18:1 The priests, who are Levites–indeed the whole tribe of Levi–are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the offerings made to the LORD by fire, for that is their inheritance.
18:2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them.
18:3 This is the share due the priests from the people who sacrifice a bull or a sheep: the shoulder, the jowls and the inner parts.
18:4 You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep,
18:5 for the LORD your God has chosen them and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the LORD’S name always.
18:6 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,
18:7 he may minister in the name of the LORD his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the LORD.
18:8 He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.
18:9 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
18:10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,
18:11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
18:12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.
18:13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
18:14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.
18:15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.
18:16 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.”
18:17 The LORD said to me: “What they say is good.
18:18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
18:19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.
18:20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”
18:21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?”
18:22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
18:1 The Levitical priests and the whole tribe of Levi shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat Jehovah’s offerings by fire and His inheritance.
18:2 Thus they shall have no inheritance in the midst of their brothers; Jehovah is their inheritance, as He has promised them.
18:3 And this shall be the priests’ rightful due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: They shall give the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the stomach.
18:4 You shall give him the firstfruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your fresh oil, and the first shearing of your sheep;
18:5 For Jehovah your God has chosen him and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in Jehovah’s name always.
18:6 And if a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he sojourns, and comes according to all his soul’s desire to the place which Jehovah will choose,
18:7 He shall minister in the name of Jehovah his God, like all his brothers, the Levites, who stand there before Jehovah.
18:8 They shall eat equal portions, besides the proceeds from the sale of his father’s estate.
18:9 When you enter the land which Jehovah your God is giving you, you shall not learn to do things according to the abominations of those nations.
18:10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through fire; anyone who performs divination, practices soothsaying, or interprets omens; or anyone who employs sorcery
18:11 Or casts spells; or anyone who consults a spirit of the dead or a familiar spirit or inquires of the dead;
18:12 For everyone who does these things is an abomination to Jehovah; and on account of these abominations Jehovah your God is dispossessing them from before you.
18:13 You shall be blameless toward Jehovah your God.
18:14 For these nations whom you are dispossessing listen to those who practice soothsaying and to those who perform divination, but Jehovah your God has not allowed you to do so.
18:15 A Prophet will Jehovah your God raise up for you from your midst, from among your brothers, like me; you shall listen to Him.
18:16 This is according to all that you asked of Jehovah your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear any more of the voice of Jehovah my God, and let me not see this great fire any longer, lest I die.
18:17 And Jehovah said to me, They have done well in what they have spoken.
18:18 A Prophet will I raise up for them from the midst of their brothers like you; and I will put My words in His mouth, and He will speak to them all that I command Him.
18:19 And the man who will not listen to My words which He will speak in My name, I Myself will require it from him.
18:20 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name, which I did not command him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.
18:21 And if you say in your heart, How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?
18:22 When a prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the thing does not happen nor come about, that is the thing which Jehovah has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.