Deuteronomy 10:8

At that time Cp. Deuteronomy 9:20; Deuteronomy 10:1. If, as we have seen to be most probable, Deuteronomy 10:6 are a later intrusion and out of place where they stand, that timeis not that of the sojourn at Yoṭbathah after Aaron's death (though the editor who inserted Deuteronomy 10:6 may have meant to imply this; see the general note to these vv.), but the time at Ḥoreb (Deuteronomy 10:1). This conclusion is confirmed (a) by the subsequent Deuteronomy 10:10, in which the retrospect still rests on Ḥoreb; (b) by the natural connection between the mention of the making of the Ark and that of the appointment of its bearers; (c) by the fact that another line of tradition, P, assigns to Ḥoreb the consecration of Levites to priestly duties, and also makes this follow the order to build the ark (and sanctuary); and (d) because, although no such setting apart is recorded in JE, these lines of the tradition may also have originally contained it and even hint at it in Exodus 32:29, immediately after the account of the zeal of all the sons of Leviin the punishment of the people's apostasy with the golden calf (see Dillmann on that and on this passage; also Driver's note on Exodus 32:29).

the Lord separated set apart, with a solemn religious sense, as for Himself; the verb is used when He takes Israel from other peoples, Leviticus 20:24 (H); or when Moses is directed to separate the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, Numbers 16:9 (P), that the Levites may be mine, Numbers 8:14 (P); or of the separation of the cities of refuge, Deuteronomy 4:41; Deuteronomy 19:2; Deuteronomy 19:7; and even of separating a person to evil, Deuteronomy 29:21 (20), and putting aside beasts that are unclean, Leviticus 20:25.

the tribe of Levi Unambiguous, leaving no question possible as to whether they are meant in part or whole a question which would have arisen had the term the Levites(in view of its narrower meaning in P) been used. Cp. Deuteronomy 18:1, all the tribe of Levi.

to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord D's name for the Ark; see on Deuteronomy 10:2. The O.T. data of the bearing of the Ark are summarily these. In JE, Joshua 3:6, the priestsbear the Ark; and the priestsbear it also at the consecration of Solomon's Temple, 1Ki 8:3; 1 Kings 8:6. Here in D the office is assigned to the whole (see above) tribe of Levi. These terms are combined in Deuteronomy 31:9 according to which the Ark is borne by the priests the sons of Levi; cp. the deuteronomic verse, Joshua 3:3, the priests the Levites bearing it. But in P, Numbers 4:1; Numbers 4:4; Numbers 4:15, the bearing of the Ark is specially allotted to one clan of Levi, the Kohathites, who are distinguished from the priestsin P, Aaron and his sons by being forbidden to perform the more sacred priestly functions, Numbers 4:15; Numbers 4:17-20. Clearly then P differs from D, in which the whole tribe of Levi is regarded as priests and as such carry the Ark, besides performing the other more sacred functions which now follow.

to stand before the Lord to minister unto him Both vbs, which are used of a servant's attitude and duty to his human master (stand before, 1 Kings 10:8; minister, Genesis 39:4) are also employed (with and without the name of God, and either together or separately), specially to express religious service and in particular the distinctive office and functions of the priests, Deuteronomy 17:12 (before Jehovah); Judges 20:28 (before the Ark), Eze 44:15; 2 Chronicles 29:11. In D these are laid upon the whole tribe of Levi as here, in Deuteronomy 18:5; Deuteronomy 18:7, God hath chosen him,Levi, out of all thy tribes to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons for ever; and Deuteronomy 21:5, the priests the sons of Levi … for them hath Jehovah chosen to minister unto him. P uses the phrase to stand before Jehovahneither of the priests nor of the Levites, but says that the Levites stand before the congregation. The verb to minister(shârçth) P, both of Aaron and his sons, the priests, and of the Levites. Of the priests either absolutely Exodus 28:35; Exodus 39:26, or within the holy placeExodus 28:43; Exodus 29:30; Exodus 39:1, and in the priests" officeExodus 35:19; Exodus 39:41; or of their ministry of the altar, i.e. the sacrifices, Exodus 30:20; and only once with regard to God Himself, Exodus 28:41, to minister unto me. Of the Levites P never uses to minister to Jehovah; but either to ministeralone, Numbers 3:31; or to the camp, Numbers 4:9; or in the sanctuary, Numbers 4:12, cp. Numbers 1:50; or at the altar (in preparing it for the priests), Numbers 4:24; or to Aaron, Numbers 18:2. P and D then differ thus, that while D uses the double phrase, stand before and minister to Jehovahof the whole tribe of Levi, P says that the Levites stand before the congregation, and uses the phrase minister to Jehovahonly of the priests, and intends by it the most sacred priestly functions of sacrifice, etc., the Levites" ministering being confined to less sacred duties in regard to the care of the fabric of the Tabernacle and the Camp and in assisting the priests.

to bless in his name So Deuteronomy 21:5 again of the sons of Levi, the priests. This is another of the distinctive priestly duties (though sometimes discharged by kïngs, 2Sa 6:18; 1 Kings 8:14; 1 Kings 8:55). It is twice assigned by P to Aaron: Leviticus 9:22; Numbers 6:23; and it is included in 1 Chronicles 23:18 among the offices to which Aaron was set apart.

unto this day Cp. for everin Deuteronomy 18:5.

Our detailed examination of this verse, and other O.T. passages relevant to the subject, makes it clear that in the Book of Deuteronomy all the tribe of Levior sons of Leviare regarded as priests; and that every son of Levi, or Levite, could perform the distinctive priestly functions; whereas in P all these functions are limited to Aaron and his sons, except the bearing of the Ark, which is assigned to a Levite clan the Kohathites; while Levitehas become a technical name for the non-Aaronic members of the tribe, to whom priestly functions were forbidden and who had less sacred duties about the altar and sanctuary. These distinctions are unknown to D: to him Levites and priests are identical terms. It is impossible to suppose that D silently presupposed the distinctions in P. There is not the slightest sign anywhere in his language that this was the case. On the contrary his addition, that the exercise of the priests" office by all Levites continued to his own day and was for everproves that he did not know P. And this is confirmed with its consequence, a late date for P, by the evidence of the earlier historical writings and especially by a comparison of Samuel and Kings with Chronicles. See further Chapman in Int. to the Pent.(in this series), pp. 154 ff., and App. vii. 5 and cp. below on Deuteronomy 18:1-8.