TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Deuteronomy 18 verses 15–22
Here is, I. The promise of the great prophet, with a command to receive him, and hearken to him. Now,
1.Some think it is the promise of a succession of prophets, that should for many ages be kept up in Israel. Besides the priests and Levites, their ordinary ministers, whose office it was to teach Jacob God's law, they should have prophets, extraordinary ministers, to reprove them for their faults, remind them of their duty, and foretel things to come, judgments for warning and deliverances for their comfort. Having these prophets, (1.) They need not use divinations, nor consult with familiar spirits, for they might enquire of God's prophets even concerning their private affairs, as Saul did when he was in quest of his father's asses, Sa1 9:6. (2.) They could not miss the way of their duty through ignorance or mistake, nor differ in their opinions about it, having prophets among them, whom, in every difficult doubtful case, they might advise with and appeal to. These prophets were like unto Moses in some respects, though far inferior to him, Deu 34:10.
2.Whether a succession of prophets be included in this promise or not, we are sure that it is primarily intended as a promise of Christ, and it is the clearest promise of him that is in all the law of Moses. It is expressly applied to our Lord Jesus as the Messiah promised (Act 3:22; Act 7:37), and the people had an eye to this promise when they said concerning him, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world (Joh 6:14); and it was his Spirit that spoke in all the other prophets, Pe1 1:11. Observe,
(1.)What it is that is here promised concerning Christ. What God promised Moses at Mount Sinai (which he relates, Deu 18:18), he promised the people (Deu 18:15) in God's name. [1.] That there should come a prophet, great above all the prophets, by whom God would make known himself and his will to the children of men more fully and clearly than ever he had done before. He is the light of the world, as prophecy was of the Jewish church, Joh 8:12. He is the Word, by whom God speaks to us, Joh 1:1; Heb 1:2. [2.] That God would raise him up from the midst of them. In his birth he should be one of that nation, should live among them and be sent to them. In his resurrection he should be raised up at Jerusalem, and thence his doctrine should go forth to all the world: thus God, having raised up his Son Christ Jesus, sent him to bless us. [3.] That he should be like unto Moses, only as much above him as the other prophets came short of him. Moses was such a prophet as was a law-giver to Israel and their deliverer out of Egypt, and so was Christ: he not only teaches, but rules and saves. Moses was the founder of a new dispensation by signs and wonders and mighty deeds, and so was Christ, by which he proved himself a teacher come from God. Was Moses faithful? So was Christ; Moses as a servant, but Christ as a Son. [4.] That God would put his words in his mouth, Deu 18:18. What messages God had to send to the children of men he would send them by him, and give him full instructions what to say and do as a prophet. Hence our Saviour says, My doctrine is not mine originally, but his that sent me, Joh 7:16. So that this great promise is performed; this Prophet has come, even Jesus; it is he that should come, and we are to look for no other.
(2.)The agreeableness of this designed dispensation to the people's avowed choice and desire at Mount Sinai, Deu 18:16, Deu 18:17. There God had spoken to them in thunder and lightning, out of the midst of the fire and thick darkness. Every word made their ears tingle and their hearts tremble, so that the whole congregation was ready to die with fear. In this fright, they begged hard that God would not speak to them in this manner any more (they could not bear it, it would overwhelm and distract them), but that he would speak to them by men like themselves, by Moses now, and afterwards by other prophets like unto him. "Well," says God, "it shall be so; they shall be spoken to by men, whose terrors shall not make them afraid;" and, to crown the favour beyond what they were able to ask or think, in the fulness of time the Word itself was made flesh, and they saw his glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, not, as at Mount Sinai, full of majesty and terror, but full of grace and truth, Joh 1:14. Thus, in answer to the request of those who were struck with amazement by the law, God promised the incarnation of his Son, though we may suppose it far from the thoughts of those that made that request.
(3.)A charge and command given to all people to hear and believe, hear and obey, this great prophet here promised: Unto him you shall hearken (Deu 18:15); and whoever will not hearken to him shall be surely and severely reckoned with for his contempt (Deu 18:19): I will require it of him. God himself applied this to our Lord Jesus in the voice that came out of the excellent glory, Mat 17:5, Hear you him, that is, this is he concerning whom it was said by Moses of old, Unto him you shall hearken; and Moses and Elias then stood by and assented to it. The sentence here passed on those that hearken not to this prophet is repeated and ratified in the New Testament. He that believeth not the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him, Joh 3:36. And how shall we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven? Heb 12:25. The Chaldee paraphrase here reads it, My Word shall require it of him, which can be no other than a divine person, Christ the eternal Word, to whom the Father has committed all judgement, and by whom he will at the last day judge the world. Whoever turns a deaf ear to Jesus Christ shall find that it is at his peril; the same that is the prophet is to be his judge, Joh 12:48.
II. Here is a caution against false prophets, 1. By way of threatening against the pretenders themselves, Deu 18:20. Whoever sets up for a prophet, and produces either a commission from the true God, shall be deemed and adjudged guilty of high treason against the crown and dignity of the King of kings, and that traitor shall be put to death (Deu 18:20), namely, by the judgment of the great sanhedrim, which, in process of time, sat at Jerusalem; and therefore our Saviour says that a prophet could not perish but at Jerusalem, and lays the blood of the prophets at Jerusalem's door (Luk 13:33, Luk 13:34), whom therefore God himself would punish; yet there false prophets were supported. 2. By way of direction to the people, that they might not be imposed upon by pretenders, of which there were many, as appears, Jer 23:25; Eze 13:6; Kg1 22:6. It is a very proper question which they are supposed to ask, Deu 18:21. Since it is so great a duty to hearken to the true prophets, and yet there is so much danger of being misled by false prophets, how shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken? By what marks may we discover a cheat? Note, It highly concerns us to have a right touchstone wherewith to try the word we hear, that we may know what that word is which the Lord has not spoken. Whatever is directly repugnant to sense, to the light and law of nature, and to the plain meaning of the written word, we may be sure is not that which the Lord has spoken; nor that which gives countenance and encouragement to sin, or has a manifest tendency to the destruction of piety or charity: far be it from God that he should contradict himself. The rule here given in answer to this enquiry was adapted chiefly to that state, Deu 18:22. If there was any cause to suspect the sincerity of a prophet, let them observe that if he gave them any sign, or foretold something to come, and the event was not according to his prediction, they might be sure he was not sent of God. This does not refer so much to the foretelling of mercies and judgments (though as to these, and the difference between the predictions of mercies and judgments, there is a rule of discerning between truth and falsehood laid down by the prophet, Jer 28:8, Jer 28:9), but rather to the giving of signs on purpose to confirm their mission. Though the sign did come to pass, yet this would not serve to prove their mission if they called them to serve other gods; this point had been already settled, Deu 13:1-3. But, if the sign did not come to pass, this would serve to disprove their mission. "When Moses cast his rod upon the ground (it is bishop Patrick's explanation of this), and said it would become a serpent, if it had not accordingly been turned into a serpent, Moses had been a false prophet: if, when Elijah called for fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, none had come, he had been no better than the prophets of Baal." Samuel's mission was proved by this, that God let none of his words fall to the ground, Sa1 3:19, Sa1 3:20. And by the miracles Christ wrought, especially by that great sign he gave of his resurrection the third day, which came to pass as he foretold, it appeared that he was a teacher come from God. Lastly, They are directed not to be afraid of a false prophet; that is, not to be afraid of the judgments such a one might denounce to amuse people and strike terror upon them; nor to be afraid of executing the law upon him when, upon a strict and impartial scrutiny, it appeared that he was a false prophet. This command not to fear a false prophet implies that a true prophet, who proved his commission by clear and undeniable proofs, was to be feared, and it was at their peril if they offered him any violence or put any slight upon him.
This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. He brought them out, after that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. [Deuteronomy 18:18-19] This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us
Continue studying Deuteronomy 18:19 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 18:19 serves as a solemn and profound declaration of divine authority and the severe consequences for rejecting God's chosen messenger. It articulates the Lord's unwavering expectation that His people will attentively listen to and obediently respond to the words spoken by a true prophet, one who faithfully delivers God's message in His name. This verse underscores the grave spiritual accountability for such disobedience, asserting that God Himself will personally and strictly require a reckoning from individuals who fail to heed His revealed will.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 18:19 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with gravitas and clarity. The most prominent is Divine Warning, which is explicit in the declaration of severe consequences for disobedience. This warning serves not merely as a threat but as a protective measure, guiding Israel away from spiritual danger and towards life-giving obedience. The verse also functions as a Prophetic Mandate, establishing the absolute authority of the true prophet and the non-negotiable obligation of the people to receive his words as God's own. This mandate is framed within Covenantal Language, where obedience brings blessing and disobedience brings judgment, reinforcing the conditional nature of Israel's relationship with Yahweh. Furthermore, there is a powerful element of Antithesis at play when considering the broader context of Deuteronomy 18, sharply contrasting the legitimate divine communication through a true prophet with the illicit and abominable practices of pagan divination. This stark contrast highlights the purity, exclusivity, and supreme authority of God's chosen means of revelation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 18:19 is a cornerstone for understanding divine revelation and human accountability throughout Scripture. It establishes the foundational principle that God communicates His will through chosen human instruments, and that rejecting these messengers is tantamount to rejecting God Himself. This principle is foundational to the entire prophetic tradition of the Old Testament, where prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel repeatedly called Israel to repentance and obedience, often facing rejection and persecution (Jeremiah's Trial and Deliverance). The "requiring" of accountability by God foreshadows the ultimate judgment for those who spurn divine truth, whether delivered through prophets or, supremely, through His Son. This verse underscores the gravity of God's word and the non-negotiable demand for a hearing heart, emphasizing that God does not merely speak, but expects a response.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 18:19 resonates deeply with believers today, serving as a powerful reminder of the profound seriousness with which God regards His own word and our response to it. If ancient Israel was held accountable for heeding a prophet who spoke "in my name," how much more are we, who live after the full revelation of God in Jesus Christ, accountable for listening to and obeying the words of the ultimate Prophet, Teacher, and Savior? This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of humility and attentiveness, recognizing that God continues to speak through His inspired Word, the Bible, and through the Holy Spirit who illuminates its truth. Our eternal destiny hinges not merely on hearing, but on actively hearkening—that is, listening with the intent to understand and obey, and then putting that understanding into practice. It compels us to discern carefully, to reject false teachings and deceptive messages prevalent in our world, and to cling resolutely to the authentic voice of God as revealed in Scripture and supremely embodied in Christ.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the phrase "prophet like Moses" in the context of Deuteronomy 18:19?
Answer: The phrase "prophet like Moses" (The Promise of a Prophet and God Will Raise Up a Prophet) is profoundly significant because Moses was Israel's foundational prophet, lawgiver, and the unique mediator of the Old Covenant. He spoke directly with God "face to face" (Moses Spoke with God), performed mighty signs, and led the people out of bondage. The promise of a future prophet "like" him indicated that God would continue to provide authoritative revelation and leadership, implying a successor who would possess similar divine authority and intimacy with God. Deuteronomy 18:19 then underscores the absolute necessity of obeying this future prophet, implying that his words would carry the same, if not greater, divine weight as Moses' own. This promise sets the stage for a long-standing expectation in Israel for a great prophet who would bring ultimate truth and salvation, an expectation ultimately and perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Does this verse imply that God will punish people for not listening to every preacher or religious leader?
Answer: No, this verse does not imply that God will punish people for not listening to every preacher or religious leader. The context specifies a singular, divinely appointed "prophet" who speaks "in my name," meaning with God's direct commission and authority, delivering God's own words (H1697, dâbâr). This is a very high bar, distinguishing such a prophet from ordinary human teachers. While God certainly expects us to respect and learn from faithful spiritual leaders who teach His Word (Obey Your Leaders), the ultimate accountability described in Consequences for Disobedience applies to the rejection of God's undeniable, authoritative revelation, supremely embodied in the person and words of Jesus Christ, the ultimate Prophet. It warns against rejecting the clear, divine truth, not merely disagreeing with a human interpretation or opinion that may not carry direct divine authority.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 18:19 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the "Prophet like Moses" whom God raised up, not merely from among Israel, but as the Son of God incarnate, the very Word made flesh (The Word Became Flesh). Jesus perfectly embodied the criteria of the true prophet: He spoke not His own words, but the very words of His Father (Jesus Speaks the Father's Commands), and His teachings carried unparalleled divine authority, astounding those who heard Him (Jesus Teaches with Authority). The New Testament explicitly applies this Deuteronomic prophecy to Jesus, with Peter declaring in his sermon that Jesus is the Prophet of whom Moses spoke, and warning that "every soul who does not listen to that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from the people" (Peter's Sermon on the Prophet). Stephen also echoes this truth in his martyrdom speech (Stephen's Speech on the Prophet). Therefore, the "requiring" of accountability by God in Deuteronomy 18:19 takes on its most severe and eternal dimension in the New Covenant: to reject Jesus' words is to reject God Himself, leading to eternal condemnation (He Who Believes is Not Condemned). Conversely, to "hearken" to Jesus—to believe in Him and obey His commands—is to receive eternal life and become a child of God (Whoever Hears My Word and Believes). He is the final and complete revelation of God, and our response to Him determines our ultimate destiny.