---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Deuteronomy 18"
description: "CHAPTER 18   :-. THE LORD
IS THE PRIESTS"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/deuteronomy/18"
---

CHAPTER 18

. THE LORD
IS THE PRIESTS'
AND THE LEVITES'
INHERITANCE.

**1. The priests the Levites . . .
shall eat the offerings**—As the tribe of Levi had no inheritance
allotted them like the other tribes but were wholly consecrated to
the priestly office, their maintenance was to arise from tithes,
first-fruits, and certain portions of the oblations presented on the
altar, which God having by express appointment reserved to Himself
made over, after being offered, to His ministers.

**3. this shall be the priest's due
from the people**—All who offered sacrifices of thanksgiving or
peace offerings ([Leviticus 7:31-33](../../../kjv/leviticus/7/31-33))
were ordered to give the breast and shoulder as perquisites to the
priests. Here "the two cheeks" or head and "the maw"
or stomach, deemed anciently a great dainty, are specified. But
whether this is a new injunction, or a repetition of the old with the
supplement of more details, it is not easy to determine.

**6-8. if a Levite . . . come with all
the desire of his mind**—It appears that the Levites served in
rotation from the earliest times; but, from their great numbers, it
was only at infrequent intervals they could be called into actual
service. Should any Levite, however, under the influence of eminent
piety, resolve to devote himself wholly and continually to the sacred
duties of the sanctuary, he was allowed to realize his ardent wishes;
and as he was admitted to a share of the work, so also to a share of
the remuneration. Though he might have private property, that was to
form no ground for withholding or even diminishing his claim to
maintenance like the other ministering priests. The reason or
principle of the enactment is obvious (). At the same time, while every facility was afforded for
the admission of such a zealous and self-denying officer, this
admission was to be in an orderly manner: he was to minister "as
all his brethren"—that is, a Gershonite with Gershonites; a
Merarite with Merarites; so that there might be no derangement of the
established courses.
. THE
ABOMINATIONS OF THE
NATIONS ARE
TO BE AVOIDED.

**9-14. thou shalt not learn to do
after the abominations of those nations**—(See on ; ; ; ). In spite of
this express command, the people of Canaan, especially the
Philistines, were a constant snare and stumbling block to the
Israelites, on account of their divinations and superstitious
practices.
. CHRIST THE
PROPHET IS
TO BE HEARD.

**15-19. The Lord thy God will raise
up unto thee a prophet**—The insertion of this promise, in
connection with the preceding prohibition, might warrant the
application (which some make of it) to that order of true prophets
whom God commissioned in unbroken succession to instruct, to direct,
and warn His people; and in this view the purport of it is, "There
is no need to consult with diviners and soothsayers, as I shall
afford you the benefit of divinely appointed prophets, for judging of
whose credentials a sure criterion is given" (). But the prophet here promised was pre-eminently the
Messiah, for He alone was "like unto Moses" (see on ) "in His mediatorial character; in the peculiar
excellence of His ministry; in the number, variety, and magnitude of
His miracles; in His close and familiar communion with God; and in
His being the author of a new dispensation of religion." This
prediction was fulfilled fifteen hundred years afterwards and was
expressly applied to Jesus Christ by Peter ([Acts 3:22](../../../kjv/acts/3/22);
[Acts 3:23](../../../kjv/acts/3/23)), and by Stephen ([Acts 3:23](../../../kjv/acts/3/23)).

**19. whosoever will not hearken unto
my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of
him**—The direful consequences of unbelief in Christ, and
disregard of His mission, the Jewish people have been experiencing
during eighteen hundred years.

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