The Fifth Book of Moses, Called Deuteronomy

Chapter 18

The LORD is the priests and Levites' inheritance, 1, 2. The priests' due, 3-5. The Levites' portion, 6-8. The abominations of the nations are to be avoided, 9-14. Christ the Prophet is to be heard, 15-19. The presumptuous prophet is to die, 20-22.

1 "The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance. 2 Therefore, they shall have no inheritance among their brothers. The LORD is their inheritance, as he has said to them.

3 "And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether ox or sheep, and they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the stomach. 4 Also the first-fruit of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. 5 For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the name of the LORD—him and his sons forever.

6 "And if a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and comes with all the desire of his mind to the place which the LORD chooses, 7 Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD. 8 They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which comes of the sale of his patrimony.

9 "When you come into the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, who uses divination, an observer of times, an enchanter, a witch, 11 A charmer, a consulter with familiar spirits, a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be perfect with the LORD your God. 14 For these nations, which you shall possess, listened to observers of times and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so.

15 "The LORD your God will raise up to you a Prophet like me from the midst of you, out of your brothers. To him you shall listen. 16 This is according to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, 'Do not let me hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire anymore, so that I may not die.' 17 And the LORD said to me, 'They have well spoken of that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise up to them a prophet like you from among their brothers and will put my words in his mouth. And he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.' 21 And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' 22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not follow, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken, but the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him."

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Deuteronomy, Chapter 18[➚]

Notes

[v.13] - Reference, Psalm 37:37; Matthew 5:48; Philippians 3:12, 15; Revelation 3:2-5.

[v.15a] - "a Prophet" - Initially, in John's Gospel, it is told that the Jews were asking John the Baptist if he was this Prophet spoken of in verse 15. He of course denies it and replies with a quote from Isaiah: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said" (John 1:23). John the Baptist was speaking of Christ, Who would soon come to fulfill the role of that Prophet. In John 6:14, Christ's disciples would realize, after Jesus performed a miracle, that, "This is truly that prophet who should come into the world." Amen.

[v.15b] - Quoted in Acts 3:22, 7:37.

[v.18] - Reference, verse 15.

[v.19] - Quoted in Acts 3:23.

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