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Deuteronomy Chapter 18

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asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM

1 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, according to thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
2 Thou shalt not wrest justice: thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a bribe; for a bribe doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
3 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
4 Thou shalt not plant thee an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
5 Neither shalt thou set thee up a pillar; which Jehovah thy God hateth.
6 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God an ox, or a sheep, wherein is a blemish,
7 or anything evil; for that is an abomination unto Jehovah thy God.
8 If there be found in the midst of thee, within any of thy gates which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that doeth that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah thy God, in transgressing his covenant,
9 and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded,
10 and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it; then shalt thou inquire diligently; and, behold, if it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel,
11 then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, who hath done this evil thing, unto thy gates, even the man or the woman; and thou shalt stone them to death with stones.
12 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is to die be put to death; at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
13 The hand of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So thou shalt put away the evil from the midst of thee.
14 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise, and get thee up unto the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose;
15 and thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days: and thou shalt inquire; and they shall show thee the sentence of judgment.
16 And thou shalt do according to the tenor of the sentence which they shall show thee from that place which Jehovah shall choose; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they shall teach thee:
17 according to the tenor of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do; thou shalt not turn aside from the sentence which they shall show thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.
18 And the man that doeth presumptuously, in not hearkening unto the priest that standeth to minister there before Jehovah thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
19 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
20 When thou art come unto the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me;
21 thou shalt surely set him king over thee, whom Jehovah thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.
22 Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses; forasmuch as Jehovah hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 The priests, the Levites, [and] the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel: Jehovah's offerings by fire, and his inheritance shall they eat,
2 but they shall have no inheritance among their brethren: Jehovah, he is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
3 And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that sacrifice a sacrifice, whether ox, or sheep: they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the jawbones, and the maw.
4 The firstfruits [also] of thy corn, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the firstfruits of the shearing of thy sheep, shalt thou give him;
5 for Jehovah thyGod hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, that he may stand to serve in the name of Jehovah, he and his sons continually.
6 And if the Levite shall come from one of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourneth, and shall come according to all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah will choose,
7 and shall serve in the name of Jehovah hisGod, as all his brethren the Levites that stand there before Jehovah,
8 — they shall have like portions to eat, besides that which he hath sold of his patrimony.
9 When thou art come into the land which Jehovah thyGod giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you he that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, that useth divination, that useth auguries, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
11 or a charmer, or one that inquireth of a spirit of Python, or a soothsayer, or one that consulteth the dead.
12 For every one that doeth these things is an abomination to Jehovah, and because of these abominations Jehovah thyGod doth dispossess them from before thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thyGod.
14 For these nations, which thou shalt dispossess, hearkened unto those that use auguries, and that use divination; but as for thee, Jehovah thyGod hath not suffered thee [to do] so.
15 Jehovah thyGod will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken;
16 according to all that thou desiredst of Jehovah thyGod at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah myGod, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17 And Jehovah said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18 A prophet will I raise up unto them from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass that the man who hearkeneth not unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 But the prophet who shall presume to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of othergods, that prophet shall die.
21 And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word that Jehovah hath not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing followeth not, nor cometh to pass, that is the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: be not afraid of him.

lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

1 The priests, the Levites, even the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel; the burnt-offerings of the Lord [are] their inheritance, they shall eat them.
2 And they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the Lord himself [is] his portion, as he said to him.
3 And this [is] the due of the priests in the things coming from the people from those who offer sacrifices, whether it be a calf or a sheep; and thou shalt give the shoulder to the priest, and the cheeks, and the great intestine:
4 and the first-fruits of thy corn, and of thy wine, and of thine oil; and thou shalt give to him the first-fruits of the fleeces of thy sheep:
5 because the Lord has chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand before the Lord thy God, to minister and bless in his name, himself and his sons among the children of Israel.
6 And if a Levite come from one of the cities of all the children of Israel, where he himself dwells, accordingly as his mind desires, to the place which he shall have chosen,
7 he shall minister to the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites, who stand there present before the Lord thy God.
8 He shall eat an allotted portion, besides the sale of his hereditary property.
9 And when thou shalt have entered into the land which the Lord thy God gives thee, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found in thee one who purges his son or his daughter with fire, one who uses divination, who deals with omens, and augury,
11 a sorcerer employing incantation, one who has in him a divining spirit, an observer of signs, questioning the dead.
12 For every one that does these things is an abomination to the Lord thy God; for because of these abominations the Lord will destroy them from before thy face.
13 Thou shalt be perfect before the Lord thy God.
14 For all these nations whose [land] thou shalt inherit, they will listen to omens and divinations; but the Lord thy God has not permitted thee so [to do].
15 The Lord thy God shall raise up to thee a prophet of thy brethren, like me; him shall ye hear:
16 according to all things which thou didst desire of the Lord thy God in Choreb in the day of the assembly, saying, We will not again hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and we will not any more see this great fire, and [so] we shall not die.
17 And the Lord said to me, They have spoken rightly all that they have said to thee.
18 I will raise up to them a prophet of their brethren, like thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them as I shall command him.
19 And whatever man shall not hearken to whatsoever words that prophet shall speak in my name, I will take vengeance on him.
20 But the prophet whosoever shall impiously speak in my name a word which I have not commanded him to speak, and whosoever shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.
21 But if thou shalt say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?
22 Whatsoever words that prophet shall speak in the name of the Lord, and they shall not come true, and not come to pass, this [is] the thing which the Lord has not spoken; that prophet has spoken wickedly: ye shall not spare him.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Non habebunt sacerdotes et Levitæ, et omnes qui de eadem tribu sunt, partem et hereditatem cum reliquo Israel, quia sacrificia Domini, et oblationes eius comedent,
2 et nihil aliud accipient de possessione fratrum suorum: Dominus enim ipse est hereditas eorum, sicut locutus est illis.
3 Hoc erit iudicium sacerdotum a populo, et ab his qui offerunt victimas: sive bovem, sive ovem immolaverint, dabunt sacerdoti armum ac ventriculum:
4 primitias frumenti, vini, et olei, et lanarum partem ex ovium tonsione.
5 Ipsum enim elegit Dominus Deus tuus de cunctis tribubus tuis, ut stet, et ministret nomini Domini ipse, et filii eius in sempiternum.
6 Si exierit Levites ex una urbium tuarum ex omni Israel in qua habitat, et voluerit venire, desiderans locum quem elegerit Dominus,
7 ministrabit in nomine Domini Dei sui, sicut omnes fratres eius Levitæ, qui stabunt eo tempore coram Domino.
8 Partem ciborum eamdem accipiet, quam et ceteri: excepto eo, quod in urbe sua ex paterna ei successione debetur.
9 Quando ingressus fueris Terram, quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi, cave ne imitari velis abominationes illarum gentium.
10 nec inveniatur in te qui lustret filium suum, aut filiam, ducens per ignem: aut qui ariolos sciscitetur, et observet somnia atque auguria, nec sit maleficus,
11 nec incantantor, nec qui pythones consulat, nec divinos, aut quærat a mortuis veritatem.
12 omnia enim hæc abominatur Dominus, et propter istiusmodi scelera delebit eos in introitu tuo.
13 perfectus eris, et absque macula cum Domino Deo tuo.
14 Gentes istæ, quarum possidebis terram, augures et divinos audiunt: tu autem a Domino Deo tuo aliter institutus es.
15 PROPHETAM de gente tua et de fratribus tuis sicut me, suscitabit tibi Dominus Deus tuus: ipsum audies,
16 ut petisti a Domino Deo tuo in Horeb, quando concio congregata est, atque dixisti: Ultra non audiam vocem Domini Dei mei, et ignem hunc maximum amplius non videbo, ne moriar.
17 Et ait Dominus mihi: Bene omnia sunt locuti.
18 Prophetam suscitabo eis de medio fratrum suorum similem tui: et ponam verba mea in ore eius, loqueturque ad eos omnia quæ præcepero illi.
19 qui autem verba eius, quæ loquetur in nomine meo, audire noluerit, ego ultor existam.
20 Propheta autem qui arrogantia depravatus voluerit loqui in nomine meo, quæ ego non præcepi illi ut diceret, aut ex nomine alienorum deorum, interficietur.
21 Quod si tacita cogitatione responderis: Quo modo possum intelligere verbum, quod Dominus non est locutus?
22 hoc habebis signum: Quod in nomine Domini propheta ille prædixerit, et non evenerit: hoc Dominus non est locutus, sed per tumorem animi sui propheta confinxit: et idcirco non timebis eum.

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 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 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers. The LORD is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.
3 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 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 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 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 shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD.
8 They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.
9 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 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 or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 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 You shall be blameless with the LORD your God.
14 For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you so to do.
15 The LORD your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.
16 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 The LORD said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken.
18 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 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 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 You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?”
22 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.

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

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,
2 and he hath no inheritance in the midst of his brethren; Jehovah Himself <FI>is<Fi> his inheritance, as He hath spoken to him.
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;
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;
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.
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,
7 then he hath ministered in the name of Jehovah his God, like all his brethren, the Levites, who are standing there before Jehovah,
8 portion as portion they do eat, apart from his sold things, with the fathers.
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:
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,
11 and a charmer, and one asking at a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking unto the dead.
12 `For the abomination of Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> every one doing these, and because of these abominations is Jehovah thy God dispossessing them from thy presence.
13 Perfect thou art with Jehovah thy 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.
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;
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;
17 and Jehovah saith unto me, They have done well that 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;
19 and it hath been--the man who doth not hearken unto My words which he doth speak in My name, I require <FI>it<Fi> 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.
21 `And when thou sayest in thy heart, How do we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken? --
22 that which the prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing is not, and cometh not--it <FI>is<Fi> the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; in presumption hath the prophet spoken it; --thou art not afraid of him.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).