Deuteronomy 18

1 The Levitical [descendants of Levi, a son of Jacob] priests—indeed the whole [entire, all-inclusive] tribe of Levi [a clan or family group]—shall have no [not any, none] portion [share, inheritance, smoothness] or inheritance [something passed down, a family heirloom] with Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants]. They are to eat [consume, devour] the offerings [sacrifices, gifts] made by fire [burnt, consumed by flames] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]; that is their inheritance [possession, heritage, what they are entitled to receive]. word study 2 Although they have no [lacking, without] inheritance [a possession passed down, a family heirloom] among their brothers [male siblings, close relatives], the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is their inheritance [a gift, a legacy], as He [the divine Person, God Himself] promised [spoken, declared] them [to give, to bestow]. word study 3 This shall be the priests’ [spiritual leaders, those who serve God] share from the people [the nation of Israel, God’s chosen] who offer a sacrifice [a gift to God, an act of worship], whether a bull [cattle, an ox] or a sheep [a flock animal]: the priests are to be given the shoulder [the arm], the jowls [the jaw, the cheek], and the stomach [the belly, the inner parts]. word study 4 You are to give them the firstfruits [the beginning harvest, the best part] of your grain [wheat, staple food], new wine [freshly squeezed, fermented], and oil [for anointing, ceremonial purposes], and the first wool [fleece] sheared from your flock [sheep, figurative people]. word study 5 For the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God] has chosen [selected, set apart] Levi and his sons out of all [every single one of] your tribes to stand [be firmly established, minister] and minister [serve, worship] in His name [fame, renown, reputation] for all [every] time [days, eternity]. word study 6 Now if a Levite [a descendant of Levi, from the tribe of Israel] moves from any town of residence [city or dwelling place] throughout Israel [the community of God’s people] and comes in all earnestness [with a strong desire, from the heart] to the place [location, sacred site] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] will choose [select, appoint], word study 7 then he shall serve [minister, perform priestly duties] in the name [character, reputation, authority] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] his God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] like all [every one of] his fellow [brother, companion] Levites [descendants of Levi, temple servants] who stand [remain, are stationed] there [in that place, at that time] before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, the sovereign Lord]. word study 8 They shall eat [like portions to eat, having equal shares] equal portions, even though he has received [apart from, in addition to] money from the sale [something that is for sale, merchandise] of his father’s [paternal, ancestral] estate [property, inheritance]. word study 9 When you [as God’s chosen people] enter the land [a promised territory, a new home] that the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] is giving [bestowing, providing] you, do not imitate [copy, follow] the detestable [abominable, disgusting] ways [practices, customs] of the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] there [in the land, among them]. word study 10 Let no one [not a single person, none] be found among you who sacrifices [offers, gives up] his son [child, descendant] or daughter [female child, woman] in the fire [by burning, as a burnt offering], practices [uses, engages in] divination [seeking guidance through witchcraft, fortune-telling] or conjury [magic, sorcery], interprets [explains, reads] omens [signs, portents], practices [performs, exercises] sorcery [witchcraft, magic], word study 11 casts spells [or a charmer, to unite or join in a magical sense], consults a medium [or a consulter with familiar spirits, one who seeks to contact the dead] or spiritist [a wizard, one who claims to have a familiar spirit], or inquires of the dead [or seeks to ask the dead for directions, to seek unto the dead]. word study 12 For whoever does [practices, commits] these things is detestable [an abomination, utterly disgusting] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. And because of these detestable things [abominations, idolatrous practices], the LORD [Yehovah] your God [Elohim, the supreme Judge] is driving out [dispossessing, expelling] the nations before you. word study 13 You must be [perfect, upright] blameless [unblemished, without defects] before the [Yehovah] LORD [the supreme God, Elohim] your [personal, covenant] God [the one supreme God, Elohim]. word study 14 Though these nations [Gentile peoples, non-Hebrews], which you will dispossess [take control of, occupy], listen to [heed, obey] conjurers [soothsayers, diviners, those who practise augury] and diviners [those who use magic to predict the future], the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] has not permitted [allowed, given permission] you to do so [in this manner, thus]. word study 15 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God] will raise up [cause to stand, appoint] for you a prophet [one who speaks for God] like me [similar in role, having God’s message] from among your brothers [close relatives, fellow Israelites] [from your midst, among you]. You must listen [give ear, obey] to him [attentively, with faith]. word study 16 This is what you asked [requested, inquired of] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] at Horeb [another name for Mount Sinai] on the day [a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time] of the assembly [a group of people gathered together], when you said [spoken, commanded], “Let us not hear [listen, obey] the voice [sound, utterance] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] our God [Elohim, the one supreme God] or see [look, behold] this great [significant, important] fire [burning, flame] anymore [again, any longer], so that we will not die [perish, come to an end]!” word study 17 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to me, “They have [done well, spoken wisely] spoken [communicated, expressed their thoughts] well [in a pleasing, joyful manner, having God’s nature]. word study 18 I will raise up [bring forth, appoint] for them a prophet [one who speaks for God, a spokesperson] like you [similar to you in character and role] from among their brothers [close relatives, fellow Israelites]. I will put [place, give] My words [divine messages, commands] in his mouth [the means of speaking, proclaiming], and he will tell [speak, proclaim] them everything [all things, the whole message] I command [give orders, instruct] him. word study 19 And I [the Lord, the covenant God] will hold accountable [require, demand an answer from] anyone who does not listen [hearken, obey] to My words [commands, teachings] that the prophet [one who speaks for God] speaks [declares, proclaims] in My name [authority, character, reputation]. word study 20 But if any prophet [claiming to speak for God] dares to speak a message [a word or declaration] in My name [My identity, authority, and character] that I have not commanded [given orders or instruction] him to speak, or to speak in the name [authority and character] of other gods [false deities, idols], that prophet [one who speaks for God or a false god] must be put to death [executed as a punishment, to die physically].” word study 21 You may ask [wonder, ponder] in your heart [mind, will, and emotions], “How [in what way, by what means] can we recognize [know, discern, understand] a message [word, prophecy, declaration] that the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] has not [absolutely not, never] spoken [communicated, uttered]?” word study 22 When a prophet [someone who speaks for God, a spokesperson] speaks in the name [identity, honor, and character] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] and the message [word or thing, a matter or affair] does not come to pass [happen or come true] or come true [be fulfilled], that is a message [word or thing] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has not spoken [communicated or uttered]. The prophet [someone who speaks for God, a spokesperson] has spoken [communicated or uttered] presumptuously [with arrogance or pride, in the pride of his heart] [in a spirit of insolence or contempt]. Do not be afraid [dread or fear] of him [the false prophet]. word study