Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 18:15-22

Priests, Prophets, and the Word That Is Near

From Levitical provision (vv. 1–8), to prohibition of Canaanite occultism (vv. 9–14), to the promise and test of the true prophet (vv. 15–22) — the chapter moves from sustaining God's ordained mediators, to clearing the field of counterfeit rivals, to disclosing the supreme mediator to come.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.

16 This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!”

17 Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well.

18 I 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.

19 And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name.

20 But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”

21 You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?”

22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular will raise up יָקִ֥ים H6965 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular for you לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular a prophet נָבִ֨יא H5030 Noun - masculine singular like me כָּמֹ֔נִי H3644 Preposition | first person common singular from among מִקִּרְבְּךָ֤ H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular your brothers מֵאַחֶ֙יךָ֙ H251 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular You must listen תִּשְׁמָעֽוּן׃ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun to him אֵלָ֖יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Acts 3:22
Verse 16

Original words

This is what כְּכֹ֨ל H3605 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative you asked שָׁאַ֜לְתָּ H7592 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular of מֵעִ֨ם H5973 Preposition-m the LORD יְהוָ֤ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular at Horeb בְּחֹרֵ֔ב H2722 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular on the day בְּי֥וֹם H3117 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of the assembly הַקָּהָ֖ל H6951 Article | Noun - masculine singular when you said לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Let us not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle - אֹסֵ֗ף H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - first person common singular hear לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ H8085 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the voice קוֹל֙ H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular our God אֱלֹהָ֔י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker or see אֶרְאֶ֥ה H7200 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular לֹֽא־ לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle this הַזֹּ֛את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular great הַגְּדֹלָ֥ה H1419 Article | Adjective - feminine singular fire הָאֵ֨שׁ H784 Article | Noun - common singular anymore ע֖וֹד H5750 Adverb so that we will not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle die אָמֽוּת׃ H4191 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular

BSB notes

  • That is, Mount Sinai, or possibly a mountain in the range containing Mount Sinai
Verse 17

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֥אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to me אֵלָ֑י H413 Preposition | first person common singular They have spoken דִּבֵּֽרוּ׃ H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural well הֵיטִ֖יבוּ H3190 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative
Verse 18

Original words

I will raise up אָקִ֥ים H6965 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . לָהֶ֛ם Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural for them a prophet נָבִ֨יא H5030 Noun - masculine singular like you כָּמ֑וֹךָ H3644 Preposition | second person masculine singular from among מִקֶּ֥רֶב H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct their brothers אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם H251 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural I will put וְנָתַתִּ֤י H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular My words דְבָרַי֙ H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular in his mouth בְּפִ֔יו H6310 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and he will tell וְדִבֶּ֣ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular them אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker everything כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative I command him אֲצַוֶּֽנּוּ׃ H6680 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

- וְהָיָ֗ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular And I אָנֹכִ֖י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular will hold accountable אֶדְרֹ֥שׁ H1875 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃ H5973 Preposition-m | third person masculine singular anyone הָאִישׁ֙ H376 Article | Noun - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative does not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle listen יִשְׁמַע֙ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition My words דְּבָרַ֔י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative [the prophet] speaks יְדַבֵּ֖ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in My name בִּשְׁמִ֑י H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • See Acts 3:23.
Verse 20

Original words

But אַ֣ךְ H389 Adverb if any prophet הַנָּבִ֡יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative dares יָזִיד֩ H2102 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to speak לְדַבֵּ֨ר H1696 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct a message דָּבָ֜ר H1697 Noun - masculine singular in My name בִּשְׁמִ֗י H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular - אֵ֣ת H853 Direct object marker that אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative I have not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle commanded him צִוִּיתִיו֙ H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular to speak לְדַבֵּ֔ר H1696 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct [or] וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - relative to speak יְדַבֵּ֔ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in the name בְּשֵׁ֖ם H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of other אֲחֵרִ֑ים H312 Adjective - masculine plural gods אֱלֹהִ֣ים H430 Noun - masculine plural that הַהֽוּא׃ H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular prophet הַנָּבִ֥יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular must be put to death וּמֵ֖ת H4191 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

- וְכִ֥י H3588 Conjunction You may ask תֹאמַ֖ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular in your heart בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ H3824 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular How אֵיכָה֙ H349 Interjection can we recognize נֵדַ֣ע H3045 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker a message הַדָּבָ֔ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle spoken דִבְּר֖וֹ H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

When אֲשֶׁר֩ H834 Pronoun - relative a prophet הַנָּבִ֜יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular speaks יְדַבֵּ֨ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in the name בְּשֵׁ֣ם H8034 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and the message הַדָּבָר֙ H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular does not וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle come to pass יִהְיֶ֤ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular [or] וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle come true יָב֔וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular that ה֣וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular is a message הַדָּבָ֔ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle spoken דִבְּר֖וֹ H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular The prophet הַנָּבִ֔יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular has spoken דִּבְּר֣וֹ H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular presumptuously בְּזָדוֹן֙ H2087 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Do not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be afraid תָג֖וּר H1481 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular of him מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ס H4480 Preposition | third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.