Deuteronomy 18

1 The priests the Levites, even all 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.

Deuteronomy 18

Provision for Priests and Levites

1 The Levitical priestst – indeed, the entire tribe of Levi – will have no allotment or inheritance with Israel; they may eat the burnt offerings of the Lord and of his inheritance.s2 Theyt will have no inheritance in the midst of their fellow Israelites;t the Lord alone is their inheritance, just as he had told them.3 This shall be the priests’ fair allotmentt from the people who offer sacrifices, whether bull or sheep – they must give to the priest the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach.4 You must give them the best of yourt grain, new wine, and olive oil, as well as the best of your wool when you shear your flocks.5 For the Lord your God has chosen them and their sons from all your tribes to stands and serve in his namet permanently.6 Suppose a Levite comes by his own free willt from one of your villages, from any part of Israel where he is living,t to the place the Lord chooses7 and serves in the name of the Lord his God like his fellow Levites who stand there before the Lord.

8 He must eat the same share they do, despite any profits he may gain from the sale of his family’s inheritance.t

Provision for Prophetism

9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, you must not learn the abhorrent practices of those nations.10 There must never be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire,t anyone who practices divination,t an omen reader,t a soothsayer,t a sorcerer,t11 one who casts spells,t one who conjures up spirits,t a practitioner of the occult,t or a necromancer.t12 Whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord and because of these detestable thingst the Lord your God is about to drive them outt from before you.13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God.

14 Those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to omen readers and diviners, but the Lord your God has not given you permission to do such things.
15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you – from your fellow Israelites;st you must listen to him.16 This accords with what happened at Horeb in the day of the assembly. You asked the Lord your God: “Please do not make us hear the voice of the Lord ourt God any more or see this great fire any more lest we die.”17 The Lord then said to me, “What they have said is good.18 I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I command.

19 I will personally hold responsiblet anyone who then pays no attention to the words that prophett speaks in my name.
20 “But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorizedt him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.21 Now if you say to yourselves,t ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord?’t –

22 whenever a prophet speaks in myt name and the predictiont is not fulfilled,t then I havet not spoken it;t the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”