1.
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.
Deu 18:1 The priests the Levites, [and] all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.
Ver. 1. And his inheritance, ] i.e., Whatsoever by the law belonged to the Lord, as decimae Deo sacrae, &c.
2.
Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
3.
And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.
4.
The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
Deu 18:4 The firstfruit [also] of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
Ver. 4. The firstfruits also. ] Pliny tells us, a that among the Romans also no man might taste of his own corn, wine, or other fruits, priusquam Sacerdotes primitias libassent, till the priests had offered the firstfruits, and made their use of them.
a Plin., Hist., lib. xviii.
5.
For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.
6.
And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;
Deu 18:6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;
Ver. 6. With all the desire of his mind. ] To do God better service. A good heart holds the best he can do, but a little of that much that he could gladly give the Lord, and is still devising what to do more. Psa 116:12
7.
Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD.
8.
They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
Deu 18:8 They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
Ver. 8. Besides that. ] He shall not maintain himself of his own private stock, but live of the holy things of the temple.
9.
When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10.
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Ver. 10. That maketh his son. ] See Trapp on " Lev 18:21 "
11.
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Ver. 11. Or a necromancer. ] Bellarmine and other Papists play the necromancers, when they would prove a Purgatory from the apparitions of spirits, that tell of themselves or others there tormented.
12.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13.
Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Deu 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Ver. 13. Thou shalt be perfect. ] See Trapp on " Mat 5:48 " In the original there is a bigger tau than ordinary in the word Tamim, rendered perfect, to show, say Hebricians, that we must keep the whole law of God from the first letter thereof to the last - tau is the last letter of the alphabet - and this we must do constantly to the very last, and with the whole man. But how can this be done otherwise than by running to Christ, and in an evangelical way? In sincerity and integrity we must hate such wicked persons, even as God also hateth them. Psa 139:21-24 Hebrew Text Note
14.
For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
Deu 18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].
Ver. 14. Hath not suffered thee so to do. ] He hath showed thee a more excellent way, and kept thee from these devoratory evils, as Tertullian calleth them; so ordering the matter, that "that evil one toucheth them not" with any deadly touch. 1Jn 5:18 For either he suffers not his to be tempted above strength, 1Co 10:13 or else he withholds the occasion, when temptation hath prevailed to procure consent and purpose, &c.
15.
The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Deu 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Ver. 15. Like unto me. ] Both in the participation of nature and of office: a true man, and a true Mediator. Similes they are, but not pares: Christ being "worthy of more glory than Moses," and why, see Hebrews 3:3-6 ; Hebrews 7:22 ; Hebrews 9:15 .
16.
According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17.
And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18.
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Ver. 18. And he shall speak unto them. ] Christ is that palmoni hammedabbar Dan 10:5-6 that excellent speaker that spake with authority, and so as never man spake, being "mighty in word and deed." See my "True Treasure," p. 1.
19.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20.
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
21.
And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
22.
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Deu 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Ver. 22. Thou shalt not be afraid. ] Though he speak "great swelling words of vanity," 2Pe 2:18 millstones and thunderbolts, as Hacket here did. a
a Camden’s Elisab., fol. 403.