites. / For I have given to the Levites as their inheritance the tithe that the Israelites present to the LORD as a contribution. That is why I told them that they would not receive an inheritance among the Israelites.”

Numbers 26:62
The registration of the Levites totaled 23,000, every male a month old or more; they were not numbered among the other Israelites, because no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.

Ezekiel 44:28
In regard to their inheritance, I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Hebrews 7:5
Now 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.

1 Corinthians 9:13-14
Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? / In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

Revelation 1:6
who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 5:10
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

1 Corinthians 3:21-23
Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours, / whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you, / and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Matthew 6:20-21
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 10:20
Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. / Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, / treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Treasury of Scripture

But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said to them.

At verse

Joshua 13:14
Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fireare their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Numbers 18:20
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: Iam thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

Joshua 18:7
But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORDis 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.

Deuteronomy 10:9
Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORDis his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.

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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Heritage Inheritance Israel Levi Moses Promised Tribe

Joshua 13

1.The bounds of the land not yet conquered
8.The inheritance of the two tribes and a half
14.The Lord and his sacrifices are the inheritance of Levi
15.The bounds of the inheritance of Reuben
22.Balaam slain
24.The bounds of the inheritance of God
29.and of the half tribe of Manasseh

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance.
The Levites were set apart for religious duties and service to God, which distinguished them from the other tribes of Israel. Unlike the other tribes, they did not receive a specific portion of land as their inheritance. This was in accordance with God's instructions to Moses, emphasizing their unique role in the spiritual life of Israel. The Levites were responsible for the tabernacle and later the temple services, including sacrifices and teaching the law. This lack of land inheritance is also mentioned inNumbers 18:20-24, where God explains that He is their portion and inheritance.

The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance,
This phrase highlights the spiritual inheritance of the Levites, which is a profound theological concept. Instead of material wealth or land, their inheritance was a direct relationship with God and the privilege of serving Him. This reflects a deeper spiritual truth that God Himself is the ultimate reward and sustenance for His people. It also foreshadows the New Testament teaching that believers are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), with God as their ultimate inheritance.

just as He had promised them.
This refers to the promises made by God regarding the Levites' role and inheritance, as seen in passages likeDeuteronomy 10:9 andDeuteronomy 18:1-2. God's faithfulness to His promises is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, underscoring His unchanging nature and reliability. The fulfillment of His promises to the Levites serves as a reminder of His covenant faithfulness to all of Israel and, by extension, to all believers. This assurance of God's promises is a cornerstone of faith, providing hope and trust in His divine plan.

Persons / Places / Events

1.Tribe of Levi
One of the twelve tribes of Israel, set apart for religious duties and service to God. They were not given a specific territory like the other tribes but were instead given cities to dwell in and the Lord Himself as their inheritance.

2.Moses
The leader of the Israelites who led them out of Egypt and through the wilderness. He was responsible for dividing the land among the tribes of Israel, as directed by God.

3.The LORD, the God of Israel
The covenant-keeping God who promised to be the inheritance of the Levites, emphasizing His provision and presence as their portion.

4.Inheritance
In the context of the Israelites, inheritance typically referred to the land apportioned to each tribe. For the Levites, their inheritance was unique as it was God Himself.

5.Promise
The assurance given by God to the Levites that He would be their inheritance, highlighting His faithfulness and the special role of the Levites in serving Him.

Teaching Points

Divine Provision
The Levites' inheritance being the Lord Himself teaches us about God's provision. We are reminded that our ultimate satisfaction and security come from God, not material possessions.

Unique Calling
Just as the Levites were set apart for service, believers today are called to live lives dedicated to God, serving Him in various capacities.

Faithfulness of God
God's promise to the Levites underscores His faithfulness. We can trust that God will fulfill His promises to us, just as He did for the Levites.

Spiritual Inheritance
Our inheritance as believers is not earthly but spiritual. We are heirs of God's kingdom, and our relationship with Him is our greatest treasure.

Contentment in God
The Levites' contentment in having God as their inheritance challenges us to find our contentment in our relationship with God rather than in worldly possessions.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1.What is the meaning of Joshua 13:33?

2.Why did the Levites receive "no inheritance" according to Joshua 13:33?

3.How does Joshua 13:33 emphasize the Lord as the Levites' inheritance?

4.What other scriptures highlight the Levites' unique role and inheritance?

5.How can we prioritize spiritual inheritance over material wealth today?

6.In what ways can we serve God as our "inheritance" like the Levites?

7.Why did the Levites receive no land inheritance in Joshua 13:33?

8.How does Joshua 13:33 reflect God's provision for the Levites?

9.What is the significance of the Lord being the Levites' inheritance in Joshua 13:33?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 13?

11.Joshua 13:33 – Does the unique inheritance of Levi (no land portion) imply internal contradictions with God’s earlier covenant commands regarding tribal allocations?

12.What are key events in Joshua's life?

13.Why does Numbers 35:4–5 mandate a 2,000-cubit boundary around each Levite city, despite no clear historical or archaeological confirmation of such precise measurements?

14.Ezekiel 44:28 indicates priests have no inheritance apart from the Lord--how does this align with land allotment practices known from other biblical or historical sources?

What Does Joshua 13:33 Mean

To the tribe of Levi

The verse opens by singling out Levi’s descendants, reminding us that they were set apart for priestly service (Exodus 32:26-29). Their calling shaped everything about them—how they lived, where they lived, and what they lived for.

• Levi’s tribe bore the responsibility of teaching God’s statutes (Deuteronomy 33:8-10)

• They carried and cared for the tabernacle (Numbers 1:50-53)

• Their daily identity was wrapped up in worship, not in farming or fighting for territory

So, right from the start, the text tells us we’re dealing with a tribe whose purpose differs radically from the other eleven.

However, Moses had given no inheritance

Unlike the rest of Israel, Levi received no fixed tract of land. Moses obeyed earlier commands—“You will have no inheritance in their land” (Numbers 18:20, 23).

Why landlessness?

• It protected them from distraction; fields and vineyards could have pulled them away from sanctuary service.

• It kept their minds fixed on the holy assignment, rather than on borders and boundaries.

• It displayed God’s justice: the Levites were supported by tithes from the other tribes (Numbers 18:21-24), ensuring balanced provision.

The absence of real estate wasn’t a loss; it was a redirect.

The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance

Here lies the heart of the verse. What the Levites lacked in acreage, they gained in relationship.Numbers 18:20 says, “I am your portion and your inheritance.”Psalm 16:5 echoes the same truth for every believer: “The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup.”

Consider the practical blessings that flowed from having God Himself as their share:

• Constant proximity to His presence at the tabernacle (later the temple)

• Firsthand experience of His glory (Deuteronomy 10:8)

• Daily reminders that true riches come from fellowship with the living God, not from soil or cities

Levi’s story points ahead to our ultimate inheritance in Christ (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Just as He had promised them

Nothing here is accidental. Centuries earlier, God spelled out this arrangement (Deuteronomy 10:9;Joshua 18:7). Each detail inJoshua 13:33 proves that the Lord keeps His word down to the smallest clause:

• He promised—He performed.

• He declared—He delivered.

The fulfillment underscores a larger biblical pattern: if God keeps His land promise to one tribe, He keeps every promise to all His people (2 Corinthians 1:20).

summary

Joshua 13:33 highlights a tribe without land yet lacking nothing. Levi’s heritage wasn’t bounded by borders but by the boundless God. Their call to serve, sustained by tithes, spotlighted the truth that the greatest inheritance is the Lord Himself. The verse reminds us today that possessions fade, but the promises of God—and God as our portion—never do.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

To the tribe
וּלְשֵׁ֙בֶט֙(ū·lə·šê·ḇeṭ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7626:Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Levi,
הַלֵּוִ֔י(hal·lê·wî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3878:Levi -- a son of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him

however,
מֹשֶׁ֖ה(mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872:Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

[Moses] had given
נָתַ֥ן(nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414:To give, put, set

no
לֹֽא־(lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, no

inheritance.
נַחֲלָ֑ה(na·ḥă·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5159:Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion

The LORD,
יְהוָ֞ה(Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹהֵ֤י(’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙(yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478:Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

is their inheritance,
נַחֲלָתָ֔ם(na·ḥă·lā·ṯām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5159:Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion

just as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר(ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

He had promised
דִּבֶּ֥ר(dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696:To arrange, to speak, to subdue

them.
לָהֶֽם׃(lā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

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OT History: Joshua 13:33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses (Josh. Jos)