1 The priests H3548 the Levites, H3881 and all the tribe H7626 of Levi, H3878 shall have no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with Israel: H3478 they shall eat H398 the offerings H801 of the LORD H3068 made by fire, H801 and his inheritance. H5159
2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance H5159 among H7130 their brethren: H251 the LORD H3068 is their inheritance, H5159 as he hath said H1696 unto them.
3 And this shall be the priest's H3548 due H4941 from the people, H5971 from them that offer H2076 a sacrifice, H2077 whether it be ox H7794 or sheep; H7716 and they shall give H5414 unto the priest H3548 the shoulder, H2220 and the two cheeks, H3895 and the maw. H6896
4 The firstfruit H7225 also of thy corn, H1715 of thy wine, H8492 and of thine oil, H3323 and the first H7225 of the fleece H1488 of thy sheep, H6629 shalt thou give H5414 him.
5 For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath chosen H977 him out of all thy tribes, H7626 to stand H5975 to minister H8334 in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 him and his sons H1121 for ever. H3117
6 And if a Levite H3881 come H935 from any H259 of thy gates H8179 out of all Israel, H3478 where he sojourned, H1481 and come H935 with all the desire H185 of his mind H5315 unto the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 shall choose; H977
7 Then he shall minister H8334 in the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 his God, H430 as all his brethren H251 the Levites H3881 do, which stand H5975 there before H6440 the LORD. H3068
8 They shall have like portions H2506 to eat, H398 beside that which cometh of the sale H4465 of his patrimony. H1
9 When thou art come H935 into the land H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee, thou shalt not learn H3925 to do H6213 after the abominations H8441 of those nations. H1471
10 There shall not be found H4672 among you any one that maketh his son H1121 or his daughter H1323 to pass H5674 through the fire, H784 or that useth H7080 divination, H7081 or an observer of times, H6049 or an enchanter, H5172 or a witch, H3784
11 Or a charmer, H2266 H2267 or a consulter H7592 with familiar spirits, H178 or a wizard, H3049 or a necromancer. H1875 H4191
12 For all that do H6213 these things are an abomination H8441 unto the LORD: H3068 and because H1558 of these abominations H8441 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 doth drive them out H3423 from before H6440 thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect H8549 with the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
14 For these nations, H1471 which thou shalt possess, H3423 hearkened H8085 unto observers of times, H6049 and unto diviners: H7080 but as for thee, the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath not suffered H5414 thee so to do.
15 The LORD H3068 thy God H430 will raise up H6965 unto thee a Prophet H5030 from the midst H7130 of thee, of thy brethren, H251 like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; H8085
16 According to all that thou desiredst H7592 of the LORD H3068 thy God H430 in Horeb H2722 in the day H3117 of the assembly, H6951 saying, H559 Let me not hear H8085 again H3254 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 my God, H430 neither let me see H7200 this great H1419 fire H784 any more, that I die H4191 not.
17 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, They have well H3190 spoken that which they have spoken. H1696
18 I will raise them up H6965 a Prophet H5030 from among H7130 their brethren, H251 like unto thee, and will put H5414 my words H1697 in his mouth; H6310 and he shall speak H1696 unto them all that I shall command H6680 him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever H376 will not hearken H8085 unto my words H1697 which he shall speak H1696 in my name, H8034 I will require H1875 it of him.
20 But the prophet, H5030 which shall presume H2102 to speak H1696 a word H1697 in my name, H8034 which I have not commanded H6680 him to speak, H1696 or that shall speak H1696 in the name H8034 of other H312 gods, H430 even that prophet H5030 shall die. H4191
21 And if thou say H559 in thine heart, H3824 How shall we know H3045 the word H1697 which the LORD H3068 hath not spoken? H1696
22 When a prophet H5030 speaketh H1696 in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 if the thing H1697 follow not, nor come to pass, H935 that is the thing H1697 which the LORD H3068 hath not spoken, H1696 but the prophet H5030 hath spoken H1696 it presumptuously: H2087 thou shalt not be afraid H1481 of him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 18
Commentary on Deuteronomy 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
De 18:1-8. The Lord Is the Priests' and the Levites' Inheritance.
1. The priests the Levites … shall eat the offerings—As the tribe of Levi had no inheritance allotted them like the other tribes but were wholly consecrated to the priestly office, their maintenance was to arise from tithes, first-fruits, and certain portions of the oblations presented on the altar, which God having by express appointment reserved to Himself made over, after being offered, to His ministers.
3. this shall be the priest's due from the people—All who offered sacrifices of thanksgiving or peace offerings (Le 7:31-33) were ordered to give the breast and shoulder as perquisites to the priests. Here "the two cheeks" or head and "the maw" or stomach, deemed anciently a great dainty, are specified. But whether this is a new injunction, or a repetition of the old with the supplement of more details, it is not easy to determine.
6-8. if a Levite … come with all the desire of his mind—It appears that the Levites served in rotation from the earliest times; but, from their great numbers, it was only at infrequent intervals they could be called into actual service. Should any Levite, however, under the influence of eminent piety, resolve to devote himself wholly and continually to the sacred duties of the sanctuary, he was allowed to realize his ardent wishes; and as he was admitted to a share of the work, so also to a share of the remuneration. Though he might have private property, that was to form no ground for withholding or even diminishing his claim to maintenance like the other ministering priests. The reason or principle of the enactment is obvious (1Co 9:13). At the same time, while every facility was afforded for the admission of such a zealous and self-denying officer, this admission was to be in an orderly manner: he was to minister "as all his brethren"—that is, a Gershonite with Gershonites; a Merarite with Merarites; so that there might be no derangement of the established courses.
De 18:9-14. The Abominations of the Nations Are to Be Avoided.
9-14. thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations—(See on Le 18:21; Le 19:26; Le 19:31; Le 20:4). In spite of this express command, the people of Canaan, especially the Philistines, were a constant snare and stumbling block to the Israelites, on account of their divinations and superstitious practices.
De 18:15-19. Christ the Prophet Is to Be Heard.
15-19. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet—The insertion of this promise, in connection with the preceding prohibition, might warrant the application (which some make of it) to that order of true prophets whom God commissioned in unbroken succession to instruct, to direct, and warn His people; and in this view the purport of it is, "There is no need to consult with diviners and soothsayers, as I shall afford you the benefit of divinely appointed prophets, for judging of whose credentials a sure criterion is given" (De 18:20-22). But the prophet here promised was pre-eminently the Messiah, for He alone was "like unto Moses" (see on De 34:10) "in His mediatorial character; in the peculiar excellence of His ministry; in the number, variety, and magnitude of His miracles; in His close and familiar communion with God; and in His being the author of a new dispensation of religion." This prediction was fulfilled fifteen hundred years afterwards and was expressly applied to Jesus Christ by Peter (Ac 3:22, 23), and by Stephen (Ac 7:37).
19. whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him—The direful consequences of unbelief in Christ, and disregard of His mission, the Jewish people have been experiencing during eighteen hundred years.