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9-10 The Levite priests receive their gifts from the people. But we could say that Levi himself gave a tenth part of what he had to Melchizedek. When Abraham gave his tenth part to Melchizedek, it was like Levi was there inside him. At that time, Levi was not yet born, but Abraham was his ancestor.[a]

11 The Levite priests were a necessary part of God's Law for Israel's people. But those priests could not make the people completely right with God. If that had been possible, the Levite priests could have continued their work. But we see that God has chosen a different kind of priest to serve him. That priest is not someone from Aaron's family, as the Levites were. Instead, he is a priest in the same way that Melchizedek was God's priest.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:9-10 Levi was one of the sons of Jacob. He was ancestor of one of Israel's tribes. All the men from Levi's family served God in his house. Levi had a grandson, Aaron. Only Aaron and his family could become priests. See Numbers 1:50; Exodus 28:1. All Israel's people had to give a tenth part of what they had to the men from Levi's family. Then all the other men in Levi's family gave a tenth part of this to the priests. See Numbers 18:21-32.