Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Hebrews 7:5

ἱερατείαν. Defined by Aristotle to mean “care concerning the gods.”

ἀποδεκατοῖν. The Priests only took tithes of the people 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, Numbers 18:22-26; Nehemiah 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” (λαὸν) into Levi (Λευΐν). The Priests stood alone in receiving tithes and giving none.

ἐκ τῆς ὀσφύος. A Hebrew expression, Genesis 35:11.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Hebrews 7:5

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