Deuteronomy 18:9-22

Occult Practices

9 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,
11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.
13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.

The Prophet

14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.
15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
16 For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”
17 The LORD said to me: “What they say is good.
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.
19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.
20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.”
21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?”
22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

Deuteronomy 18:9-22 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.

Cross References 26

  • 1. Deuteronomy 9:5; Deuteronomy 12:29-31
  • 2. S Leviticus 18:3; 2 Kings 21:2; 2 Chronicles 28:3; 2 Chronicles 33:2; 2 Chronicles 34:33; Ezra 6:21; Ezra 9:11; Jeremiah 44:4
  • 3. S Leviticus 18:21
  • 4. Deuteronomy 12:31; 1 Samuel 15:23
  • 5. S Exodus 7:11
  • 6. S Leviticus 19:31
  • 7. Isaiah 47:9
  • 8. S Exodus 22:18; S 1 Samuel 28:13
  • 9. S Leviticus 18:24; Deuteronomy 9:4
  • 10. S Genesis 6:9; Psalms 119:1
  • 11. Matthew 5:48
  • 12. 2 Kings 21:6
  • 13. S Matthew 21:11; Luke 2:25-35; John 1:21; Acts 3:22*; Acts 7:37*
  • 14. S Exodus 20:19; Deuteronomy 5:23-27
  • 15. S Genesis 20:7
  • 16. Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 26:8; Isaiah 51:4; Micah 4:2; Isaiah 51:16; John 17:8
  • 17. S Exodus 4:12
  • 18. John 4:25-26; John 8:28; John 12:49-50; S John 14:24; Acts 3:22*
  • 19. S Exodus 23:21
  • 20. S ver 7; S Leviticus 19:12; 2 Kings 2:24
  • 21. Joshua 22:23; Acts 3:23*; Hebrews 12:25
  • 22. S Exodus 23:13; Jeremiah 14:14
  • 23. Deuteronomy 13:1-5; S Deuteronomy 17:12
  • 24. S Deuteronomy 13:2; 1 Samuel 3:20
  • 25. 1 Kings 22:28; Jeremiah 28:9
  • 26. ver 20
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