Deuteronomy18
New American Standard
1“The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall not have a portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord’s offerings by fire and His property.
2They shall not have an inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He promised them.
3“Now this shall be the priests’ portion from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, either an ox or a sheep: they shall give the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the stomach.
4You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep.
5For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to stand to serve in the name of the Lord always.
6“Now if a Levite comes from any of your towns throughout Israel where he resides, and he comes whenever he desires to the place which the Lord chooses,
7then he shall serve in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord.
8They shall eat equal portions, except for what they receive from the sale of their fathers’ estates.
9“When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations.
10There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, a soothsayer, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
11or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who consults the dead.
12For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God is going to drive them out before you.
13You are to be blameless before the Lord your God.
14For these nations, which you are going to dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.
15“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen.
16This is in accordance with everything that you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Do not let me hear the voice of the Lord my God again, and do not let me see this great fire anymore, or I will die!’
17And the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well.
18I will raise up for them a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them everything that I command him.
19And it shall come about that whoever does not listen to My words which he speaks in My name, I Myself will require it of him.
20But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name, a word which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’
21And if you say in your heart, ‘How will we recognize the word which the Lord has not spoken?’
22When the prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, and the thing does not happen or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you are not to be afraid of him.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 18.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: A provision respecting Levites. (1–8). The abominations of the Canaanites to be avoided. (9–14). Christ the great Prophet. (15–22).
vv1-8
Care is taken that the priests entangle not themselves with the affairs of this life, nor enrich themselves with the wealth of this world; they have better things to mind. Care is likewise taken that they want not the comforts and conveniences of this life. The people must provide for them. He that has the benefit of solemn religious assemblies, ought to give help for the comfortable support of those that minister in such assemblies.
vv9-14
Was it possible that a people so blessed with Divine institutions, should ever be in any danger of making those their teachers whom God had made their captives? They were in danger; therefore, after many like cautions, they are charged not to do after the abominations of the nations of Canaan. All reckoning of lucky or unlucky days, all charms for diseases, all amulets or spells to prevent evil, fortune-telling, etc. are here forbidden. These are so wicked as to be a chief cause of the rooting out of the Canaanites. It is amazing to think that there should be any pretenders of this kind in such a land, and day of light, as we live in. They are mere impostors who blind and cheat their followers.
vv15-22
It is here promised concerning Christ, that there should come a Prophet, great above all the prophets; by whom God would make known himself and his will to the children of men, more fully and clearly than he had ever done before. He is the Light of the world, Joh 8:12. He is the World by whom God speaks to us, Joh 1:1; Heb 1:2. In his birth he should be one of their nation. In his resurrection he should be raised up at Jerusalem, and from thence his doctrine should go forth to all the world. Thus God, having raised up his Son Christ Jesus, sent him to bless us. He should be like unto Moses, only above him. This prophet is come, even JESUS; and is “He that should come,” and we are to look for no other. The view of God which he gives, will not terrify or overwhelm, but encourages us. He speaks with fatherly affection and Divine authority united. Whoever refuses to listen to Jesus Christ, shall find it is at his peril; the same that is the Prophet is to be his Judge, Joh 12:48. Woe then to those who refuse to hearken to His voice, to accept His salvation, or yield obedience to His sway! But happy they who trust in Him, and obey Him. He will lead them in the paths of safety and peace, until He brings them to the land of perfect light, purity, and happiness. Here is a caution against false prophets. It highly concerns us to have a right touchstone wherewith to try the word we hear, that we may know what that word is which the Lord has not spoken. Whatever is against the plain sense of the written word, or which gives countenance or encouragement to sin, we may be sure is not that which the Lord has spoken.
Key Words
לֵוִיִּי: a Levite or descendant of Levi
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
שֵׁבֶט: a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan
לֵוִי: Levi, a son of Jacob
לֹא: not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
חֵלֶק: properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment
נַחֲלָה: properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אָכַל: to eat (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
Deuteronomy 18Peter explicitly cites Deut 18:15 as fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Stephen quotes this verse to prove Moses pointed forward to Jesus.
Supported by JFB
Establishes the foundational law that Levi has no inheritance because God is their inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Details the priest's sacrificial portions (breast and shoulder) referenced in the text.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Philip identifies Jesus as the one written about by Moses in the Law.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jesus warns that rejecting His words brings the judgment Moses foretold.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Paul applies the temple-service maintenance principle to New Testament gospel ministers.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the prohibitions of child-sacrifice and occult abominations of Canaan.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Saul seeks a woman with a familiar spirit, violating this direct command.
Supported by John Calvin
Declares that no prophet rose in Israel like Moses, pointing to Messiah.
Supported by JFB
The historical request at Horeb/Sinai to have Moses speak instead of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God's response to Israel's fear at Horeb, confirming they spoke well.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Joshua records the practical execution of Levi receiving no land inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Gives the legal procedure for identifying and punishing a false prophet.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jeremiah applies the test of fulfillment to Hananiah's false peace prophecy.
Supported by Matthew Henry