Deuteronomy 18

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

The priests and the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire and his portion.

2 and he hath no inheritance in the midst of his brethren; Jehovah Himself [is] his inheritance, as He hath spoken to him.

They shall have no inheritance amongst their brothers. The LORD 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 hath 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 the first of thy corn, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy flock, thou dost give to him;

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 on him hath Jehovah thy God fixed, out of all thy tribes, to stand to serve in the name of Jehovah, He and his sons continually.

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

6 'And when the Levite cometh from one of thy cities out of all Israel, where he hath sojourned, and hath come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah doth choose,

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 the LORD shall choose,

7 then he hath ministered in the name of Jehovah his God, like all his brethren, the Levites, who are standing there before Jehovah,

then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD.

8 portion as portion they do eat, apart from his sold things, with the fathers.

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

9 'When thou art coming in unto the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, thou dost not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations:

When you have come into the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations.

10 there is not found in thee 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 asking at a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking unto the dead.

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

12 'For the abomination of Jehovah [is] every one doing these, and because of these abominations is Jehovah thy God dispossessing them from thy presence.

For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. Because of these abominations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

13 Perfect thou art with Jehovah thy God,

You shall be blameless with the LORD your God.

14 for these nations whom thou art possessing, unto observers of clouds, and unto diviners, do hearken; and thou — not so hath Jehovah thy God suffered thee.

For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practise sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you so to do.

15 'A prophet out of thy midst, out of thy brethren, like to me, doth Jehovah thy God raise up to thee — unto him ye hearken;

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

16 according to all that thou didst ask from Jehovah thy God, in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not add to hear the voice of Jehovah my God, and this great fire let me not see any more, and I die not;

This is according to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the LORD my God’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.”

17 and Jehovah saith unto me, They have done well that they have spoken;

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

18 a prophet I raise up to them, out of the midst of their brethren, like to thee; and I have given my words in his mouth, and he hath spoken unto them all that which I command him;

I will raise them up a prophet from amongst 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 hath been — the man who doth not hearken unto My words which he doth speak 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 presumeth to speak a word in My name — that which I have not commanded him to speak — and who speaketh in the name of other gods — even that prophet hath 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 thou sayest in thy heart, How do we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken? —

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

22 that which the prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing is not, and cometh not — it [is] the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; in presumption hath the prophet spoken it; — thou art not afraid of him.

When a prophet speaks in the LORD’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.