Devarim 18:14

14 For these Goyim, which thou shalt dispossess, paid heed unto soothsayers, and unto diviners; but as for thee, Hashem Eloheicha hath not suffered thee so to do.

Devarim 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.

Devarim 18:14 In-Context

12 For all that do these things are a to’avat Hashem; and because of these to’evot, Hashem Eloheicha is about to drive them out before thee.

13 Thou shalt be tamim (blameless) before Hashem Eloheicha.

14 For these Goyim, which thou shalt dispossess, paid heed unto soothsayers, and unto diviners; but as for thee, Hashem Eloheicha hath not suffered thee so to do.

15 Hashem Eloheicha will raise up unto thee a Navi from among thee, of thy achim, kamoni (like me [Moshe, Ex 32:30]); unto him ye must listen;

16 According to all that thou desiredst of Hashem Eloheicha in Chorev in the Yom HaKahal, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Hashem Elohav, neither let me see this eish hagedolah any more, that I die not.