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Deuteronomy 18
New International Version

Offerings for Priests and Levites

18 The Levitical(A) priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings(B) presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance.(C) 2 They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance,(D) as he promised them.(E)

3 This is the share due the priests(F) from the people who sacrifice a bull(G) or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head.(H) 4 You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep,(I) 5 for the Lord your God has chosen them(J) and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister(K) in the Lord’s name always.(L)

6 If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the Lord will choose,(M) 7 he may minister in the name(N) of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the Lord. 8 He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.(O)

Occult Practices

9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate(P) the detestable ways(Q) of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire,(R) who practices divination(S) or sorcery,(T) interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,(U) 11 or casts spells,(V) or who is a medium or spiritist(W) or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.(X) 13 You must be blameless(Y) before the Lord your God.(Z)

The Prophet

14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination.(AA) But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.(AB) You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”(AC)

17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet(AD) like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words(AE) in his mouth.(AF) He will tell them everything I command him.(AG) 19 I myself will call to account(AH) anyone who does not listen(AI) to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.(AJ) 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods,(AK) is to be put to death.”(AL)

21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true,(AM) that is a message the Lord has not spoken.(AN) That prophet has spoken presumptuously,(AO) so do not be alarmed.

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Deuteronomy 18
English Standard Version

Provision for Priests and Levites

18 “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, (A)shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They (B)shall eat the Lord's food offerings[a] as their[b] inheritance. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them. 3 And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: (C)they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. 4 (D)The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. 5 For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes (E)to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.

6 “And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel, (F)where he lives—and he may come when he desires[c]—(G)to the place that the Lord will choose, 7 and ministers in the name of the Lord his God, (H)like all his fellow Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord, 8 then he may have equal (I)portions to eat, besides what he receives from the sale of his patrimony.[d]

Abominable Practices

9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, (J)you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone (K)who burns his son or his daughter as an offering,[e] anyone who (L)practices divination or (M)tells fortunes or interprets omens, or (N)a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or (O)a medium or a necromancer or (P)one who inquires of the dead, 12 (Q)for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And (R)because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, 14 for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this.

A New Prophet like Moses

15 (S)“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb (T)on the day of the assembly, when you said, (U)‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, (V)‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 (W)I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. (X)And I will put my words in his mouth, and (Y)he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 (Z)And whoever will (AA)not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. 20 (AB)But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or[f] who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 (AC)when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; (AD)the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 18:1 Or the offerings by fire to the Lord
  2. Deuteronomy 18:1 Hebrew his
  3. Deuteronomy 18:6 Or lives—if he comes enthusiastically
  4. Deuteronomy 18:8 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  5. Deuteronomy 18:10 Hebrew makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire
  6. Deuteronomy 18:20 Or and
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Deuteronomy 18
New American Standard Bible

Portion for the Levites

18 “(A)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 [a]property. 2 (B)They shall not have an inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He [b]promised them.

3 “(C)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. 4 You shall give him the (D)first fruits of your grain, your new wine, and your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep. 5 (E)For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes, to (F)stand to serve in the name of the Lord always.

6 “Now if a Levite comes from any of your [c]towns throughout Israel where he (G)resides, and he comes [d]whenever he desires to the place which the Lord chooses, 7 then he shall serve in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord. 8 (H)They shall eat [e]equal portions, except for what they receive from the sale of their fathers’ estates.

Spiritism Forbidden

9 “When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to [f](I)imitate the detestable things of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone (J)who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, a (K)soothsayer, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, (L)or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who consults the dead. 12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and (M)because of these detestable things the Lord your God is going to drive them out before you. 13 (N)You are to be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations, which you are going to dispossess, listen to (O)soothsayers and diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.

15 “(P)The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen. 16 This is (Q)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!’ 17 And (R)the Lord said to me, ‘They have [g]spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and (S)I will put My words in his mouth, and (T)he shall speak to them everything that I command him. 19 (U)And it shall come about that whoever does not listen to My words which he speaks in My name, I Myself will [h]require it of him. 20 But the prophet who speaks a word (V)presumptuously in My name, a word which I have not commanded him to speak, or (W)which he speaks in the name of other gods, [i]that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How will we recognize the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 (X)When 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 (Y)presumptuously; you are not to be afraid of him.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 18:1 Or inheritance
  2. Deuteronomy 18:2 Lit spoke to
  3. Deuteronomy 18:6 Lit gates
  4. Deuteronomy 18:6 Lit with all the desire of his soul
  5. Deuteronomy 18:8 Lit portion like portion
  6. Deuteronomy 18:9 Lit do as
  7. Deuteronomy 18:17 Lit done well what they have spoken
  8. Deuteronomy 18:19 I.e., hold him responsible
  9. Deuteronomy 18:20 Lit then that
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Deuteronomy 18
Common English Bible

Priests and Levites

18 Neither the levitical priests nor any Levite tribe member will have a designated inheritance in Israel. They can eat the sacrifices offered to the Lord, which are the Lord’s portion,[a] 2 but they won’t share an inheritance with their fellow Israelites. The Lord alone is the Levites’ inheritance—just as God promised them.

3 Now this is what the priests may keep from the people’s sacrifices of oxen or sheep: They must give the priest the shoulder, the jaws, and the stomach. 4 You must also give the priest the first portions of your grain, wine, and oil, and the first of your sheep’s shearing 5 because the Lord your God selected Levi from all of your tribes to stand and minister in the Lord’s name—both him and his descendants for all time.

6 Now if a Levite leaves one of your cities or departs from any location in Israel where he’s been living and, because he wants to, comes to the location the Lord selects 7 and ministers in the Lord his God’s name, just like his relatives—the other Levites serving there in the Lord’s presence— 8 he is allowed to eat equal portions, despite the finances he has from his family.[b]

Communicating with God

9 Once you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, don’t try to imitate the detestable things those nations do. 10 There must not be anyone among you who passes his son or daughter through fire; who practices divination, is a sign reader, fortune-teller, sorcerer, 11 or spell caster; who converses with ghosts or spirits or communicates with the dead. 12 All who do these things are detestable to the Lord! It is on account of these detestable practices that the Lord your God is driving these nations[c] out before you.

13 Instead, you must be perfect before the Lord your God. 14 These nations you are displacing listened to sign readers and diviners, but the Lord your God doesn’t permit you to do the same! 15 The Lord your God will raise up a prophet like me from your community, from your fellow Israelites. He’s the one you must listen to. 16 That’s exactly what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb, on the day of the assembly, when you said, “I can’t listen to the Lord my God’s voice anymore or look at this great fire any longer. I don’t want to die!”

17 The Lord said to me: What they’ve said is right. 18 I’ll raise up a prophet for them from among their fellow Israelites—one just like you. I’ll put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will hold accountable anyone who doesn’t listen to my words, which that prophet will speak in my name. 20 However, any prophet who arrogantly speaks a word in my name that I haven’t commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet must die.

21 Now, you might be wondering, How will we know which word God hasn’t spoken? 22 Here’s the answer: The prophet who speaks in the Lord’s name and the thing doesn’t happen or come about—that’s the word the Lord hasn’t spoken. That prophet spoke arrogantly. Don’t be afraid of him.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 18:1 Heb uncertain
  2. Deuteronomy 18:8 Heb uncertain
  3. Deuteronomy 18:12 Or them
  4. Deuteronomy 18:22 Or bothered by it (the prophecy)
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Deuteronomy 18
Contemporary English Version

Special Privileges for Priests and Levites

(Numbers 18.8-32)

Moses said to Israel:

18 The people of the Levi tribe, including the priests, will not receive any land. Instead, they will receive part of the sacrifices that are offered to the Lord, 2 (A) because he has promised to provide for them in this way.

3 When you sacrifice a bull or sheep, the priests will be given the shoulder, the jaws, and the stomach.[a] 4 In addition, they will receive the first part of your grain harvest and part of your first batches of wine and olive oil.[b] You must also give them the first wool that is cut from your sheep each year. 5 Give these gifts to the priests, because the Lord has chosen them and their descendants out of all the tribes of Israel to be his special servants at the place of worship.

6 Any Levite can leave his hometown, and go to the place where the Lord chooses to be worshiped, 7 and then be a special servant of the Lord[c] there, just like all the other Levites. 8 Some Levites may have money from selling family possessions, and others may not. But all Levites serving at the place of worship will receive the same amount of food from the sacrifices and gifts brought by the people.

Don't Do Disgusting Things

Moses said to Israel:

9 Soon you will go into the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The nations that live there do things that are disgusting to the Lord, and you must not follow their example. 10-11 (B) Don't sacrifice your son or daughter. And don't try to use any kind of magic or witchcraft to tell fortunes[d] or to cast spells or to talk with spirits of the dead.

12 The Lord is disgusted with anyone who does these things, and that's why he will help you destroy the nations that are in the land. 13 (C) Never be guilty of doing any of these disgusting things!

A Prophet like Moses

Moses said to Israel:

14 You will go in and take the land from nations that practice magic and witchcraft. But the Lord your God won't allow you to do those things. 15 (D) Instead, he will choose one of your own people to be a prophet just like me, and you must do what that prophet says. 16 You were asking for a prophet the day you were gathered at Mount Sinai[e] and said to the Lord, “Please don't let us hear your voice or see this terrible fire again—if we do, we will die!”

17 Then the Lord told me:

Moses, they have said the right thing. 18 So when I want to speak to them, I will choose one of them to be a prophet like you. I will give my message to that prophet, who will tell the people exactly what I have said. 19 (E) Since the message comes from me, anyone who doesn't obey the message will have to answer to me.

20 But if I haven't spoken, and a prophet claims to have a message from me, you must kill that prophet, and you must also kill any prophet who claims to have a message from another god.

Moses said to Israel:

21 You may be asking yourselves, “How can we tell if a prophet's message really comes from the Lord?” 22 You will know, because if the Lord says something will happen, it will happen. And if it doesn't, you will know that the prophet was falsely claiming to speak for the Lord. Don't be afraid of any prophet whose message doesn't come from the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 18.3 stomach: Certain portions of the stomach were considered a delicacy.
  2. 18.4 grain … olive oil: An Israelite was supposed to offer the first part of the harvest as a gift to the Lord (see Leviticus 23.10,11).
  3. 18.7 a special servant of the Lord: Or “one of the Lord's priests.”
  4. 18.10,11 tell fortunes: Fortunetellers thought they could learn secrets or learn about the future by watching the flight of birds or looking at the livers of animals or in many other ways.
  5. 18.16 Mount Sinai: See the note at 1.1-5.
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