Provisions for the Levites
1“The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, will have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They will eat the Lord’s food offerings; that is their18:1 LXX; MT reads his18:1 Or his inheritance.
2Although Levi has no inheritance among his brothers, the Lord is his inheritance, as he promised him.18:2 Nm 18:20; Dt 12:12; 14:27–29; Jos 14:4
3This is the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether it is an ox, a sheep, or a goat; the priests are to be given the shoulder, jaws, and stomach.
4You are to give him the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and fresh oil,18:4 Dt 14:23; Neh 10:39; 13:5,12 and the first sheared wool of your flock.
5For the Lord your God has chosen him and his sons from all your tribes to stand and minister in his name from now on.18:5 Lit name all the days
6When a Levite leaves one of your towns in Israel where he was staying and wants to go to the place the Lord chooses,
7he may serve in the name of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who minister there in the presence of the Lord.
8They will eat equal portions besides what he has received from the sale of the family estate.18:8 Hb obscure18:8 Nm 18:8–32
Occult Practices versus Prophetic Revelation
9“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable customs of those nations.18:9 Ex 23:24; Dt 20:18; 1Kg 14:24; 2Kg 17:15; Ezk 16:47
10No one among you is to sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire,18:10 Lit to make his son or daughter pass through the fire18:10 Lv 18:21; 2Kg 16:3; 17:17; 21:6; 23:10; Jr 32:35; Ezk 20:26,31; 23:37 practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery,
11cast spells, consult a medium or a spiritist, or inquire of the dead.18:11 Lv 19:26,31; 20:6,27; Nm 22:7; 23:23; 1Sm 28:3; 2Kg 23:24; 2Ch 33:6; Is 2:6; 8:19; Jr 14:14; Ezk 13:7; 21:21; Mc 3:11
12Everyone who does these acts is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable acts.
13You must be blameless before the Lord your God.
14Though these nations you are about to drive out listen to fortune-tellers and diviners, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do this.
15“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers.18:15 Mt 21:11; Lk 2:25–34; 7:16; 24:19; Jn 1:21,25; 4:19; Ac 3:22; 7:37 You must listen to him.
16This is what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, ‘Let us not continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God or see this great fire any longer, so that we will not die!’ 18:16 Ex 20:19; Dt 5:23–27
17Then the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well.
18I 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.
19I will hold accountable whoever does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name.18:19 Ac 3:23
20But the prophet who presumes to speak a message in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods — that prophet must die.’
21You may say to yourself, ‘How can we recognize a message the Lord has not spoken?’
22When a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name, and the message does not come true or is not fulfilled, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
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