Deuteronomy 18:4-14

4 Also, give them the first produce harvested: grain, new wine, olive oil, and the first wool you shear from your sheep.

5 Out of all your tribes, the LORD your God has chosen the Levites and their descendants to do the work of serving in the name of the LORD forever.

6 A Levite from any of your cities in Israel may come from where he has been living to the place the LORD will choose. He may come as often as he wants

7 and may serve in the name of the LORD his God like all the other Levites who do their work in the LORD's presence.

8 If he does, he'll get the same amount of food as they do, in addition to what he gets from selling his family's goods.

9 When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, never learn the disgusting practices of those nations.

10 You must never sacrifice your sons or daughters by burning them alive, practice black magic, be a fortuneteller, witch, or sorcerer,

11 cast spells, ask ghosts or spirits for help, or consult the dead.

12 Whoever does these things is disgusting to the LORD. The LORD your God is forcing these nations out of your way because of their disgusting practices.

13 You must have integrity [in dealing] with the LORD your God.

14 These nations you are forcing out listen to fortunetellers and to those who practice black magic. But the LORD your God won't let you do anything like that.

Deuteronomy 18:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 18

This chapter gives an account of the provision made for the priests and Levites, with the reason of it, De 18:1-5, of allowance of a country Levite to minister at Jerusalem, and take his portion with the rest, De 18:6-8, and of several persons of bad practices not to be suffered among the people of Israel, De 18:9-14, and of an extraordinary prophet that should be raised up among them, to whom they should hearken, or it would be the worse for them, De 18:15-19, but a false prophet was to be put to death, of whom a sign is given by which he might be known, De 18:20-22.