Revised Literal Translation

Deuteronomy 18

1The priestsלַכֹּהֲנִ֨יםla.ko.ha.NimH3548the Levitesהַלְוִיִּ֜םhal.vi.YimH3881, andall the tribeשֵׁ֧בֶטShe.vetH7626of Leviלֵוִ֛יle.ViH3878,shall have no partחֵ֥לֶקChe.lekH2506nor inheritanceוְנַחֲלָ֖הve.na.cha.LahH5159with Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElH3478:they shall eatיֹאכֵלֽוּן׃yo.khe.LunH398the offeringsH801of Yhwhיְהוָ֛הYah.wehH3068made by fireאִשֵּׁ֧י'i.SheiH801,and his inheritanceוְנַחֲלָת֖וֹve.na.cha.la.ToH5159.

2Therefore shall they have no inheritanceוְנַחֲלָ֥הve.na.cha.LahH5159amongבְּקֶ֣רֶבbe.Ke.revH7130their brethrenאֶחָ֑יו'e.ChavH251:Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068istheir inheritanceנַחֲלָת֔וֹna.cha.la.ToH5159,as he hath saidדִּבֶּר־di.ber-H1696unto them.

3And this shall be the priest’sהַכֹּהֲנִ֜יםha.ko.ha.NimH3548dueמִשְׁפַּ֨טmish.PatH4941from the peopleהָעָ֗םha.'AmH5971,from them that offerזֹבְחֵ֥יzoe.CheiH2076a sacrificeהַזֶּ֖בַחha.Ze.vachH2077, whether it beoxשׁ֣וֹרShorH7794or sheepשֶׂ֑הSehH7716;and they shall giveוְנָתַן֙ve.na.TanH5414unto the priestלַכֹּהֵ֔ןla.ko.HenH3548the shoulderהַזְּרֹ֥עַha.ze.Ro.a'H2220,and the two cheeksוְהַלְּחָיַ֖יִםve.ha.le.cha.Ya.yimH3895,and the mawוְהַקֵּבָֽה׃ve.ha.ke.VahH6896.

4The firstfruitרֵאשִׁ֨יתre.ShitH7225alsoof thy grainדְּגָֽנְךָ֜de.ga.ne.KhaH1715,of thy wineתִּֽירֹשְׁךָ֣ti.ro.she.KhaH8492,and of thine oilוְיִצְהָרֶ֗ךָve.yitz.ha.Re.khaH3323,and the firstוְרֵאשִׁ֛יתve.re.ShitH7225of the fleeceגֵּ֥זgezH1488of thy sheepצֹאנְךָ֖tzo.ne.KhaH6629,shalt thou giveתִּתֶּן־ti.ten-H5414him.

5For Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430hath chosenבָּחַ֛רba.CharH977him out of all thy tribesשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָshe.va.Tei.khaH7626,to standלַעֲמֹ֨דla.'a.ModH5975to ministerלְשָׁרֵ֧תle.sha.RetH8334in the nameבְּשֵׁם־be.shem-H8034of Yhwhיְהוָ֛הYah.wehH3068,him and his sonsוּבָנָ֖יוu.va.NavH1121for everהַיָּמִֽים׃ סhai.ya.MimH3117.

6And if a Leviteהַלֵּוִ֜יha.le.ViH3881comeיָבֹ֨אya.Vo'H935from anyמֵאַחַ֤דme.'a.ChadH259of thy gatesשְׁעָרֶ֙יךָ֙she.'a.Rei.khaH8179out of all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478,where he sojournedגָּ֣רgarH1481,and comeוּבָא֙u.Va'H935with all the desireאַוַּ֣ת'a.VatH185of his mindנַפְשׁ֔וֹnaf.ShoH5315unto the placeהַמָּק֖וֹםha.ma.KomH4725which Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068shall chooseיִבְחַ֥רyiv.CharH977;

7Then he shall ministerוְשֵׁרֵ֕תve.she.RetH8334in the nameבְּשֵׁ֖םbe.ShemH8034of Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068his Godאֱלֹהָ֑יו'e.lo.HavH430,as all his brethrenאֶחָיו֙'e.ChavH251the Levitesהַלְוִיִּ֔םhal.vi.YimH3881do,which standהָעֹמְדִ֥יםha.'o.me.DimH5975there beforeלִפְנֵ֥יlif.NeiH6440Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068.

8They shall have like portionsH2506to eatיֹאכֵ֑לוּyo.Khe.luH398,beside that which cometh of the saleמִמְכָּרָ֖יוmi.ka.RavH4465of his patrimonyהָאָבֽוֹת׃ סha.'a.VotH1.

9When thou art comeבָּ֣אba'H935into the landהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776which Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430givethנֹתֵ֣ןno.TenH5414thee, thou shalt not learnתִלְמַ֣דtil.MadH3925to doלַעֲשׂ֔וֹתla.'a.SotH6213after the abominationsכְּתוֹעֲבֹ֖תke.to.'a.VotH8441of those nationsהַגּוֹיִ֥םha.go.YimH1471.

10There shall not be foundיִמָּצֵ֣אyi.ma.Tze'H4672among you any onethat maketh his sonבְּנֽוֹ־be.nov-H1121or his daughterוּבִתּ֖וֹu.vi.ToH1323to passמַעֲבִ֥ירma.'a.VirH5674through the fireבָּאֵ֑שׁba.'EshH784, orthat usethקֹסֵ֣םko.SemH7080divinationקְסָמִ֔יםke.sa.MimH7081, oran observer of timesמְעוֹנֵ֥ןme.'o.NenH6049,or an enchanterוּמְנַחֵ֖שׁu.me.na.CheshH5172,or a witchוּמְכַשֵּֽׁף׃u.me.kha.ShefH3784,

11Or a charmerוְחֹבֵ֖ר חָ֑בֶרve.cho.Ver Cha.verH2267 H2266,or a consulterוְשֹׁאֵ֥לve.sho.'ElH7592with familiar spiritsאוֹב֙'OvH178,or a wizardוְיִדְּעֹנִ֔יve.yi.de.'o.NiH3049,or a necromancerוְדֹרֵ֖שׁ הַמֵּתִֽים׃ve.do.Resh ha.me.TimH4191 H1875.

12For all that doעֹ֣שֵׂה'O.sehH6213these things arean abominationתוֹעֲבַ֥תto.'a.VatH8441unto Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068:and becauseוּבִגְלַל֙u.vig.LalH1558of these abominationsהַתּוֹעֵבֹ֣תha.to.'e.VotH8441Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430doth drive them outמוֹרִ֥ישׁmo.RishH3423from beforeמִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃mi.pa.Nei.khaH6440thee.

13Thou shalt be perfectתָּמִ֣יםta.MimH8549with Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ ס'e.lo.Hei.khaH430.

14For these nationsהַגּוֹיִ֣םha.go.YimH1471,which thou shalt possessיוֹרֵ֣שׁyo.ReshH3423,hearkenedיִשְׁמָ֑עוּyish.Ma.'uH8085unto observers of timesמְעֹנְנִ֥יםme.'o.ne.NimH6049,and unto divinersקֹסְמִ֖יםko.se.MimH7080:but as for thee, Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃'e.lo.Hei.khaH430hath not sufferedנָ֛תַןNa.tanH5414thee so to do.

15Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaH430will raise upיָקִ֥יםya.KimH6965unto thee a Prophetנָבִ֨יאna.Vi'H5030from the midstמִקִּרְבְּךָ֤mi.kir.be.ChaH7130of thee, of thy brethrenמֵאַחֶ֙יךָ֙me.'a.Chei.khaH251,like unto me; unto him ye shall hearkenתִּשְׁמָעֽוּן׃tish.ma.'UnH8085;

16According to all that thou desiredstשָׁאַ֜לְתָּsha.'Al.taH7592of Yhwhיְהוָ֤הYah.wehH3068thy Godאֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙'e.lo.Hei.khaH430in Horebבְּחֹרֵ֔בbe.cho.RevH2722in the dayבְּי֥וֹםbe.YomH3117of the assemblyהַקָּהָ֖לha.ka.HalH6951,sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559,Let me not hearלִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙lish.Mo.a'H8085againאֹסֵ֗ף'o.SefH3254the voiceקוֹל֙kOlH6963of Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068my Godאֱלֹהָ֔י'e.lo.HaiH430,neither let me seeאֶרְאֶ֥ה'er.'EhH7200this greatהַגְּדֹלָ֥הha.ge.do.LahH1419fireהָאֵ֨שׁha.'EshH784any more, that I dieאָמֽוּת׃'a.MutH4191not.

17And Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto me, They have wellהֵיטִ֖יבוּhei.Ti.vuH3190spoken thatwhich they have spokenדִּבֵּֽרוּ׃di.Be.ruH1696.

18I will raise them upאָקִ֥ים'a.KimH6965a Prophetנָבִ֨יאna.Vi'H5030from amongמִקֶּ֥רֶבmi.Ke.revH7130their brethrenאֲחֵיהֶ֖ם'a.chei.HemH251,like unto thee, and will putוְנָתַתִּ֤יve.na.ta.TiH5414my wordsדְבָרַי֙de.va.RaiH1697in his mouthבְּפִ֔יוbe.FivH6310;and he shall speakוְדִבֶּ֣רve.di.BerH1696unto them all that I shall commandאֲצַוֶּֽנּוּ׃'a.tzav.Ve.nuH6680him.

19And it shall come to pass, thatwhosoeverהָאִישׁ֙ha.'IshH376will not hearkenיִשְׁמַע֙yish.Ma'H8085unto my wordsדְּבָרַ֔יde.va.RaiH1697which he shall speakיְדַבֵּ֖רye.da.BerH1696in my nameבִּשְׁמִ֑יbish.MiH8034,I will requireאֶדְרֹ֥שׁ'ed.RoshH1875it of him.

20But the prophetהַנָּבִ֡יאha.na.Vi'H5030,which shall presumeיָזִיד֩ya.ZidH2102to speakלְדַבֵּ֨רle.da.BerH1696a wordדָּבָ֜רda.VarH1697in my nameבִּשְׁמִ֗יbish.MiH8034,which I have not commandedצִוִּיתִיו֙tzi.vi.TivH6680him to speakלְדַבֵּ֔רle.da.BerH1696,or that shall speakיְדַבֵּ֔רye.da.BerH1696in the nameבְּשֵׁ֖םbe.ShemH8034of otherאֲחֵרִ֑ים'a.che.RimH312godsאֱלֹהִ֣ים'E.lo.HimH430,even that prophetהַנָּבִ֥יאha.na.Vi'H5030shall dieוּמֵ֖תu.MetH4191.

21And if thou sayתֹאמַ֖רto.MarH559in thine heartבִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָbil.va.Ve.khaH3824,How shall we knowנֵדַ֣עne.Da'H3045the wordהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697which Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehH3068hath not spokenדִבְּר֖וֹdi.be.RoH1696?

22When a prophetהַנָּבִ֜יאha.na.Vi'H5030speakethיְדַבֵּ֨רye.da.BerH1696in the nameבְּשֵׁ֣םbe.ShemH8034of Yhwhיְהוָ֗הYah.wehH3068,if the thingהַדָּבָר֙ha.da.VarH1697follow not, nor come to passיָב֔וֹאya.Vo'H935, that isthe thingהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697which Yhwhיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068hath not spokenדִבְּר֖וֹdi.be.RoH1696, butthe prophetהַנָּבִ֔יאha.na.Vi'H5030hath spokenדִּבְּר֣וֹdi.be.RoH1696it presumptuouslyבְּזָדוֹן֙be.za.dOnH2087:thou shalt not be afraidתָג֖וּרta.GurH1481of him.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 18