Deuteronomy 18

1 “There is not for the priests, the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—a portion and inheritance with Israel; they eat fire-offerings of YHWH, even His inheritance,

The priests and 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 and he has no inheritance in the midst of his brothers; YHWH Himself [is] his inheritance, as He has spoken to him.

They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. Yahweh is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.

3 And this is the priest’s right from the people, from those sacrificing a sacrifice, whether ox or sheep, he has even given to the priest the leg, and the two cheeks, and the stomach;

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 you give to him the first of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your flock;

You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep.

5 for your God YHWH has fixed on him, out of all your tribes, to stand to serve in the Name of YHWH—him and his sons continually.

For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in Yahweh’s name, him and his sons forever.

6 And when the Levite comes from one of your cities, out of all Israel where he has sojourned, and has come with all the desire of his soul to the place which YHWH chooses,

If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel where he lives, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose,

7 then he has ministered in the Name of his God YHWH like all his brothers, the Levites, who are standing there before YHWH.

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 eat portion like portion, apart from his sold things from the fathers.

They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.

9 When you are coming into the land which your God YHWH is giving to you, you do not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations.

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 is not found in you one causing his son and his daughter to pass over into fire, a user of divinations, an observer of clouds, and an enchanter, and a sorcerer,

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 tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,

11 and a charmer, and one inquiring from a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking to the dead.

or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

12 For everyone doing these [is] an abomination [to] YHWH, and because of these abominations your God YHWH is dispossessing them from your presence.

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 must be perfect with your God YHWH,

You shall be blameless with Yahweh your God.

14 for these nations whom you are possessing listen to observers of clouds and to diviners; but you—your God YHWH has not permitted you so.

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 Your God YHWH raises up for you a Prophet like me out of your midst, out of your brothers—you must listen to Him,

Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.

16 according to all that you asked from your God YHWH in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Do not let me add to hear the voice of my God YHWH, and do not let me see this great fire anymore, and I do not die;

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 Yahweh my God’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.”

17 and YHWH says to me, They have done well [in] what they have spoken;

Yahweh said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken.

18 I raise up for them a Prophet like you out of the midst of their brothers, and I have given My words in His mouth, and He has spoken to them all that which I command Him;

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 and it has been [that] the man who does not listen to My words which He speaks in My Name, I require [it] of him.

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 Only, the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, and who speaks in the name of other gods, indeed, that prophet has died.

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 And when you say in your heart, How do we know the word which YHWH has not spoken?

You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?”

22 That which the prophet speaks in the Name of YHWH, and the thing is not, and does not come—it [is] the word which YHWH has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it in presumption; you are not afraid of him.”

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.