What Does Hebrews 7:5 Mean?
And truly, those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a command to take tithes from the people according to the instruction, from their brothers, though they too have come out of the loins of Abraham.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
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:THE KEY
The tithe moves through a commanded priestly role among brothers who share Abraham as their ancestor.
THE MEANING
A defined priestly service carries a defined share from the community, including those who are its brothers. Shared descent and distinct responsibility stand together: kinship does not cancel the office’s claim. The tenth marks a measured relation between service and community.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that shared kinship makes every role and obligation identical: these people are brothers, yet the priesthood carries a distinct, commanded claim.
THE ROOT
ἀποδεκατοῦσιν
apodekatousin
GROWS FROM
δεκατ-
dekat-
Ten; the tenth part.
The Greek word for taking tithes keeps the number ten inside the action. The priestly claim is a measured share, not an undefined demand.
ALSO GROWS
dekátē: A tenth
δεκάτη
This noun makes explicit the measured share carried by the tithe.
apodekatóō: To tithe, to take a tenth
ἀποδεκατόω
This verb names the act in the verse, tying the taking directly to the tenth.
ἀδελφῶν
adelphōn
GROWS FROM
ἀδελφ- (adelph-), traditionally linked to δελφύς (delphys)
Sibling kinship, traditionally understood as those of the same womb.
“brethren” in this verse is adelphōn. The Greek word carries the closeness of sibling kinship, not merely membership in a group. The verse keeps the tithe payers and recipients within one family even as the priestly office marks a distinct role.
ALSO GROWS
philadelphía: Brotherly love
φιλαδελφία
The same family word appears in a term for love between siblings, extending kinship into relationship.
adelphótēs: Brotherhood
ἀδελφότης
The shared root can name a whole community as siblings, keeping common belonging in view.
THE PATTERN
A distinct service can carry a defined share of the community’s resources to sustain it.
And behold, I have given to the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel as a holding, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.So also the Lord has arranged that those who proclaim the good news should live from the good news.THE THREAD
Behold how great this one was, to whom even Abraham, the ruling father, gave a tenth from the top of the spoils.“The tenth” in verse 4 and “tithes” in verse 5 share the Greek word-family built on dekat-, ten. The direction changes: Abraham gives to Melchisedec, while the Levitical priests receive from their brothers under command.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us