Deuteronomy 18

Chapter 18

Gifts for the Priests and Levites

1 “Remember that the Levitical priests—that is, the whole of the tribe of Levi—will receive no allotment of land among the other tribes in Israel. Instead, the priests and Levites will eat from the special gifts given to the LORD, for that is their share.

2 They will have no land of their own among the Israelites. The LORD himself is their special possession, just as he promised them.
3 “These are the parts the priests may claim as their share from the cattle, sheep, and goats that the people bring as offerings: the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach.4 You must also give to the priests the first share of the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and the wool at shearing time.

5 For the LORD your God chose the tribe of Levi out of all your tribes to minister in the LORD’s name forever.
6 “Suppose a Levite chooses to move from his town in Israel, wherever he is living, to the place the LORD chooses for worship.7 He may minister there in the name of the LORD his God, just like all his fellow Levites who are serving the LORD there.

8 He may eat his share of the sacrifices and offerings, even if he also receives support from his family.

A Call to Holy Living

9 “When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there.10 For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering.t And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft,11 or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead.12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the LORD your God will drive them out ahead of you.13 But you must be blameless before the LORD your God.

14 The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the LORD your God forbids you to do such things.”

True and False Prophets

15 Moses continued, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.

16 For this is what you yourselves requested of the LORD your God when you were assembled at Mount Sinai.t You said, ‘Don’t let us hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore or see this blazing fire, for we will die.’
17 “Then the LORD said to me, ‘What they have said is right.18 I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him.19 I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf.

20 But any prophet who falsely claims to speak in my name or who speaks in the name of another god must die.’
21 “But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the LORD?’

22 If the prophet speaks in the LORD’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the LORD did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.

DEUTERONOMY 18

Special Privileges //for Priests and Levites

(Numbers 18.8-32)

Moses said to Israel:

1 The people of the Levi tribe, including the priests, will not receive any land. Instead, they will receive part of the sacrifices that are offered to the [Lord],

2 t because he has promised to provide for them in this way.
3 When you sacrifice a bull or sheep, the priests will be given the shoulder, the jaws, and the stomach.t 4 In addition, they will receive the first part of your grain harvest and part of your first batches of wine and olive oil.t You must also give them the first wool that is cut from your sheep each year.

5 Give these gifts to the priests, because the [Lord] has chosen them and their descendants out of all the tribes of Israel to be his special servants at the place of worship.
6 Any Levite can leave his hometown, and go to the place where the [Lord] chooses to be worshiped, 7 and then be a special servant of the [Lord]t there, just like all the other Levites.

8 Some Levites may have money from selling family possessions, and others may not. But all Levites serving at the place of worship will receive the same amount of food from the sacrifices and gifts brought by the people.

Don't Do Disgusting Things

Moses said to Israel:

10-11 t Don't sacrifice your son or daughter. And don't try to use any kind of magic or witchcraft to tell fortunest or to cast spells or to talk with spirits of the dead.
12 The [Lord] is disgusted with anyone who does these things, and that's why he will help you destroy the nations that are in the land.

13 t Never be guilty of doing any of these disgusting things!

A Prophet like Moses

Moses said to Israel:

16 You were asking for a prophet the day you were gathered at Mount Sinait and said to the [Lord], “Please don't let us hear your voice or see this terrible fire again—if we do, we will die!”

17 Then the [Lord] told me:
Moses, they have said the right thing. 18 So when I want to speak to them, I will choose one of them to be a prophet like you. I will give my message to that prophet, who will tell the people exactly what I have said.

19 t Since the message comes from me, anyone who doesn't obey the message will have to answer to me.

20 But if I haven't spoken, and a prophet claims to have a message from me, you must kill that prophet, and you must also kill any prophet who claims to have a message from another god.

Moses said to Israel: