Deuteronomy 18:21

_AND IF THOU SAY IN THINE HEART, HOW SHALL WE KNOW THE WORD WHICH THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN?_ If thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? - (see the notes at Deuteronomy 13:1)...

21._And if thou say in thy heart. _This exception has reference to the prohibition, which we have already noticed in this same chapter. God, in His appointment of Prophets to be His substitutes in teaching the people, had invested them with no common authority, enjoining obedience to be paid to their precepts. But those, upon whom the office of teaching is conferred, do not alwayduly fulfill it; and hence the doubt naturally arises, how the people shall determine when they are addressed as by Gods mouth, so as to distinguish the true from the false. There is, therefore, no question expressed in words, but God anticipates the secret scruples which might otherwise keep men’s minds in suspense; for to “say in the heart” is equivalent to doubting in one’s self when any danger is perceived. Now, to remove this difficulty, He does not enumerate all the marks of distinction; because He does not...

15-22 It is here promised concerning Christ, that there should come a Prophet, great above all the prophets; by whom God would make known himself and his will to the children of men, more fully and clearly than he had ever done before. He is the Light of the world, John 8:12. He is the World by whom God speaks to us, John 1:1; Hebrews 1:2. In his birth he should be one of their nation. In his resurrection he should be raised up at Jerusalem, and from thence his doctrine should go forth to all the world. Thus God, having raised up his Son Christ Jesus, sent him to bless us. He should be like unto Moses, only above him. This prophet is come, even JESUS; and is "He that should come," and we are to look for no other. The view of God which he gives, will...

AND IF THOU SAY IN THINE HEART, HOW ... - The passage evidently assumes such an occasion for consulting the prophet as was usual among the pagan, e. g., an impending battle or other such crisis (compare 1 Kings 22:11), in which his veracity would soon be put to the test. Failure of a prediction is set forth as a sure note of its being “presumptuous.” But from Deuteronomy 13:2 ff we see that the fulfillment of a prediction would not decisively accredit him who uttered it: for the prophet or dreamer of dreams who endeavoured on the strength of miracles to seduce to idolatry was to be rejected and punished. Nothing therefore contrary to the revealed truth of God was to be accepted under any circumstances....

EXPOSITION RIGHTS OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES. THE ARTS OF DIVINATION OF THE HEATHEN TO BE AVOIDED. PROPHETS PROMISED WHOM ISRAEL MUST HEAR. THE FALSE AND PRESUMPTUOUS PROPHET TO BE PUT TO DEATH. DEUTERONOMY 18:1 After the ruling powers, the judges and the king, come the priests and the

AND IF THOU SAY IN THINE HEART, c] Such a thought arises in the mind, and it appears to be a difficulty, and a query is made upon it, HOW SHALL WE KNOW THE WORD WHICH THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN? What marks, signs, and criterions are those by which it may be known that it is not a word that comes from the Lord?...

14. THE RIGHTS OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES, THE TRUE AND THE FALSE PROPHET CHAPTER 18 _ 1. The rights of the priests and Levites (Deuteronomy 18:1)_ 2. Forbidden things (Deuteronomy 18:9) kite hate is stirred up in his wicked heart, and he became full of wrath. An unseen being, he who is the murderer from the beginning, told him to make this occasion for destroying all the Jews in the Persian Empire. Esther 3:7. And now Haman waits on his unseen master, the devil. They cast the lot before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. He wanted to find out the month which would be best suited for the execution of his wicke

CONCERNING THE PROPHET. The Israelites are to consult Yahweh through His accredited messenger the prophet, and not through diviners who seek oracles by heathen methods. There is no parallel law in JE because about 800 B.C. and earlier the religious community was simple and undifferentiated: nor in P, where the priest is everything. For the several technical terms in Deuteronomy 18:10 f. (all denoting diviners of various kinds), see EBi. 1117, 2895, and especially later and longer articles on Divination and Magic in _International Standard Bible Encyclopæ dia.___ Deuteronomy 18:10. maketh. fire, etc.: read (with Geiger) that burneth. in the fire (transposing two consonants). The reference is to child-sacrifice (common among the Phœ nicians, etc.) practised as a means

HOW SHALL WE KNOW... ? Compare Jeremiah 28:9....

Of Prophets in contrast to Diviners, etc. In the promised land Israel must have nothing to do with the abominations of its peoples (Deuteronomy 18:9); with any one passing his children through the fire, or diviner, soothsayer, augur, sorcerer, spell-binder or trafficker with the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10 f.), for these are abominations to Jehovah to whom Israel must be utterly loyal (Deuteronomy 18:12-14). A prophet shall He raise up from among themselves, to be such a mediator of His word, as in Ḥoreb they had prayed Moses to be; to him shall they hearken (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). The prophe