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The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:12
All who practiced such arts were an abomination unto the Lord, and his people are forbidden to have anything to do with them. They are connected here with the Moloch-worship, because of the intimate relation between ido…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:13
Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. The word translated "per-feet" properly means entire, whole, answering to the Latin integer; it is used only in a moral sense, and is best rendered by "upright;" the Israelit…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:14
Though the heathen whose land they were to possess sought to diviners and enchanters, Israel was not to do so; as for them (the אַתָּה at the beginning of the clause is an emphatic nominative), Jehovah their God had not…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
It is here promised concerning Christ, that there should come a Prophet, great above all the prophets; by whom God would make known himself and his will to the children of men, more fully and clearly than he had ever do…
The Great Prophet; False Prophets. (b. c. 1451.)
THE GREAT PROPHET; FALSE PROPHETS. (B. C. 1451.) Here is, I. The promise of the great prophet, with a command to receive him, and hearken to him. Now, 1. Some think it is the promise of a succession of prophets, that sh…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Prophecy. The term "Prophet" covers the whole series of Old Testament prophets, culminating in Christ, the Prophet like unto Moses par excellence (see infra). I. PROPHECY IN GENERAL. The prophet—what? Etymologically, on…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
The promised Prophet. From speaking of the paltry expectations about divination, Moses goes on to speak of the general plan of Divine revelation. The people had had the splendid chance of direct communion with God, with…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-19
The Prophet like unto Moses. These chapters bring before us prophet. priest, and king—offices pointing forward to and culminating in Christ. Christ is distinctively, and in the complete sense, the Prophet like unto Mose…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
There should be no need for Israel to turn to heathen soothsayers, or diviners, or such like, because from amongst themselves, of their own brethren, would God raise up prophets like unto Moses, who, as occasion require…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15
A Prophet. The Hebrew word so rendered ( נָבִיא) is a derivative from a verb ( נָבָא), which signifies to tell, to announce; hence the primary concept of the word is that of announcer, or forth-speaker; and to this the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
Presages of the true Prophet. Captious men of the present day complain that they cannot see God—cannot hear his voice. In their heart they do not wish to see him. He will not reveal himself, as an object of curiosity, t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
God speaking to man through man. The Exposition, as well as the Commentaries of Jameson and Keil, may, with great advantage, be consulted on this passage, and also Hengstenberg's 'Christology,' vol. 1. pp. 96-107. Our b…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:16
In the day of the assembly (cf. Deuteronomy 9:14; Deuteronomy 10:4).
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:18
And will put my words in his mouth; will so reveal to him my mind, and so inspire him to utter it, that the words he speaks shall be really my words. The question has been raised whether, by the Prophet like unto Moses,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:19
I will require it of him; I will judge him and punish his disobedience (cf. Genesis 42:22; 2 Samuel 4:11; Psalms 10:13, etc.).
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:19-22
To the Prophet who should thus speak to the people all that God should command him, they were to pay the utmost deference, and to his words they were to render implicit obedience.
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:20-22
The false prophet. The failure of the word of a prophet was decisive proof that he had not spoken by Divine inspiration. Had his word not failed, it would not have followed that he was a true prophet, but it showed conc…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:20
If, however, a prophet should presume to speak in the Name of the Lord what the Lord had not commanded him to speak, or if he should speak in the name of other gods, not only was no regard to be paid to his words, but h…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 19:1-13
Here is the law settled between the blood of the murdered, and the blood of the murderer; provision is made, that the cities of refuge should be a protection, so that a man should not die for that as a crime, which was…
The Cities of Refuge. (b. c. 1451.)
THE CITIES OF REFUGE. (B. C. 1451.) It was one of the precepts given to the sons of Noah that whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed, that is, by the avenger of blood, Genesis 9:6. Now here we have th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:1-13
Cities of refuge. The institution of cities of refuge (cf. Deuteronomy 4:41-43) seems to have been peculiar to the legislation of Moses. It is an institution reflecting strong light on the wisdom, justice, and humanity…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:1-21
EXPOSITION LAWS CONCERNING CITIES OF REFUGE. LANDMARKS NOT TO BE REMOVED. LAWS CONCERNING WITNESSES.
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:1-13
Moses had before this enunciated the law concerning cities of refuge for manslayers, and had already pointed out the cities on the east of the Jordan that were to be set apart for this (Numbers 35:11, etc.; Deuteronomy…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:1-13
The cities of refuge. The appointment of cities of refuge by Moses is of great interest, as yielding a study in Jehovah's ways of educating his people, and of giving light and truth to men. We will see— I. THE PLACE THI…