Shēnméngjì 18

1 Jìsī Lìwèi rén hé Lìwèi quán zhīpaì bì zaì Yǐsèliè zhōng wú fèn wú yè . tāmen suǒ chī yòng de jiù shì xiàn gĕi Yēhéhuá de huǒ jì hé yīqiè suǒ juān de .

2 Tāmen zaì dìxiōng zhōng bì méiyǒu chǎnyè . Yēhéhuá shì tāmende chǎnyè , zhēng rú Yēhéhuá suǒ yīngxǔ tāmende .

3 Jìsī cóng bǎixìng suǒ dàng de de fèn nǎi shì zhèyàng , fán xiàn niú huò yáng wéi jì de , yào bǎ qián tuǐ hé liǎng sāi bìng pí wèi gĕi jìsī .

4 Chū shōu de wǔgǔ , xīn jiǔ hé yóu , bìng chū jiǎn de yáng maó , yĕ yào gĕi tā .

5 Yīnwei Yēhéhuá nǐde shén cóng nǐ gè zhīpaì zhōng jiāng tā jiǎnxuǎn chūlai , shǐ tā hé tā zǐsūn yǒngyuǎn fèng Yēhéhuá de míng shì lì , shìfèng .

6 Lìwèi rén wúlùn jìjū zaì Yǐsèliè zhōng de nǎ yī zuò chéng , ruò cóng nàli chūlai , yī xīnyuàn yì dào Yēhéhuá suǒ xuǎnzé de dìfang ,

7 Jiù yào fèng Yēhéhuá tā shén de míng shìfèng , xiàng tā zhòng dìxiōng Lìwèi rén shì lì zaì Yēhéhuá miànqián shìfèng yíyàng .

8 Chúle tā maì zǔ fǔ chǎnyè suǒ de de yǐwaì , hái yào de yī fèn jìwù yǔ tāmen tóng chī .

9 Nǐ dào le Yēhéhuá nǐ shén suǒ cì zhī dì , nàxiē guó mín suǒ xíng kè zēngwù de shì , nǐ bùkĕ xué zhe xíng .

10 Nǐmen zhōngjiān bùkĕ yǒu rén shǐ érnǚ jìng huǒ , yĕ bùkĕ yǒu zhān bǔ de , guān zhào de , yòng fǎshù de , xíng xiéshù de ,

11 Yòng mí shù de , jiāo guǐ de , xíng wū shù de , guō yīn de .

12 Fán xíng zhèxie shì de dōu wéi Yēhéhuá suǒ zēngwù . yīn nàxiē guó mín xíng zhè kè zēngwù de shì , suǒyǐ Yēhéhuá nǐde shén jiāng tāmen cóng nǐ miànqián gǎn chū .

13 Nǐ yào zaì Yēhéhuá nǐde shén miànqián zuò wánquán rén .

14 Yīn nǐ suǒ yào gǎn chū de nàxiē guó mín dōu tīng xìn guān zhào de hé zhān bǔ de , zhìyú nǐ , Yēhéhuá nǐde shén cónglái bú xǔ nǐ zhèyàng xíng .

15 Yēhéhuá nǐde shén yào cóng nǐmen dìxiōng zhōngjiān gĕi nǐ xīngqǐ yī wèi xiānzhī , xiàng wǒ , nǐmen yào tīng cóng tā .

16 Zhēng rú nǐ zaì Héliè shān dà huì de rìzi qiú Yēhéhuá nǐ shén yīqiè de huà , shuō , qiú nǐ bú zaì jiào wǒ tīngjian Yēhéhuá wǒ shén de shēngyīn , yĕ bú zaì jiào wǒ kànjian zhè dà huǒ , miǎndé wǒ sǐwáng .

17 Yēhéhuá jiù duì wǒ shuō , tāmen suǒ shuō de shì .

18 Wǒ bì zaì tāmen dìxiōng zhōngjiān gĕi tāmen xīngqǐ yī wèi xiānzhī , xiàng nǐ . wǒ yào jiāng dàng shuō de huà chuán gĕi tā . tā yào jiāng wǒ yīqiè suǒ fēnfu de dōu chuán gĕi tāmen .

19 Shuí bú tīng tā fèng wǒ míng suǒ shuō de huà , wǒ bì tǎo shuí de zuì .

20 Ruò yǒu xiānzhī shàn gǎn tuō wǒde míng shuō wǒ suǒ wèicéng fēnfu tā shuō de huà , huò shì fèng bié shén de míng shuōhuà , nà xiānzhī jiù bì zhìsǐ .

21 Nǐ xīnli ruò shuō , Yēhéhuá suǒ wèicéng fēnfu de huà , wǒmen zĕn néng zhīdào ne ,

22 Xiānzhī tuō Yēhéhuá de míng shuōhuà , suǒ shuō de ruò bú chéngjiù , yĕ wú xiào yàn , zhè jiù shì Yēhéhuá suǒ wèicéng fēnfu de , shì nà xiānzhī shàn zì shuō de , nǐ búyào pà tā .

Shēnméngjì 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

A provision respecting Levites. (1-8) The abominations of the Canaanites to be avoided. (9-14) Christ the great Prophet. (15-22)

Verses 1-8 Care is taken that the priests entangle not themselves with the affairs of this life, nor enrich themselves with the wealth of this world; they have better things to mind. Care is likewise taken that they want not the comforts and conveniences of this life. The people must provide for them. He that has the benefit of solemn religious assemblies, ought to give help for the comfortable support of those that minister in such assemblies.

Verses 9-14 Was it possible that a people so blessed with Divine institutions, should ever be in any danger of making those their teachers whom God had made their captives? They were in danger; therefore, after many like cautions, they are charged not to do after the abominations of the nations of Canaan. All reckoning of lucky or unlucky days, all charms for diseases, all amulets or spells to prevent evil, fortune-telling, &c. are here forbidden. These are so wicked as to be a chief cause of the rooting out of the Canaanites. It is amazing to think that there should be any pretenders of this kind in such a land, and day of light, as we live in. They are mere impostors who blind and cheat their followers.

Verses 15-22 It is here promised concerning Christ, 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 he had ever done before. He is the Light of the world, ( John 8:12 ) . He is the World by whom God speaks to us, ( John 1:1 , Hebrews 1:2 ) . In his birth he should be one of their nation. In his resurrection he should be raised up at Jerusalem, and from thence his doctrine should go forth to all the world. Thus God, having raised up his Son Christ Jesus, sent him to bless us. He should be like unto Moses, only above him. This prophet is come, even JESUS; and is "He that should come," and we are to look for no other. The view of God which he gives, will not terrify or overwhelm, but encourages us. He speaks with fatherly affection and Divine authority united. Whoever refuses to listen to Jesus Christ, shall find it is at his peril; the same that is the Prophet is to be his Judge, ( John 12:48 ) . Woe then to those who refuse to hearken to His voice, to accept His salvation, or yield obedience to His sway! But happy they who trust in Him, and obey Him. He will lead them in the paths of safety and peace, until He brings them to the land of perfect light, purity, and happiness. Here is a caution against false prophets. 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 against the plain sense of the written word, or which gives countenance or encouragement to sin, we may be sure is not that which the Lord has spoken.

Chapter Summary

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.