Deuteronomy 18: The priests' share, and a prophet like Moses
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What happens?
Moses tells Israel that the priests and the whole tribe of Levi have no land of their own: Yahweh is their inheritance, and they live on the offerings and on set parts of the people's sacrifices and first crops. A Levite who comes to the chosen place may serve there and share alike with the others. Israel must not copy the nations, who pass their children through the fire and turn to fortune-tellers, sorcerers and those who call up the dead. Instead, Moses says, Yahweh will raise up a prophet like him from among them, as the people asked at Horeb; a prophet whose word does not come true has not spoken from Yahweh.
Who is speaking?
Moses speaks the whole chapter to Israel. In verse 16 he repeats what the people said at Horeb. In verses 17 to 20 he tells what Yahweh said to him there: these are Moses' words reporting Yahweh, so they are not in gold. In verse 21 he gives a question the people might ask. No verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The 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.
In plain English: The priests, the Levites, the whole tribe of Levi, are to have no share or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made to Yahweh by fire, and what is his (literally: his inheritance).
Good to know: Yahweh tells Aaron the same in : "You shall have no inheritance in their land ... I am your portion and your inheritance." Moses has said it before in .
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2They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.
In plain English: They are to have no inheritance among their brothers. Yahweh is their inheritance, as he told them.
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3This 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.
In plain English: This is what the priests have a right to receive from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they are to give the priest the shoulder (or: the foreleg), the two cheeks, and the stomach (this Bible: the inner parts).
Good to know: gives the priests the breast and the thigh of the peace offerings. Here the priest's share is the shoulder, the two cheeks and the stomach, "from those who offer a sacrifice". The text does not say how the two lists fit together. The word for "offer a sacrifice" here is the same word used for killing meat at home in and , so the verse can be read of every ox or sheep killed, or only of sacrifices.
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4You 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.
In plain English: Give him the first of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first wool you shear from your sheep.
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5For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in Yahweh’s name, him and his sons forever.
In plain English: For Yahweh your God has chosen him and his sons out of all your tribes, to stand and serve in Yahweh's name forever (literally: all the days).
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6If 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,
In plain English: If a Levite comes from any of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes with all his heart's desire (literally: with all the desire of his soul) to the place Yahweh will choose,
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7then he shall minister in the name of Yahweh his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh.
In plain English: then he may serve in the name of Yahweh his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before Yahweh.
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8They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.
In plain English: They are to have equal shares to eat, besides what he has from selling his family's property (or: what comes to him through his fathers).
The Hebrew words: The end of this verse is short and hard in Hebrew: literally "besides his sales, upon the fathers". The dictionary gives the word for "sales" as "merchandise; abstractly, a selling".
What changes: This Bible reads it as money the Levite has from selling his family's property. It can also be read as what comes to him through his father's family. Either way, he still gets the same share of food as the other Levites.
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9When you have come into the land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations.
In plain English: When you come into the land Yahweh your God is giving you, do not learn to do the disgusting things (this Bible: abominations) those nations do.
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10There 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,
In plain English: There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who tells the future by signs (this Bible: uses divination), a fortune-teller, one who reads omens (this Bible: an enchanter), or a sorcerer,
Good to know: Making a child "pass through the fire" is spoken of in , where the nations "burn their sons and their daughters". names Molech. later says King Manasseh made his son pass through the fire and practiced several of the things in this list.
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11or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
In plain English: or one who casts spells (this Bible: a charmer), or one who asks a spirit of the dead (this Bible: consults with a familiar spirit), or a wizard, or one who asks questions of the dead (this Bible: a necromancer).
The Hebrew words: The list in verses 10 and 11 uses many words for ways of seeking hidden knowledge, and they are hard to tell apart. Two of them: ov, "familiar spirit", which the dictionary gives as "a necromancer" (one who calls up the dead), and yidde'oni, "wizard", which it gives as "properly, a knowing one; specifically, a conjurer".
How it is translated: This Bible says "familiar spirit" or "familiar spirits" in 12 of the 16 verses that use ov, and "wizard" or "wizards" in all 11 verses that use yidde'oni.
Good to know: King Saul later goes to "a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor" ().
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12For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh. Because of these abominations, Yahweh your God drives them out from before you.
In plain English: Whoever does these things is disgusting to Yahweh. It is because of these disgusting things that Yahweh your God is driving them out before you.
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13You shall be blameless with Yahweh your God.
In plain English: You are to be blameless (or: whole) with Yahweh your God.
The Hebrew word: "Blameless" is tamim, which the dictionary gives as "entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also integrity, truth". It is the word Yahweh uses to Abram in , "Walk before me and be blameless."
How it is translated: This Bible says "without defect" in 43 of the 85 verses that use tamim, and "blameless" in 11.
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14For 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.
In plain English: These nations you are driving out listen to fortune-tellers and to those who tell the future. But as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you to do so.
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15Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.
In plain English: Yahweh your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers. You are to listen to him.
The Hebrew words: "A prophet" is navi, which the dictionary gives as "a prophet or (generally) inspired man". The Hebrew says "a prophet" and "like me": like Moses.
What changes: Read as one prophet, Moses speaks of one person still to come who would be like him. Read as a line of prophets, he says Yahweh will send prophet after prophet, so that Israel will not need the fortune-tellers of verses 10 to 14; verses 20 to 22 then give the test for any prophet. says that, since Moses, no prophet had arisen in Israel like him.
Church tradition: Many Jewish readers have taken these verses of the prophets who came after Moses, and some of Joshua. Christian readers have taken them of Jesus: in Peter quotes these words about him. Some readers hold both: a line of prophets, and one prophet at the end. The text itself does not settle it.
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16This 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.”
In plain English: This is just what you asked of Yahweh your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, "Do not let me hear the voice of Yahweh my God again, or see this great fire any more, or I will die."
Good to know: The people's request at Horeb (Mount Sinai) is told in , "don't let God speak with us, lest we die", and Moses retells it in .
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17Yahweh said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken.
In plain English: Yahweh said to me, "What they have said is good.
Good to know: In verses 17 to 20 Moses tells what Yahweh said to him at Horeb. These are Moses' words reporting Yahweh, so they are not in gold.
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18I 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.
In plain English: I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
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19It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
In plain English: Whoever does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.
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20But 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.”
In plain English: But the prophet who dares to speak (this Bible: speaks presumptuously) a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet is to die."
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21You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?”
In plain English: You may say in your heart, "How will we know which word Yahweh has not spoken?"
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22When 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.
In plain English: When a prophet speaks in Yahweh's name, and the thing does not happen or come true, that is a word Yahweh has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it out of pride (this Bible: presumptuously). Do not be afraid of him.
Good to know: This is the second test for a prophet in Deuteronomy. The first, in to , says that even a sign that comes true does not make a prophet right if he calls Israel to other gods.
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