利未人的产业

18 “利未祭司及其他利未支派的人在以色列不可拥有土地。他们吃的是献给耶和华的火祭,那是他们的产业。 他们在众支派中没有自己的产业,因为耶和华是他们的产业,这是祂的应许。 众人所献的牛羊的前腿、腮颊和胃应归祭司。 你们要给祭司初收的五谷、新酒、新油和初剪的羊毛。 因为你们的上帝耶和华从各支派中拣选了利未人,让他们世代奉祂的名事奉。

“以色列境内任何地方的利未人若愿意离开自己所住的城,去耶和华选定的地方, 他可以像在耶和华面前事奉的其他利未人一样,在那里事奉他的上帝耶和华。 除了变卖产业所得之外,他还可以分到与其他祭司同等分量的祭物。

不可随从外族风俗

“你们进入你们的上帝耶和华将要赐给你们的土地后,不可仿效当地民族的可憎行径。 10 你们当中不可有人焚烧自己的子女作祭物,不可有人占卜、算命、作法、行邪术、 11 念咒、做灵媒、行巫术或求问亡灵。 12 凡做这些事的人都是耶和华所憎恶的。正是因为当地的民族做这些可憎之事,你们的上帝耶和华才要当着你们的面把他们赶走。 13 你们要在你们的上帝耶和华面前纯全无过。

耶和华使一位先知兴起

14 “你们将要赶走的那些民族听信术士和巫师,但你们的上帝耶和华不准你们仿效他们。 15 你们的上帝耶和华要在你们中间选立一位像我一样的先知,你们要听从他。 16 这正是你们在何烈山聚会时向你们的上帝耶和华所求的,当时你们说,‘不要让我们再听见我们上帝耶和华的声音,也不要让我们再看见这烈火,免得我们死亡。’ 17 于是,耶和华对我说,‘他们说的对。 18 我要在他们当中选立一位像你一样的先知,我会告诉他该说的话,他要把我的一切吩咐告诉他们。 19 如果有人不听从他奉我的名所说的话,我必亲自惩罚那人。 20 若有先知冒我的名说我未曾吩咐他的话,或以其他神明的名义说话,必须处死他。’ 21 你们也许心里会问,‘我们如何知道是否是耶和华说的话呢?’ 22 如果先知奉耶和华的名说的话没有应验,他的话就不是耶和华说的。他是妄自说预言,你们不用怕他。

利未人的产业

18 “利未支派的祭司和利未整个支派,在以色列中,必无分无业;他们所吃的,是献给耶和华的火祭和他们应得的一份(“他们应得的一份”直译是“它的份”,即利未支派的份)。 利未人在兄弟中必没有产业,耶和华就是他们的产业,正如耶和华应许他们的。

“祭司从人民应得的分是这样:人无论是献牛或是献羊,要把前腿、两腮和胃给祭司。 你也要把初熟的五谷、新酒、新油和初剪的羊毛给他。 因为耶和华你的 神从你的各支派中把他拣选出来,使他和他的子孙,可以常常奉耶和华的名侍立供祭司的职。

“如果有住在以色列中任何一座城里的利未人,离开了那里,一心一意到耶和华选择的地方去, 他就可以奉耶和华他的 神的名供职,像他的众兄弟利未人在那里侍立在耶和华面前一样。 除了他从父家承受的产业以外,他还可以得着和他的兄弟相等分量的祭物。

勿随从异族风俗

“你到了耶和华你的 神要赐给你的那地的时候,那些外族人可厌可恶的事,你不可学习去行。 10 在你中间不可有人把自己的儿女献作火祭(“把自己的儿女献作火祭”直译是“使自己的儿女经过进入火中”),也不可有占卜的、算命的、用法术的、行邪术的、 11 念咒的、问鬼的、行巫术的、过阴的。 12 因为行这些事的,都是耶和华厌恶的;就是因为这些可厌可恶的事的缘故,耶和华你的 神才把他们从你的面前赶走。 13 你要在耶和华你的 神面前作完全人。

14 “因为你要赶走的那些民族,都听从算命的和占卜的;至于你,耶和华你的 神却不容许你这样行。

应许兴起一位先知

15 “耶和华你的 神要从你中间,就是从你的众兄弟中间,给你兴起一位先知来,像我一样;你们要听从他。 16 这正是你在何烈山开大会的日子,求耶和华你的 神的一切话,说:‘不要让我再听见耶和华我的 神的声音了;也不要让我再看见这大火了,免得我死亡。’ 17 耶和华对我说:‘他们所说的都很好。 18 我要从他们的兄弟中间,给他们兴起一位先知,像你一样;我要把我的话放在他口里,他必把我吩咐他们的一切话都对他们说。 19 如果有人不听从他奉我的名所说的话,我必亲自追讨那人的罪。

对待假先知的条例

20 “‘不过,如果有先知擅自奉我的名,说我没有吩咐他说的话,或是奉别神的名说话,那先知就必须处死。’ 21 如果你心里说:‘耶和华没有说过的话,我们怎能知道呢?’ 22 一位先知奉耶和华的名说话,如果那话不成就,也不应验,这话就不是耶和华说的;是那先知擅自说的,你不要怕他。”

Offerings for Priests and Levites

18 The Levitical(A) priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings(B) presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance.(C) They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance,(D) as he promised them.(E)

This is the share due the priests(F) from the people who sacrifice a bull(G) or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head.(H) You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep,(I) for the Lord your God has chosen them(J) and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister(K) in the Lord’s name always.(L)

If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the Lord will choose,(M) he may minister in the name(N) of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the Lord. He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.(O)

Occult Practices

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate(P) the detestable ways(Q) of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire,(R) who practices divination(S) or sorcery,(T) interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,(U) 11 or casts spells,(V) or who is a medium or spiritist(W) or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.(X) 13 You must be blameless(Y) before the Lord your God.(Z)

The Prophet

14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination.(AA) But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.(AB) You must listen to him. 16 For 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 nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”(AC)

17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet(AD) like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words(AE) in his mouth.(AF) He will tell them everything I command him.(AG) 19 I myself will call to account(AH) anyone who does not listen(AI) to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.(AJ) 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods,(AK) is to be put to death.”(AL)

21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true,(AM) that is a message the Lord has not spoken.(AN) That prophet has spoken presumptuously,(AO) so do not be alarmed.