Deuteronomy
Chapter 18

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1 The Priests, the Leuites, and all the tribe of Leui, shall haue no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eate the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance.

2 Therefore shall they haue no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said vnto them.

3 ¶ And this shalbe the Priests due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it bee oxe or sheepe: and they shall giue vnto the Priest the shoulder, and the two cheekes, and the maw.

4 The first fruit also of thy corne, of thy wine, and of thy oyle, and the first of the fleece of thy sheepe, shalt thou giue him.

5 For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the Name of the Lord, him, and his sonnes for euer.

6 ¶ And if a Leuite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he soiourned, and come with all the desire of his minde, vnto the place which the Lord shall choose;

7 Then hee shall minister in the Name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Leuites doe, which stand there before the Lord.

8 They shall haue like portions to eate, beside that which commeth of the sale of his patrimonie.

9 ¶ When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou shalt not learne to doe after the abominations of those nations.

10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his sonne, or his daughter to passe thorow the fire, or that vseth diuination, or an obseruer of times, or an inchanter, or a witch,

11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wyzard, or a Necromancer.

12 For all that do these things, are an abomination vnto the Lord: and because of these abominations, the Lord thy God doth driue them out from before thee.

13 Thou shalt bee perfite with the Lord thy God.

14 For these nations which thou shalt possesse, hearkened vnto obseruers of times, and vnto diuiners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to doe.

15 ¶ The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like vnto me, vnto him ye shall hearken,

16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let mee not heare again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let mee see this great fire any more, that I die not.

17 And the Lord said vnto mee, They haue well spoken that which they haue spoken.

18 I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren, like vnto thee, and will put my wordes in his mouth, and hee shall speake vnto them all that I shall command him.

19 And it shall come to passe, that whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words, which hee shall speake in my name, I will require it of him.

20 But the prophet which shall presume to speake a word in my name, which I haue not commanded him to speake, or that shall speake in the name of other gods, euen that prophet shall die.

21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall wee know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?

22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to passe, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not bee afraid of him.

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Commentary for Deuteronomy 18

A provision respecting Levites. (1-8) The abominations of the Canaanites to be avoided. (9-14) Christ the great Prophet. (15-22)1-8 Care is taken that the priests entangle not themselves with the affairs of this life, nor enrich themselves with the wealth of this world; they have better things to mind. Care is likewise taken that they want not the comforts and conveniences of this life. The people must provide for them. He that has the benefit of solemn religious assemblies, ought to give help for the comfortable support of those that minister in such assemblies.

9-14 Was it possible that a people so blessed with Divine institutions, should ever be in any danger of making those their teachers whom God had made their captives? They were in danger; therefore, after many like cautions, they are charged not to do after the abominations of the nations of Canaan. All reckoning of lucky or unlucky days, all charms for diseases, all amulets or spells to prevent evil, fortune-telling, &c. are here forbidden. These are so wicked as to be a chief cause of the rooting out of the Canaanites. It is amazing to think that there should be any pretenders of this kind in such a land, and day of light, as we live in. They are mere impostors who blind and cheat their followers.

15-22 It is here promised concerning Christ, that there should come a Prophet, great above all the prophets; by whom God would make known himself and his will to the children of men, more fully and clearly than he had ever done before. He is the Light of the world, #Joh 8:12|. He is the World by whom God speaks to us, #Joh 1:1; Heb 1:2|. In his birth he should be one of their nation. In his resurrection he should be raised up at Jerusalem, and from thence his doctrine should go forth to all the world. Thus God, having raised up his Son Christ Jesus, sent him to bless us. He should be like unto Moses, only above him. This prophet is come, even JESUS; and is "He that should come," and we are to look for no other. The view of God which he gives, will not terrify or overwhelm, but encourages us. He speaks with fatherly affection and Divine authority united. Whoever refuses to listen to Jesus Christ, shall find it is at his peril; the same that is the Prophet is to be his Judge, #Joh 12:48|. Woe then to those who refuse to hearken to His voice, to accept His salvation, or yield obedience to His sway! But happy they who trust in Him, and obey Him. He will lead them in the paths of safety and peace, until He brings them to the land of perfect light, purity, and happiness. Here is a caution against false prophets. It highly concerns us to have a right touchstone wherewith to try the word we hear, that we may know what that word is which the Lord has not spoken. Whatever is against the plain sense of the written word, or which gives countenance or encouragement to sin, we may be sure is not that which the Lord has spoken.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

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