Deuteronomy 18:14

14 For all these nations whose thou shalt inherit, they will listen to omens and divinations; but the Lord thy God has not permitted thee so .

Deuteronomy 18:14 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 18:14

For those nations which thou shall possess hearkened unto
observers of times, and unto diviners
Such as are before mentioned, and did as they directed them:

but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do;
or, "but thou not so" ^F13 thou shouldest not do so, not hearken to such persons, but to the Lord thy God, and to his law and testimony; nor art thou left to the deception of such persons:

the Lord thy God hath given thee:
his word and statutes, as a rule to go by, which he has not given to other nations: the Targum of Jonathan adds,

``the priests shall ask by Urim and Thummim, and a true prophet shall the Lord your God give unto you;''

so that they had no need to hearken to such impostors and deceivers: or, "as for thee, not so are they whom the Lord thy God giveth thee" {n}; that is, the prophets whom the Lord would give unto them would not be like the diviners of the Heathens, who imposed on the people and deceived them; but would be men sent and inspired by God, and true and faithful in the discharge of their office; and to hearken to these they are encouraged by the promise of a very eminent one, like to Moses, in the next verse.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Nk al htaw) "et tu non sic", Montanus.
F14 "De teau tem non ita sunt quos dat tibi Jehova Deus tuus", Junius & Tremellius.

Deuteronomy 18:14 In-Context

12 For every one that does these things is an abomination to the Lord thy God; for because of these abominations the Lord will destroy them from before thy face.

13 Thou shalt be perfect before the Lord thy God.

14 For all these nations whose thou shalt inherit, they will listen to omens and divinations; but the Lord thy God has not permitted thee so .

15 The Lord thy God shall raise up to thee a prophet of thy brethren, like me; him shall ye hear:

16 according to all things which thou didst desire of the Lord thy God in Choreb in the day of the assembly, saying, We will not again hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and we will not any more see this great fire, and we shall not die.