Deuteronomy 18: A Prophet Like Moses
The Levites live by what God provides, occult practices are forbidden, and God promises to raise up a prophet whom his people must hear.
Deuteronomy 18 (WEB)
1 The priests the Levites, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire and his portion.
2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.
3 This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts.
4 The first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.
5 For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes, to stand to minister in Yahweh’s name, him and his sons for ever.
6 If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he lives as a foreigner, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose;
7 then he shall minister in the name of Yahweh his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh.
8 They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.
9 When you have come into the land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
11 or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh. Because of these abominations, Yahweh your God drives them out from before you.
13 You shall be perfect with Yahweh your God.
14 For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you so to do.
15 Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from your midst, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.
16 This is according to all that you desired of Yahweh your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of Yahweh my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.”
17 Yahweh said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken.
18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.
19 It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”
21 You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?”
22 When a prophet speaks in Yahweh’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.
Deuteronomy 18 (KJV)
1 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance.
2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
3 And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.
4 The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give 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 sons for ever.
6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose;
7 Then he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the Lord.
8 They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
9 When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto 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 me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we 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 pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Deuteronomy 18 (ASV)
1 The priests the Levites, evenall the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, and his inheritance.
2 And they shall have no inheritance among their brethren: Jehovah is their inheritance, as he hath spoken unto them.
3 And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.
4 The first-fruits of thy grain, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
5 For Jehovah thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons for ever.
6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourneth, and come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah shall choose;
7 then he shall minister in the name of Jehovah his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before Jehovah.
8 They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
9 When thou art come into the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found with thee any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that useth divination, one that practiseth augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
11 or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah: and because of these abominations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God.
14 For these nations, that thou shalt dispossess, hearken unto them that practise augury, and unto diviners; but as for thee, Jehovah thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
15 Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
16 according to all that thou desiredst of Jehovah thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17 And Jehovah said unto me, They have well said that which they have spoken.
18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.
21 And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken?
22 when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Summary
Moses provides for those who serve at God's altar and warns against false ways of seeking the future. The tribe of Levi receives no land inheritance; instead the Lord himself is their inheritance, and they live on the offerings made by fire and the portions given by the people—the shoulder, cheeks, and inner parts, along with the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, and fleece. Any Levite who comes from the towns to serve at the chosen place is to share equally in this provision. Moses then forbids the abominations of the nations: child sacrifice, divination, sorcery, omens, spells, mediums, and consulting the dead. Such practices are detestable to the Lord and are the very reason the nations are being driven out; Israel is to be blameless before her God. In place of these dark arts, God gives a true and living word through prophets. The climax is God's promise: he will raise up a prophet like Moses from among their brothers, into whose mouth God will put his words; the people must listen to him. False prophets who speak presumptuously or in the name of other gods are to be tested by whether their word comes to pass. This promise reaches its fulfillment in Jesus, the Prophet like Moses, the very Word of God, whom we are called above all to hear.
Key Figures
- The priests and Levites — The tribe with no land inheritance, for whom the Lord himself is their portion, sustained by the offerings of the people.
- The prophet like Moses — The one God promises to raise up from among Israel's brothers, with God's own words in his mouth—fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
- The false prophet — One who speaks presumptuously in God's name or in the name of other gods, tested and exposed when his word fails to come to pass.
Key Verse
Deuteronomy 18:15 (WEB)
Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from your midst, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.
Lessons Learned
- Those who serve God's people are to be cared for, with God himself as the deepest portion of every servant.
- Seeking guidance through the occult is a rejection of the God who speaks plainly to his people.
- God does not leave his people in the dark; he gives a true word through his appointed prophet.
- The promised Prophet like Moses is Jesus, and our highest calling is to listen to him.
- The Lord himself is the servant's true inheritance. The Levites have no land, for “Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them” (Deuteronomy 18:2, WEB). God is the greater portion.
- God's people seek him, not the occult. Divination, sorcery, and consulting the dead are forbidden, for “whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh” (Deuteronomy 18:12, WEB).
- God speaks through the prophet he sends. “I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18, WEB); revelation comes by God's appointed messenger.
- Above all, listen to the promised Prophet. “You shall listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15, WEB)—a command God himself echoes at the transfiguration of Jesus, the Prophet like Moses.
- What does it mean that the Lord himself is the Levites' inheritance (18:1-2), and how might that comfort those who serve God?
- Why does God so strongly forbid the occult practices of the nations (18:9-13)?
- How does the promise of a prophet (18:15-19) answer Israel's fear at Horeb (18:16)?
- How is the test of a true prophet (18:21-22) meant to protect God's people?
- If Jesus is the Prophet we are commanded to hear, what would it look like for you to truly listen to him this week?
- It means the Levites' security rests in God rather than property, a profound assurance that the Lord is enough. For all who give themselves to God's service, this points to a treasure no inheritance could match—God himself as our portion, fulfilled for us in Christ.
- The occult seeks to control or know the future apart from God, rooted in the very abominations for which the nations are judged. God forbids it because it is rebellion dressed as guidance; his people are to trust and seek the God who speaks, not manipulate hidden powers.
- At Horeb the people begged not to hear God's terrifying voice directly. God graciously answers by promising a mediating prophet who carries his words—addressing their fear with mercy. This pattern reaches its fullness in Jesus, who brings us near to God.
- It gives a clear, observable standard: a true word from God comes to pass. This shields the people from being terrorized or misled by presumptuous voices, teaching them to weigh claims rather than fear every self-appointed prophet.
- This is a personal-application question. Lead the group to see Jesus as the long-awaited Prophet like Moses, the Word made flesh. Invite members to name one concrete way—through Scripture, obedience, or attentiveness—they will listen to him more closely.