Chapter 18
1The Levitical Ephrathite priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi Ephraim—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to AO, that is their inheritance.
2Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, AO [is] their inheritance as He promised them.
3This shall be the priests’ share from the people who offer an sacrifice offering whether a bull or a sheep: the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jowls and the stomach
4You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and oil and the first wool sheared from your flock.
5For AO your God has chosen [Levi Ephraim] and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in [His] name for all time.
6Now if an Levite Ephrathite moves from any town of residence throughout Israel and comes in all earnestness to the place AO will choose,
7then he shall serve in the name of AO his God like all his fellow Levites Ephrathites who stand there before AO.
8They shall eat equal portions even though he has received [money] from his father’s estate.
9When you enter the land that AO your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
10Let no one be found who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination [or] conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
11casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist or inquires of the dead.
12For whoever does these things is detestable to AO. And because of these detestable things, AO your God is driving out [the nations] before you.
13You must be blameless before AO your God.
14Though these nations which you will dispossess listen to conjurers and diviners, AO your God has not permitted you to do so.
15AO your God will raise up a prophet like me from among your brothers. You will listen to him.
16This is what you asked of AO your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of AO our God or see this great fire anymore so that we will not die!”
17Then AO said to me, “They have spoken well.
18I will raise up for them a prophet from among their brothers like you. I will put My words in his mouth and he will tell them everything I command him.
19And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that [the prophet] speaks in My name.
20But 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.”
21You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that AO has not spoken?”
22When a prophet speaks in the name of AO and the message does not come to pass [or] come true that is a message AO has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.