Deuteronomy 18:10-20

10 none be found in thee that cleanseth his son, either his daughter, and leadeth by the fire, either that asketh questions of diviners that divine about the altars, and that taketh heed to dreams, and (to) chittering of birds; neither any witch be (among you), (let none be found among thee who maketh his son, or his daughter, to pass through the fire, or who asketh questions of diviners who divine about the altars, or who taketh heed to dreams, or to the twittering of birds; and let there be no witch found among you,)
11 neither any enchanter or tregetour, (that is, he who deceiveth men's eyes so that a thing seem that which it is not); neither a man take counsel of them that have a fiend speaking within them, neither of false diviners, neither seek of dead men the truth (nor let anyone take counsel from them who have a fiend speaking within them, or from false diviners, nor seek they to learn the truth from the dead).
12 For the Lord hath abomination of all these things, and for such wickednesses he shall do away them in thine entering. (For the Lord hath abomination for all these things, and for such wickednesses, he shall drive them all out before thee.)
13 Thou shalt be perfect, and without filth, with thy Lord God.
14 These heathen men, whose land thou shalt wield, hear them that work by chittering of birds, and false diviners; but thou art taught in other manner of thy Lord God. (These heathen, whose land thou shalt possess, listen to those who portend by the twittering of birds, and to false diviners; but thou art taught in another way, by the Lord thy God.)
15 Thy Lord God shall raise a prophet of thy folk, and of thy brethren, as me, to thee, (and) thou shalt hear him; (The Lord thy God shall raise up a prophet like me, for thee, from thy nation, or thy people, yea, one of thy brothers, or one of thy kinsmen, and thou shalt listen to him;)
16 as thou askedest of thy Lord God in Horeb, when the company was gathered together, and thou saidest, I shall no more hear the voice of my Lord God, and I shall no more see this greatest fire, lest I die. (as thou askedest of the Lord thy God at Mount Sinai, when the congregation was gathered together, and thou saidest, We shall not hear again the voice of the Lord our God, and we shall not see this great fire again, lest we die.)
17 And the Lord said to me, They have spoken well all things (They have spoken all things well).
18 I shall raise to them a prophet, like thee, of the midst of their brethren, and I shall put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all things, which I shall command to him. (I shall raise up for them a prophet, like thee, from the midst of their brothers, or of their kinsmen, and I shall put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all the things, that I shall command to him.)
19 And I shall be venger of him, that will not hear his words, which he shall speak in my name. (And I shall take vengeance upon anyone, who shall not obey the words, which he shall speak in my name.)
20 Soothly a prophet shall be slain, which is depraved with pride, and will speak in my name those things, which I commanded not to him, that he should say, either by the name of alien gods. (And the prophet who is depraved with pride, and shall speak in my name those things, which I did not command him to say, or shall speak in the name of foreign, or other, gods, that prophet must be put to death.)

Deuteronomy 18:10-20 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.