Deuteronomy 18:20

20 propheta autem qui arrogantia depravatus voluerit loqui in nomine meo quae ego non praecepi illi ut diceret aut ex nomine alienorum deorum interficietur

Deuteronomy 18:20 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 18:20

But the prophet which shall presume to speak in my name
Pretending a mission and commission from God, and yet was never sent by him, like the prophets in ( Jeremiah 23:21 ) ,

which I have not commanded him to speak;
which though true was not to be spoken in a public manner, by assuming a public office, without a divine authority or a commission from God, and much less what was false, and never commanded to be spoken at all by any:

or, that shall speak in the name of other gods;
the idols of the people, as the Targum; as if any should affirm they were sent by Jove, or inspired by Apollo, as some are said to prophesy by Baal, as if they had received their orders and instructions from him, and were inspired by him, ( Jeremiah 2:8 )

even that prophet shall die;
the Targum of Jonathan is, be killed by the sword, but the Jews F17 generally interpret it of strangling.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 10. sect. 1. Bartenora in ib sect. 5. and Jarchi in loc.

Deuteronomy 18:20 In-Context

18 prophetam suscitabo eis de medio fratrum suorum similem tui et ponam verba mea in ore eius loqueturque ad eos omnia quae praecepero illi
19 qui autem verba eius quae loquetur in nomine meo audire noluerit ego ultor existam
20 propheta autem qui arrogantia depravatus voluerit loqui in nomine meo quae ego non praecepi illi ut diceret aut ex nomine alienorum deorum interficietur
21 quod si tacita cogitatione responderis quomodo possum intellegere verbum quod non est locutus Dominus
22 hoc habebis signum quod in nomine Domini propheta ille praedixerit et non evenerit hoc Dominus non locutus est sed per tumorem animi sui propheta confinxit et idcirco non timebis eum
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.