The Meaning of Deuteronomy 18:8 Explained

Deuteronomy 18:8

KJV: They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.

YLT: portion as portion they do eat, apart from his sold things, with the fathers.

Darby: they shall have like portions to eat, besides that which he hath sold of his patrimony.

ASV: They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They shall have like portions  to eat,  beside that which cometh of the sale  of his patrimony. 

What does Deuteronomy 18:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 18:1-22 - The Prophet Who Was To Come
Those that serve the altar may live by the altar. Let us not forget the needs of those who serve us in holy things. It is a blessed thing when an individual desires "the place that the Lord chooses." Let us be true to the inner prompting, at whatever cost. We shall be fully repaid. When Peter loaned his boat Jesus returned it, filled with fish!
We are to be "perfect with the Lord"-i.e., we are not knowingly to permit things that hurt or grieve His Holy Spirit. If the question should arise, how we are to know God's way, we must take our question to the true Prophet. See Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37. He can answer our hard question; but we are strictly forbidden to go to crystal-gazers, palmists, fortune-tellers, and those who profess to read the future. How serious is their fault who refuse Him! Compare Deuteronomy 18:19 with Hebrews 10:28-29. Let thy Urim and Thummim be with the Holy One! 1 Samuel 23:11-12; 1 Samuel 30:7-8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 18

1  The LORD is the priests and Levites' inheritance
3  The priests' due
6  The Levites' portion
9  The abominations of the nations are to be avoided
15  Christ the Prophet is to be heard
20  The presumptuous prophet is to die

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 18:8 mean?

Equal portions they shall have to eat besides what comes from the sale of his inheritance -
חֵ֥לֶק כְּחֵ֖לֶק יֹאכֵ֑לוּ לְבַ֥ד מִמְכָּרָ֖יו עַל־ הָאָבֽוֹת ס

חֵ֥לֶק  Equal 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
כְּחֵ֖לֶק  portions 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
יֹאכֵ֑לוּ  they  shall  have  to  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
לְבַ֥ד  besides 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
מִמְכָּרָ֖יו  what  comes  from  the  sale 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִמְכָּר  
Sense: sale, ware, thing sold.
הָאָבֽוֹת  his  inheritance 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation