Deuteronomy 18
Big idea: The chapter provides for two kinds of voice. First the Levites, who have no inheritance and live from the offerings and the first fruits — and a Levite who comes from any town with all the desire of his soul may minister and take an equal share. Then the practices Israel must not import: passing a child through the fire, divination, fortune-telling, enchantment, sorcery, charms, mediums, wizards, necromancy. Against that whole apparatus stands one promise: Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me — you shall listen to him. And the test given is not charisma but accuracy: when a prophet speaks in Yahweh's name and the thing doesn't happen, that is a word Yahweh has not spoken; you shall not be afraid of him.
Chapter 18 promises a prophet and provides a test for one. Chapter 19 turns to the courts again — refuge, boundaries, and the cost of a false witness.
18:1–8 — Yahweh is their inheritance
The priests and the Levites — all the tribe of Levi — shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire and his portion; they shall have no inheritance among their brothers, for Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them. This is the priests' due from those who offer a sacrifice, ox or sheep: the shoulder, the two cheeks and the inner parts. You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, wine and oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep. For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in Yahweh's name, him and his sons forever. And if a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel where he lives, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose, then he shall minister in the name of Yahweh his God as all his brothers the Levites do who stand there before Yahweh. They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to what comes from the sale of his family possessions.
1 The priests and the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire and his portion. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them. 3 This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest: the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts. 4 You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep. 5 For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in Yahweh’s name, him and his sons forever. 6 If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel where he lives, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose, 7 then he shall minister in the name of Yahweh his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh. 8 They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.
18:9–14 — Don't learn to imitate their abominations
When you have come into the land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, an enchanter, a sorcerer, a charmer, someone who consults with a familiar spirit, a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh, and because of these abominations Yahweh your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless with Yahweh your God. For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners — but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you so to do.
9 When you have come into the land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, 11 or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh. Because of these abominations, Yahweh your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless with Yahweh your God. 14 For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you so to do.
18:15–22 — A prophet like me
Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him. This is according to all that you desired of Yahweh your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, let me not hear again Yahweh my God's voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die. And Yahweh said to me, they have well said what they have spoken. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you; I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. Whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. And you may say in your heart, how shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken? When a prophet speaks in Yahweh's name, if the thing doesn't follow nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
15 Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him. 16 This is according to all that you desired of Yahweh your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again Yahweh my God’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.” 17 Yahweh said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19 It shall happen, 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 speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.” 21 You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?” 22 When a prophet speaks in Yahweh’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).