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Deuteronomy 18

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Provision for Priests and Levites 1–8

1
The priests the Levites, evenall the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, and his inheritance. ​
2
And they shall have no inheritance among their brethren: Jehovah is their inheritance, as he hath spoken unto them. ​
3
And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. ​
4
The first-fruits of thy grain, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
5
For Jehovah thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons for ever.
6
And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourneth, and come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah shall choose; ​
7
then he shall minister in the name of Jehovah his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before Jehovah.
8
They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.

Prohibition of Pagan Practices 9–14

9
When thou art come into the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. ​
10
There shall not be found with thee any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that useth divination, one that practiseth augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, ​
11
or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12
For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah: and because of these abominations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee. ​
13
Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God. ​
14
For these nations, that thou shalt dispossess, hearken unto them that practise augury, and unto diviners; but as for thee, Jehovah thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

The Promise of a Prophet Like Moses 15–22

15
Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; ​
16
according to all that thou desiredst of Jehovah thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. ​
17
And Jehovah said unto me, They have well said that which they have spoken.
18
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. ​
19
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20
But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. ​
21
And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken?
22
when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Deuteronomy 18

Verse 1

no part nor inheritance with Israel — The priests and the whole tribe of Levi live from 'the offerings of the LORD made by fire' (ishsheh) and from his inheritance, the portion of Num 18:8–9. Paul draws on this when he writes that 'they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple' (1 Cor 9:13).

Verse 2

the LORD is their inheritance — 'As he hath said unto them' refers back to Num 18:20, where the LORD tells Aaron, 'I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel'. The same promise is recorded when the land was divided: 'the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance' (Josh 13:33).

Verse 3

the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw — The priest's 'due' is mishpat, his right by ordinance. Lev 7:32 gives 'the right shoulder' from peace offerings, and Deuteronomy adds the cheeks and the maw, the stomach, from ox or sheep. At Shiloh 'the priests' custom with the people' differed: all the flesh-hook brought up, 'the priest took for himself' (1 Sam 2:13–14).

Verse 6

with all the desire of his mind — The Levite may come from any town 'where he sojourned' to the chosen place, with 'all the desire' (avvah) of his soul (nephesh). Verses 7–8 give him his share: he 'shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do', and 'like portions to eat'. Num 35:2 assigned the Levites cities.

Verse 9

thou shalt not learn to do — 'Learn' is lamad, the verb of 17:19, 'learn to fear the LORD'. The 'abominations' (to'ebah) are those that Lev 18:26–30 forbids, 'for all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled'.

Verse 10

to pass through the fire — Nine practices are named in vv.10–11: passing a child through the fire, divination, observing times, enchanting, witchcraft, charming, consulting familiar spirits, the wizard and the necromancer. Manasseh did most of them (2 Chr 33:6). Lev 19:26 forbids 'enchantment' and observing times; Ex 22:18 says 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live'.

Verse 12

the LORD thy God doth drive them out — The nations were driven out 'because of these abominations', which Lev 18:24–27 also gives as the reason the land was defiled. Moses warns in 9:4 that Israel must not say 'For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land'.

Verse 13

Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God — 'Perfect' is tamim, the word for the 'without blemish' lamb of Ex 12:5 and the burnt offering of Lev 1:3. It is said of Noah (Gen 6:9) and commanded to Abram: 'walk before me, and be thou perfect' (Gen 17:1). Christ uses the word in 'Be ye therefore perfect' (Matt 5:48).

Verse 15

a Prophet… like unto me — Peter quotes the verse of Christ (Acts 3:22), as does Stephen (Acts 7:37). The crowd after the feeding says, 'This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world' (John 6:14). At the transfiguration the voice says, 'hear ye him' (Matt 17:5). Deut 34:10 records that 'there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses'.

Verse 16

in Horeb in the day of the assembly — The request was made at Sinai: 'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.' It is recorded in Deut 5:23–27, and Moses was told in 5:28, 'they have well said all that they have spoken'. Ex 20:19 gives the people's request.

Verse 18

will put my words in his mouth — The words of the LORD are given into the prophet's mouth, as to Jeremiah: 'Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth' (Jer 1:9). Christ says of himself, 'I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say' (John 12:49). Verse 19 holds the hearers to account.

Verse 20

which I have not commanded him to speak — The prophet who 'shall presume' (zid, to act insolently) to speak in the LORD's name, or who speaks in the name of other gods, 'shall die'. Hananiah was told by Jeremiah, 'this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD'; he 'died the same year' (Jer 28:16–17).

Verse 22

if the thing follow not, nor come to pass — This answers the other test, 13:1–3, where a sign came to pass and still did not vouch for a prophet who led to other gods. Here a word that does not come to pass shows the prophet spoke 'presumptuously' (zadon, as in 17:12). Jeremiah applies it: 'when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known' (Jer 28:9).