Deuteronomy 18:17-22

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.)

21 That if thou answerest by privy thought, How may I understand the word, which the Lord spake not? (And if thou ask within thyselves, How can we know that the Lord did not speak this word?)

22 thou shalt have this sign, or token, (to know a false prophet from a true prophet,) if that that that prophet saith before in the name of the Lord, cometh not, the Lord spake it not, but he feigned it through (the) pride of his soul, and therefore thou shalt not dread him. (thou shalt have this sign, to know a false prophet from a true prophet; If what that prophet saith beforehand in the name of the Lord, cometh not, then the Lord did not speak it, but the false prophet feigned his prophecy through the pride of his soul, and so thou shalt not fear him.)

Deuteronomy 18:17-22 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.