Add parallel Print Page Options

Shares for Priests and Levites

18 The priests are from the tribe of Levi, and that tribe will not ·receive a share of the land [L have an allotment or inheritance] with the Israelites. They will eat the offerings made to the Lord by fire, which is their ·share [L inheritance]. They will not inherit any of the land like their brothers [Num. 26:62; Josh. 13:14; 14:4–5; 21], but they will inherit the Lord himself [10:9; Ex. 32:25–29; Josh. 18:7], as he has promised them.

When you offer a bull or sheep as a sacrifice, you must share with the priests, giving them the shoulder, the ·cheeks [jowls], and the ·inner organs [stomach]. Give them the first of your grain, new wine, and oil, as well as the first wool you cut from your sheep. The Lord your God has chosen the priests and their ·descendants [sons] out of all your tribes to stand and serve ·the [L in the name of the] Lord ·always [L all their days; 33:8–11].

If a Levite moves from one of your ·towns [L gates] anywhere in Israel where he ·lives [resides; sojourns] and comes to the place the Lord will choose [12:4–7], because ·he wants [L his soul desires] to serve the Lord there, he may serve ·the [L the name of the] Lord his God. He will be like his ·fellow [L brother] Levites who ·serve [L stand] there before the Lord. They all will have an equal share of the food. That is separate from what he has received from the sale of family possessions.

Do Not Follow Other Nations

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, don’t learn to do the ·hateful [detestable; abhorrent; abominable] things the other nations do. 10 Don’t let anyone among you offer a son or daughter as a sacrifice in the fire [12:30–31]. Don’t let anyone use ·magic [divination; Ex. 7:11; Ezek. 21:21] or witchcraft, or ·try to explain the meaning of signs [augury or sorcery]. 11 Don’t let anyone ·try to control others with magic [cast spells], and don’t let them ·be mediums [consult/inquire of ghosts or spirits] or try to ·talk with the spirits of [consult] dead people [1 Sam. 28]. 12 The Lord ·hates [detests] anyone who does these things. Because the other nations do these things, the Lord your God will ·force [dispossess] them out of the land ahead of you. 13 But you must be ·innocent [blameless] in the presence of the Lord your God.

The Lord’s Special Prophet

14 The nations you will ·force out [dispossess] listen to people who use ·magic [divination] and witchcraft, but the Lord your God will not let you do those things. 15 The Lord your God will ·give [L raise up for] you a prophet like me, who is one of your own ·people [relatives; brothers; C ultimately Jesus]. Listen to him [Acts 3:25–26; 7:37]. 16 This is what you asked the Lord your God to do when you were ·gathered [assembled] at ·Mount Sinai [Horeb; 1:6]. You said, “Don’t make ·us [L me] listen to the voice of the Lord ·our [L my] God again, and don’t make ·us [L me] look at this ·terrible [great] fire anymore, or ·we [L I] will die [5:23–27].”

17 So the Lord said to me, “What they have said is good. 18 So I will ·give [L raise up for] them a prophet like you, who is one of their own ·people [relatives; brothers]. I will ·tell him what to say [L put my words in his mouth], and he will tell them everything I command. 19 This prophet will speak for me; anyone who does not listen when he speaks in my name will ·answer [be accountable] to me. 20 But if a prophet ·says something I did not tell him to say as though he were speaking for me [L speaks presumptuously in my name a word I did not command him to speak], or if a prophet speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must be killed [Jer. 28:15–17].”

21 You might be ·thinking [L saying in your heart/mind], “How can we know if a message is not from the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet says in the name of the Lord does not happen, it is not the Lord’s message. That prophet was speaking ·his own ideas [presumptuously]. Don’t be afraid of him.

Bible Gateway Recommends