At the beginning of this new section, it will be helpful to have something like “Moses said to the people of Israel:….”

The Levitical priests, that is, all the tribe of Levi: the redundant expression that is, all the tribe of Levi seems to be an explanatory note added later in the text to clarify what is meant by the Levitical priests. The Hebrew text says simply “to the priests the Levites all the tribe of Levi.” For Levitical priests see 10.6, 8; 17.9.

Shall have no portion or inheritance: see these same two words together in 10.9. The added words with Israel mean “with the other Israelites.” Some, however, take Israel here to mean the land (see Good News Translation), but it seems better to take it to mean the people, as in the parallel case “his brothers” in 10.9. The sense is “They will not receive any territory of their own as the other tribes have received.”

They shall eat the offerings by fire to the LORD: the phrase the offerings by fire is a general term for different sacrifices, including animal sacrifices burned whole (see Lev 1.1-17). Here New Revised Standard Version offers a good model for translators, “they may eat the sacrifices that are the LORD’s portion”; see also Contemporary English Version, “they shall receive part of the sacrifices that are offered to the LORD.”

And his rightful dues: the his here may refer to the tribe of Levi; see New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “[the LORD’s offering by fire] as their portion” (also New International Version, Revised English Bible). New Revised Standard Version has “that are the LORD’s portion,” with a footnote: “Meaning of Heb uncertain.” And Good News Translation “and other sacrifices given to the LORD” takes his to refer to Yahweh. The interpretation of New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New International Version, and Revised English Bible seems preferable.

The English phrase his rightful dues means the things that should be given, or assigned, to him. In this context these things are other sacrifices that are given to the priest. An alternative model is “that will be their inheritance,” and the final part of the verse may be expressed as “They are to receive [or, be given] as their share parts of the animals that people burn on the altar and offer to Yahweh, along with other sacrifices assigned to them.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .