And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, said the LORD.
And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, said the LORD.
And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith Jehovah.
And some of them will I take for priests and Levites, says the Lord.
And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
Of them also will I take for priests [and] for Levites," says Yahweh.
And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
And for Levites - For ללוים laleviyim, fifty-nine MSS., (eight ancient), have וללוים velaleviyim, adding the conjunction ו vau, which the sense seems necessarily to require: and so read all the ancient versions. See Joshua 3:3, and the various readings on that place in Kennicott's Bible.
And I will also take of them for priests - I will give to them an honorable place in my public service; that is, I will make them ministers of religion as if they were priests and Levites. This cannot be taken literally - because the priests and Levites among the Jews were determined by law, and by regular genealogical descent, and there was no provision for substituting any in their place. But it must mean that under the condition of things described here, those who should be brought from the distant pagan world would perform the same offices in the service of God which had been performed formerly by the priests and Levites that is, they would be ministers of religion. The services of God would no longer be performed by the descendants of Aaron, or be limited to them, but would be performed by others who should be called to this office from the pagan world.
66:21 For priests - God will find among the converted Gentiles those who though they are not of the tribe of Levi, yet shall do the true work of priests and Levites.