Deuteronomy 18

Of inheritance and right of the priest of the Levites to the offering and first-fruits verse 1 &c. a prohibition from following heathenish idolatrous and devilish abomination of the heathen 9 a most glorious promise concerning the sending of our savior Christ who is the head and chief of all the prophets 15 of the punishments and distinguishing character or token of a false prophet 20.

1. The Levitical priest all the tribe of Levi shall have neither part nor inheritance with Israel [see numbers 18.20 and above chapter 10.9] they shall eat the firte offering of the Lord [see Leviticus 1 on verse 9] and his inheritance.

2. Therefore he [to wit the Levites] shall have no inheritance in the midst of his brethren the Lord his inheritance [see numbers 18.20 and above chapter 10on verse 9] according as he hath spoken unto him.

3. Now this shall be the priest due from the people from that offer an offering whether a bullock or small cattle that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder and both the cheeks and the maw.

4. The first fruits of thy corn of new wine and of thine oil and the firstlings of the sheering of the sheep shalt thou give him.

5. For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes that he shall stand to minister in the name of the Lord [so below verse 7 see above chapter 10 on verse 8] he and his sons at all days[or times.]

6. Moreover when a Levite shall come out of thy one gates out of all Israel where he dwelleth and he cometh according to all the desire of is soul unto this place which the Lord shall have chosen.

7. And he shall minister [others that or he shall or may minister in the following verses they shall eat a like portion] in the name of the Lord his God as all his brethren the Levites do which stand here before the face of the Lord.

8. then shall they[or he] eat a like portion [Heb. Portion like portion] besides his sales[or besides everyone’s sales that is besides which they have and reserve of the price or goods that are sold which they may buy again and redeem Leviticus 25:32,33] by the fathers [that is done to or by the fathers household or families others according to the fathers households into which the Levites were divided numbers 3 some join these words of this verse in this sense alike portion shall they eat yet so that everyone be joined to his father family others only of that which is delivered to him after the fathers household.]

9. When thou comest into the Land which the Lord thy God shall give thee then shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations [the Canaanites that dwell therein.]

10. There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his sons or his daughter to pass through the fire [see the annotate on Leviticus 18:21] that dealeth with soothsaying’s [Heb. A foreteller of foretelling or riddler of the riddles guesser of the guessing] a juggler [see Leviticus 19 on verse 26] or that giveth heed to the cry of the birds or conjurer.

11. A fortune teller or an exorcist that useth exorcism [Heb. That sweareth with exorcism or conjureth conjuring properly one that couplet coupling together.] or one that enquireth for a soothsaying spirit [see Leviticus chapter 19 on verse 31 and 20 on verse 6] or a devils artificer or one that enquireth the dead.

12. For whosoever doth those things is an abomination unto the Lord [Heb. An abomination of the Lord see chapter 17.1] because of those abominations the lord thy god doth drive them [to wit the inhabitants of Canaan] out of possession before thy face.

13. Thou shalt be upright with the Lord thy God.

14. For those nations which thou shalt inherit [that is whose land which thou shalt inherit as above chapter 9.1and elsewhere] hearken jugglers and soothsayers but as for thee the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee to do these things [Heb. Hath not suffered thee so understand to do.]

15. the Lord thy god will raise unto the prophet [meaning the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 3:22 and 7.37] from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me notwithstanding the eternal Godhead that immaculate manhood and the soul service of the Lord Jesus Christ he may nevertheless compared with Moseh in these particulars following first as Moseh was a true man of the seed of Abraham so was also Christ secondly as Moseh brought the people of God out of bodily thralldom thirdly as Moseh stood between God and his people in the covenant of the law Galatians 3:19 so is Christ the only mediator between God and his people in the covenant of grace fourthly as Moseh was faithful in Gods house Hebrews 3:2 so is Christ faithful above all in taking care for his church &c. fifthly Moseh and the great prophet and the teachers of the people Christ is the head or chief of all the prophets by whose spirit Moseh and the rest of the prophets spake 1Peter 1.11 but that here other prophets are not meant appeareth Deuteronomy 34:10 where it is said there arose no prophet in Israel like unto Moseh] unto him ye shall hearken.

16. according to all that desirest of the Lord thy God at Horeb in the day of the assembly saying I will not go on to hear the voice of the Lord my God neither will I see this great fire any more left I die.

17. Then said the Lord unto me it is good that which they have spoken [Heb. They have made good or done well that they have spoken as above chapter 5.28.]

18. I will raise them up a prophet from the midst of their brethren like unto thee and I will give my words into his mouth [compare this phrase with exodus 4.15 and below chapter 31.19, 2 Samuel 14:3 Psalms 40:4 Jeremiah 1:9 and 5.14 although there be a great difference between this work of god on the person of Christ and the ministry of the servants or the acting of the other man] and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

19. And it shall come to pass that the man that shall not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him.

20. But the prophet that shall deal presumptuously speaking a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak or that shall speak in the name of the other Gods that prophet shall die.

21. If then thou should say in thane heart how shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?

22. When the Prophet shall have spoken in the name of the Lord and that word happen not nor come to pass [this is the second mark nor token of a false prophet of the consisting in the point of the doctrine see above chapter 13] that is the word which the Lord hath not spoken that prophet hath spoken it proudly thou shalt not be afraid of him [others of it namely the word prophesy.]