וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים הַלְוִיִּ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י צָד֗וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁמְר֜וּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת מִקְדָּשִׁי֙ בִּתְע֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵֽעָלַ֔י הֵ֛מָּה יִקְרְב֥וּ אֵלַ֖י לְשָֽׁרְתֵ֑נִי וְעָמְד֣וּ לְפָנַ֗י לְהַקְרִ֥יב לִי֙ חֵ֣לֶב וָדָ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
Ngunit ang mga saserdoteng Levita, ang mga anak ni Zadok, na tumupad sa pangangalaga sa aking santuwaryo nang maligaw ang mga anak ni Israel palayo sa akin, sila ang lalapit sa akin upang maglingkod sa akin; at sila ang tatayo sa harap ko upang ihandog sa akin ang taba at ang dugo, sabi ng Panginoong Walang-Hanggan.
Duties of the Heart
The third division is the special goodness of G-d to a certain family among the families of the nations, such as the appointment of the priesthood and the Levites, as also the succession of sovereignty conferred upon the house of David. In return for this, He charged them with additional duties, of which those assigned to the priests and Levites are known and clearly set forth in the book of G-d's law, the Pentateuch. The specific law applying to the House of David is thus set forth: "O house of David, thus says the L-ord, execute judgment in the morning; and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor" (Jeremiah 21:12). One who completely fulfills these duties, because he loves to please G-d, will be singled out by the Almighty for happiness here and a great reward hereafter. He will be a distinguished nobleman or a teacher of righteousness, as the Scripture says concerning Pinchas, "Then stood up Pinchas and executed judgment and the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore" (Ps. 106:30-31). Further, "But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok that kept the charge of My sanctuary...[They shall come near to Me to minister unto Me]" (Ezek. 44:15). But whoever among them rebels against G-d falls from those highest degrees in this world, and will suffer severe pain in the world to come, as you know from what befell Korach and his company.