What Does Joshua 13:14 Mean in the King James?
Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse names the LORD’s fire offerings themselves as Levi’s inheritance, showing that inheritance can be a received share without a tribal land allotment.
THE MEANING
Levi has no tribal land allotment, and the fire offerings of the LORD God of Israel are named as its inheritance. The verse presents inheritance as a concrete share tied to what is set apart to the LORD, rather than only as territorial possession.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
No land allotment means no inheritance.
THE ROOT
נַחֲלָה
naḥălāh
GROWS FROM
נחל
N-Ḥ-L
To inherit or take possession; in a causative form, to assign as an inheritance.
This root holds inheritance as an allotted possession: the receiving of a share matters, not only the land parcel. By calling the LORD’s fire offerings נַחֲלָה (naḥălāh, inheritance), the verse gives Levi’s share a different form while retaining the language of possession.
ALSO GROWS
nāḥal: To inherit or take possession.
נָחַל
The verb gives the noun a movement: a share is received into possession, even when it is not a land tract.
hinḥîl: To cause someone to inherit; to assign as an inheritance.
הִנְחִיל
The causative form names the act of assigning a possession, showing that the root can describe both receiving an inheritance and giving one.
THE PATTERN
A people’s inheritance can be a share of sacred provision even when it has no territorial allotment.
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?THE THREAD
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.This verse spells out the same pairing: Levi has no inheritance with Israel, and its members eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD. The shared word נַחֲלָה (naḥălāh, inheritance) names a received share that does not have to be land.
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