Deuteronomy 21:5

the priests the sons of Levi shall come near The same vb as of the priestin Deuteronomy 20:2, R.V. approach. The appearance of the priests is remarkable, for they have nothing else to do in the ceremony. They have been introduced, then, either by D or, since they are not designated by D's usual title for them (the priests the Levites), by an editor who, under the later priestly conceptions, cannot imagine such a ceremony without them. The rest of the v. reads as though the insertor gave it as his reason for bringing them in. For the formulas of which it consists see on Deuteronomy 10:8; Deuteronomy 17:8; Deuteronomy 17:12; Deuteronomy 18:5.