Deuteronomy 18:15–18
Moses announces a prophet like himself, whom the people are to listen to
Study it word by word15A prophet from among you, from your brothers, like me, YHWH your Elohim will raise up for you; to him you shall listen,
16according to all that you asked of YHWH your Elohim at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of YHWH my Elohim, and this great fire let me not see anymore, so that I do not die.”
17And YHWH said to me, “They have spoken well in what they have spoken.
18A prophet I will raise up for them from among their brothers, like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
In its context
13You shall be blameless with YHWH your Elohim.
14For these nations that you are dispossessing listen to soothsayers and to diviners; but as for you, YHWH your Elohim has not allowed you to do so.
…
19And the man who does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name, I will require it of him.
20But the prophet who acts with arrogance by speaking a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.”
Its words in the original
- נָבִיאnavi· prophet
Prophet: a person to whom God speaks and who speaks in his name; he also intercedes for others.
- קִּרְבְּkirb· inside, midst
The inside, what is within; "in the midst of", "within".
- אַחֶיache· brother
Brother; also a close relative, or someone of the same people.
- יָקִיםyakim· rise, stand, establish
Rise, stand up; also stand firm, establish or fulfill something. "Rise against" is to attack.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אֱלֹהֶיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- תִּשְׁמָעוּtishmau· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- שָׁאַלְתָּshaalta· ask
Ask, inquire; request.
- חֹרֵבchorev· Horeb
Horeb, the mountain where God appeared to Moses and later gave the Law; another name for Mount Sinai.
- יוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- קָּהָלkahal· assembly
Assembly: a large group of people gathered; later, the people of Israel gathered before God.
- אמֹרmor· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- אֹסֵףosef· add, do again
Add; do again, keep doing.
- קוֹלkol· voice, sound
Voice or sound: what is heard, from a person, an animal or a thing (thunder, steps).
- אֵשׁesh· fire
Fire. In the Bible it often goes with the presence of God (the bush, Sinai).
- גְּדֹלָהgedola· great
Great in size, number, age or importance; also "the elder" of two; "high priest" is "great priest".
- אֶרְאֶהere· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- אָמוּתamut· die
Die. In the causative form, kill, put to death. Hebrew can repeat the verb for emphasis ("dying you will die" = "you will surely die").
- הֵיטִיבוּhetivu· do well, be good
Do well, act well; go well for someone; please. Also set something right, prepare it.
- דִּבֵּרוּdiberu· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- נָתַתִּיnatati· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- דְבָרַdevara· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- פִיfi· mouth
Mouth. Also what someone says or commands ("by the mouth of" = by the word of); the edge of a sword; "according to".
- אֲצַוֶּatsave· command
Command, give an order; give charge to someone.