Hebrews 7:5 · Bible study
Hebrews 7:5 Commentary: Study: Levi's Tithe Command and Melchizedek's Superiority
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine how the Levitical tithe command reveals their inferiority to Melchizedek and points to Christ's superior priesthood. Verse 5 in context.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Levitical priests had divine authority to tithe their fellow Israelites, showing their limited, genealogical superiority, which contrasts with Melchizedek’s higher status.
- Key words: ἱερατεία (priestly office), ἐντολή (commandment), ἀποδεκατοῦν (to take a tenth), καίπερ (though), ἐξεληλυθότας (having come out), ὀσφύος (loins).
- Main debate: Whether priests collected tithes directly from the people or through the Levites (sources note post-exilic practice where priests did so, e.g., Cambridge Bible, Gill).
- Theological theme: The genealogical limitation of the Levitical priesthood versus the eternal, unmediated priesthood of Melchizedek and Christ.
- Best use: A key step in the argument that Christ’s priesthood surpasses the old covenant order; useful for teaching typology and covenant theology.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Abraham.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,
KJV King James Version 1769
And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest’s office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and those, indeed, out of the sons of Levi receiving the priesthood, a command have to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, their brethren, even though they came forth out of the loins of Abraham;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And they indeed from among the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is from their brethren, though these are come out of the loins of Abraham:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And indeed they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is to say, of their brethren: though they themselves also came out of the loins of Abraham.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y ciertamente los que de los hijos de Leví toman el sacerdocio, tienen mandamiento de tomar del pueblo los diezmos según la ley, es|strong="G5123, G2076" á saber, de sus hermanos aunque también hayan salido de los lomos de Abraham.
E, realmente, os que dentre os filhos de Levi recebem o sacerdócio têm ordem, segundo a Lei, de receberem os dízimos do povo, isto é, dos seus irmãos, mesmo sendo eles também descendentes de Abraão.
Ceux des fils de Lévi qui exercent le sacerdoce ont, d’ après la loi, l’ ordre de lever la dîme sur le peuple, c’est-à-dire, sur leurs frères, qui cependant sont issus des reins d’ Abraham;
Zwar die Kinder Levi, die das Priestertum empfangen, haben ein Gebot, den Zehnten vom Volk, das ist von ihren Brüdern, zu nehmen nach dem Gesetz, wiewohl auch diese aus den Lenden Abrahams gekommen sind.
En die uit de kinderen van Levi het priesterdom ontvangen, hebben wel bevel om tienden te nemen van het volk, naar de wet, dat is, van hun broederen, hoewel die uit de lenden van Abraham voortgekomen zijn.
Or quelli d’infra i figliuoli di Levi che ricevono il sacerdozio, hanno bensì ordine, secondo la legge, di prender le decime dal popolo, cioè dai loro fratelli, benché questi siano usciti dai lombi d’Abramo;
A ci, którzy są z synów Lewiego, urząd kapłański przyjmujący, rozkazanie mają, aby brali dziesięcinę od ludu według zakonu, to jest od braci swoich, choć wyszli z biódr Abrahamowych.
Получающие священство из сынов Левииных имеют заповедь — брать по закону десятину с народа, то есть со своих братьев, хотя и сии произошли от чресл Авраамовых.
那 得 祭司職任 的 利未 子孫，領 命 照 例 向百姓 取十分之一，這百姓是 自己的 弟兄，雖 是從 亞伯拉罕身（原文是腰）中生的，還是照例取十分之一。
And it is true that by the law, those of the sons of Levi who have the position of priests may take a tenth part of the people's goods; that is to say, they take it from their brothers though these are the sons of Abraham.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Hebrews 7:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the basic point of this verse. The Levitical priests, those “receiving the priesthood” (τὴν ἱερατείαν λαμβάνοντες), hold a commandment (ἐντολὴν) under the law to collect a tenth from the people of Israel. Vincent notes that the phrase “οἱ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Λευὶ” means “those out of the sons of Levi who become priests,” not all Levites. Calvin argues that the comparison is between the whole tribe and Melchizedek: though God granted Levites the right to tithe, their ancestor Abraham paid tithes to a priest of another race, making all Abraham’s descendants inferior to Melchizedek. Barnes adds that the apostle admits the Levitical priests had a legitimate superiority over the rest of the people, but still they were inferior to Melchizedek. The key phrase “καίπερ ἐξεληλυθότας” (though having come out of the loins of Abraham) emphasizes their shared lineage, their authority is internal, genealogical, and limited. This sets up the contrast with Melchizedek, who has no such genealogy.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The Levitical priests had a divine commandment to receive tithes from their fellow Israelites, their own kin, establishing their official superiority over the people, which serves to highlight Melchizedek's even greater superiority over Abraham, and thus over Levi.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Priestly collection of tithes | Leviticus and Numbers establish that Levites collected tithes and gave a tenth to the priests. | Some traditions (noted by Cambridge and Gill) argue that after the Exile priests collected tithes directly; others maintain the indirect system. The verse’s wording may reflect either practice. |
| Who are 'the sons of Levi'? | They refer to the tribe of Levi, from which the priests come. | Some commentators (e.g., Vincent) stress the phrase means specifically those who become priests, not all Levites. Others (Calvin, Barnes) treat it as the whole tribe for the comparison. |
| Significance of tithing 'brothers' | It emphasizes common descent from Abraham and shows the Levitical priests’ authority was internal. | The debate is minor: whether the point is solely about superiority-inferiority (Calvin) or also about the priests’ material dependence on the people (some see an implied incongruity). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The practice of tithing in Israel was established by the Mosaic law. The tribe of Levi received no territorial inheritance, so the other tribes gave a tenth of their produce to support them (Numbers 18:21-24). The priests, descended from Aaron, in turn received a tenth of the tithes from the Levites (Numbers 18:26-28). The author of Hebrews writes to a Jewish-Christian audience familiar with this system. By the time of the New Testament, as the Cambridge Bible notes, some traditions held that priests collected tithes directly from the people, especially after the Exile (Nehemiah 10:38). The word “loins” (ὀσφύος) is a Hebrew idiom for descent, appearing in Genesis 35:11 and 46:26. The verse sits within a larger argument in Hebrews 7. In verse 4 the author invited readers to “consider how great this man was”, Melchizedek, to whom Abraham gave a tenth. Now verse 5 contrasts the Levitical priests, who tithe their own brothers, with that mysterious priest-king. The Levitical system bound priesthood to genealogy; Melchizedek’s priesthood does not. This historical and cultural background shows why the author’s argument is so sharp: the very command that gave Levitical priests their status also exposed its limits.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and lexical data note no significant variant readings for Hebrews 7:5. Alexandrian and Byzantine witnesses agree on the wording. Some manuscripts (Sinaiticus, Bezae, and a few others) present a dialectal spelling of the infinitive as ἀποδεκατοῖν instead of ἀποδεκατοῦν, but this is merely a form variation and does not affect meaning. The standard text is secure.
Reception History
This verse has been used throughout church history to support the practice of tithing, though many traditions see it as part of the old covenant ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ. Early Christian writers like Chrysostom emphasized the verse to show the transition from a temporal, genealogical priesthood to an eternal one. During the Reformation, both Catholic and Protestant theologians cited it to argue for or against mandatory tithes. The author of Matthew Henry’s commentary stresses how the verse anchors the argument for Christ’s superior priesthood. Modern scholarship focuses on its rhetorical role in the epistle and its typological connections to Melchizedek.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Divine Commandment: Priests had explicit authority under the law to collect tithes. This command set them apart from the people.
- Shared Kinship: They tithed their own brothers, fellow descendants of Abraham. The closeness of the relationship makes the superiority internal, not absolute.
- Limited Authority: The Levitical priests’ right to tithe was tied to genealogy. This genealogical link places them under Abraham, who himself paid tithes to Melchizedek.
Five-point outline
- The source of priestly authority: a commandment from the law (ἐντολὴν κατὰ τὸν νόμον).
- The recipients of tithes: the Levitical priests alone, drawn from the sons of Levi.
- The donors: the people of Israel, their own brothers, all from Abraham.
- The crucial phrase: “though these have come out of the body of Abraham”, emphasizing equality of descent.
- The set-up: this limited, genealogical priesthood prepares the reader for Melchizedek and Christ, whose priesthood is not based on lineage.
Illustration hooks
- Family business: An older sibling manages the family store and has authority to assign tasks and collect profits from the younger siblings. But the father, who started the business, is above them all. The sibling’s authority only extends within the family.
- Club dues: A club treasurer collects membership fees from other members. But when the founder visits, he doesn’t pay, he receives honor from the whole club.
- Teacher vs. principal: A teacher can assign homework to students, but the principal holds authority over the entire school, including the teacher.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If tithing showed the Levites were set above the people, does our giving today show Christ’s authority in a similar way?
- Why would God design a system where priests took money from their own family? Doesn’t that seem awkward?
- How does this old-covenant practice help me appreciate Jesus as my high priest today?
Leading a Discussion
Before you read Hebrews 7:5 together, remind your group that the author is building a case for why Jesus, as a priest like Melchizedek, is greater than the Levitical priests. This verse is a key step. It shows how the Levitical system worked, but also its built-in limits.
Discussion questions
- What does this verse say about who receives tithes, from whom, and by what authority?
- The priests tithed “their brethren” who also came “out of the loins of Abraham.” Why does the author make a point of that shared descent?
- How does this verse prepare the reader for what follows about Melchizedek in verses 6-10?
- In what ways was the Levitical priests’ authority limited? Does that limitation make you think differently about religious leaders today?
- How does understanding the Old Testament tithe help you grasp the new covenant in Christ?
- If Christ’s priesthood is “after the order of Melchizedek,” what does that mean for your confidence in approaching God?
- What difference does it make that Jesus is not a priest based on human lineage?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 35:11 | God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body. |
| Genesis 46:26 | All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct offspring, in addition to Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six. |
| Exodus 1:5 | All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already. |
| Exodus 28:1 | “Bring Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, near to you from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office: Aaron, with Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. |
| Leviticus 27:30 | “‘All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is Yahweh’s. It is holy to Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 27:33 | He shall not examine whether it is good or bad, neither shall he exchange it. If he exchanges it at all, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.’” |
| Numbers 16:10 | and that he has brought you near, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? Do you seek the priesthood also? |
| Numbers 16:11 | Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against Yahweh! What is Aaron that you complain against him?” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke emphasizes that Melchizedek's receipt of tithes from Abraham was not for his livelihood, since he was a king, but by virtue of his office as universal high priest. This sets his priesthood above the Levitical one, which received tithes by law from their own kin for support.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the Levitical priests could legally demand tithes from their own people, yet their ancestor Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek. This proves the priests were inferior to Melchizedek, and therefore to Christ as high priest, despite their authority over the rest of Israel.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the phrase about being sons of Levi sets up a comparison, not a reason. The whole Levitical tribe, despite its right to tithes, remains inferior to Melchisedec because Abraham their ancestor paid tithes to him. Calvin rejects the view that this refers only to tithes paid among priests.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The priests received tithes indirectly through the Levites, who collected from the people and then gave a tenth of that to the priests. There is no reason to change the text from "the people" to "Levi," since Jewish tradition confirms that priests tithed the people through others.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes point out that the Levitical priests were commanded by law to collect tithes from their own people, their fellow descendants of Abraham. This emphasizes that the tithe was an internal obligation within the covenant community, not a tax on outsiders.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill addresses a puzzle: the Levitical priests received tithes from the people, yet the law says they only received the tithe of the tithes from the Levites. He offers two explanations: an Israelite could give directly to the priests, and Ezra later ordered the first tithe be given to the priests instead of the Levites.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry treats this chapter as a sermon on Psalm 110:4, using Melchisedec to show Christ's superior priesthood. He highlights Melchisedec's mysterious greatness: even Abraham paid him tithes and received his blessing, and Levi himself paid tithes in Abraham.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent clarifies that only Levites from Aaron's house received the priesthood, not all Levites. He notes the commandment to take tithes was a special injunction, and that Levites exacted tithes from their own brethren, who also descended from Abraham, showing the distinction.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley traces a chain of superiority through the tithing relationship: Levites are greater than their fellow Israelites, priests greater than Levites, Abraham greater than priests, and Melchisedec greater than Abraham. Each step shows that Melchisedec, who received tithes from Abraham, stands above the entire Levitical system.