Deuteronomy 12:19

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Be careful not to neglect the Levite as long as you live in your land.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּֽן־תַּעֲזֹ֖ב אֶת־הַלֵּוִ֑י כָּל־יָמֶ֖יךָ עַל־אַדְמָתֶֽךָ׃ ס

Transliteration

Hishshāmer to-you pen-taʿăzōb ʾet-the-lēwî all-yāmêkhā upon-ʾadmātêkhā

Grammar Details

• *hishshāmer*: verb, Niphal imperative masculine singular - guard yourself/take heed
• *pen*: conjunction - lest/that not
• *taʿăzōb*: verb, Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular - you forsake
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *lēwî*: noun, masculine singular with definite article - the Levite
• *yāmêkhā*: noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your days
• *ʾadmātêkhā*: noun, feminine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your land/ground/soil

Word Meanings

• *hishshāmer*: guard yourself/take heed/beware
• *pen*: lest/that not/otherwise
• *taʿăzōb*: forsake/abandon/neglect
• *lēwî*: Levite/member of tribe of Levi
• *ʾadmātêkhā*: land/ground/soil/territory

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Take heed to yourself that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live on the earth.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Take heed{H8104} to thyself that thou forsake{H5800} not the Levite{H3881} as long as thou livest{H3117} in thy land.{H127}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Take heed{H8104}{(H8734)} to thyself that thou forsake{H5800}{(H8799)} not the Levite{H3881} as long as thou livest{H3117} upon the earth{H127}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And bewarre that thou forsake not the leuite as loge as thou lyuest vppon the erth.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And bewarre, that thou forsake not the Leuite, as longe as thou lyuest vpon the earth.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Beware, that thou forsake not the Leuite, as long as thou liuest vpon the earth.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Beware that thou forsake not the Leuite, as long as thou liuest vpon the earth.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Take heed to yourself that you don't forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  take heed to thee lest thou forsake the Levite all thy days on thy ground.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest in thy land.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest in thy land.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  See that you do not give up caring for the Levite as long as you are living in your land.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Take heed to yourself that you don't forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Be careful not to overlook the Levites as long as you live in the land.

Referenced Verses

• Neh 10:34-39 : 34 This includes the bread of the Presence, the regular grain offerings, and burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the appointed feasts, as well as the holy offerings, sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God. 35 We cast lots to determine when our families—the priests, Levites, and the people—would bring wood to the house of our God at appointed times each year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God as it is written in the Law. 36 We also pledged to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit from every tree, year by year, to the house of the LORD. 37 We agreed to bring the firstborn of our sons and of our livestock, as written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there. 38 We will also bring the first of our dough, our contributions, the fruit of all our trees, our new wine, and oil to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God. Additionally, we will bring a tithe of our land to the Levites, for they collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. 39 A priest, a descendant of Aaron, will accompany the Levites when they collect the tithes, and they will bring a tenth of the collected tithes to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the treasury.
• 1 Cor 9:10-14 : 10 Or does He say this entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake because the plowman ought to plow in hope and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? 12 If others have this right to receive from you, shouldn’t we have it even more? But we have not used this right. Instead, we endure all things so that we will not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
• 2 Chr 11:13-14 : 13 The priests and Levites throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam out of all their territories. 14 For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests of the LORD.
• 2 Chr 31:4-9 : 4 He also commanded the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves fully to the Law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the word spread, the Israelites generously brought the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who were living in the cities of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks, and of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God. They piled them in heaps. 7 In the third month, they began to lay the heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed His people Israel. 9 Hezekiah questioned the priests and Levites about the heaps. 10 Azariah, the chief priest from the family of Zadok, answered, 'Since the people began to bring their contributions to the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed His people; this great amount is what is left over.' 11 Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes, and the holy gifts. Conaniah the Levite was in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second in command. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah served as overseers under Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the command of King Hezekiah and Azariah, the ruler of the house of God. 14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the gatekeeper at the east gate, was responsible for distributing the freewill offerings given to God, the contributions made to the Lord, and the consecrated gifts. 15 Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully assisted him in distributing provisions to their fellow Levites in the priestly towns, ensuring that both the great and the small received their portions according to their divisions. 16 They distributed to all the males from three years old and above who were registered to come daily to the house of the Lord to perform their duties in accordance with their divisions. 17 They also ensured the genealogical enrollment of the priests by their family divisions, and the Levites from twenty years old and older followed their duties according to their assigned divisions. 18 They included the registration of all their dependents—their wives, their sons, and their daughters—throughout the entire congregation, as they sanctified themselves in faithfulness and holiness. 19 For the descendants of Aaron, the priests who lived in the fields surrounding their towns, men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone enlisted in the genealogical records among the Levites. 20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good, upright, and true before the Lord his God. 21 In everything he undertook in the service of the house of God, in observing the law and the commandments, and in seeking his God, he worked wholeheartedly and prospered.
• Deut 14:27-29 : 27 And do not neglect the Levite living in your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you. 28 At the end of every three years, bring out a tenth of all your produce for that year and store it within your towns. 29 Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance with you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.