Deuteronomy 18
Privileges of Priests and Levites
1The priests and the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire and his portion.
2They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. The LORD is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.
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.
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.
5For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the LORD’s name, him and his sons forever.
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 the LORD shall choose,
7then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD.
8They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.
Abominable Practices
9When you have come into the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations.
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,
11or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. Because of these abominations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you.
13You shall be blameless with the LORD your God.
14For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you so to do.
A New Prophet Like Moses
15The LORD your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.
16This is according to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the LORD my God’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.”
17The LORD said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken.
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.
19It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
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.”
21You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?”
22When a prophet speaks in the LORD’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.
Deuteronomy 18 establishes three crucial aspects of Israel's religious life: the provision for Levitical priests through offerings and firstfruits rather than land inheritance, the absolute prohibition of occult practices that characterized Canaanite religion, and God's promise to raise up prophets like Moses to communicate His will. The chapter emphasizes Israel's distinctive calling to receive divine revelation through legitimate channels rather than through the forbidden divination practices of surrounding nations.
Context
This chapter continues the legal code begun in chapter 12, addressing religious leadership and authentic worship as Israel prepares to enter the Promised Land.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-8Provision for Priests and LevitesEstablishes that Levites receive no land inheritance but are supported through sacrificial offerings and firstfruits from the people.
- 9-14Prohibition of Occult PracticesForbids all forms of divination, sorcery, and necromancy practiced by Canaanite nations, calling Israel to be blameless before God.
- 15-22Promise of Future ProphetsGod promises to raise up prophets like Moses to speak His words, with tests for distinguishing true from false prophets.
Privileges of Priests and Levites
18:1–18:8Defines the privileges and provisions for priests and Levites, who receive no land inheritance but are supported through offerings and firstfruits. Establishes their right to minister and receive equal portions regardless of their origin.
theme_rarity
Moses uniquely intertwines divine calling with economic stewardship, making the Levites' landlessness not deprivation but privilege—"the LORD is their inheritance"—while guaranteeing material provision through Israel's offerings.
Abominable Practices
18:9–18:14Prohibits various occult practices including child sacrifice, divination, sorcery, and necromancy that characterize the nations being dispossessed. Commands Israel to remain blameless before God by avoiding these abominations.
structural
Moses lists eight distinct occult practices in verses 10-11, creating the Bible's most comprehensive catalog of forbidden divination methods that Israel must reject to remain "blameless before the LORD.
A New Prophet Like Moses
18:15–18:22Moses prophesies that God will raise up a future prophet like himself from among the Israelites, establishing criteria for distinguishing true from false prophets.
quotation_chain
Moses uniquely promises a prophet "like me" using the Hebrew preposition *kamoni*, creating the only biblical prophecy where the mediator explicitly compares his successor to himself.
Deuteronomy 18:1
Joshua 13:14lexicalOnly he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The offerings of the LORD, the God of Israel, made by fire are his inh…
Joshua 18:7lexicalHowever, the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and th…
Joshua 13:33lexicalBut Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to th…
Jeremiah 51:19lexicalThe portion of Jacob is not like these, for he formed all things, including the tribe of his inheritance. The LORD of Ar…
Jeremiah 10:16lexicalThe portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the maker of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance. T…
Deuteronomy 18:3
Isaiah 66:3lexicalHe who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an o…
Deuteronomy 17:1lexicalYou shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep in which is a defect or anything evil; for that is an abom…
1 Samuel 2:13lexicalThe custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the…
Deuteronomy 18:4
2 Chronicles 31:5lexicalAs soon as the commandment went out, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil,…
Numbers 18:12lexical“I have given to you all the best of the oil, all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first fruits of them wh…
Deuteronomy 28:51lexicalThey will eat the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your ground, until you are destroyed. They also won’t leave y…
Deuteronomy 12:17lexicalYou may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or the firstborn of your…
Deuteronomy 14:23lexicalYou shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place which he chooses to cause his name to dwell, the tithe of your grai…
Deuteronomy 18:6
Deuteronomy 12:21lexicalIf the place which the LORD your God shall choose to put his name is too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd…
Deuteronomy 12:18lexicalbut you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God shall choose: you, your son, your d…
Deuteronomy 16:11lexicalYou shall rejoice before the LORD your God: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Le…
Deuteronomy 18:10
2 Chronicles 33:6lexicalHe also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination,…
2 Kings 17:17lexicalThey caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, used divination and enchantments, and sold themselv…
2 Kings 21:6lexicalHe made his son to pass through the fire, practiced sorcery, used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar sp…
Leviticus 19:26lexical“‘You shall not eat any meat with the blood still in it. You shall not use enchantments, nor practice sorcery.
Ezekiel 13:23lexicalTherefore you shall no more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. Then y…
Deuteronomy 18:11
Isaiah 19:3lexicalThe spirit of the Egyptians will fail within them. I will destroy their counsel. They will seek the idols, the charmers,…
Isaiah 8:19lexicalWhen they tell you, “Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter,” shoul…
1 Chronicles 10:13lexicalSo Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the LORD’s word, which he didn’t keep, and…
2 Kings 23:24lexicalMoreover, Josiah removed those who had familiar spirits, the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abomi…
Leviticus 20:27lexical“‘A man or a woman that is a medium or is a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones. Their…
Deuteronomy 18:14
Jeremiah 27:9lexicalBut as for you, don’t listen to your prophets, to your diviners, to your dreams, to your soothsayers, or to your sorcere…
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