Deuteronomy 18 10

Deuteronomy 18:10 kjv

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.

Deuteronomy 18:10 nkjv

There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,

Deuteronomy 18:10 niv

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,

Deuteronomy 18:10 esv

There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer

Deuteronomy 18:10 nlt

For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft,

Deuteronomy 18 verses

Deuteronomy 18 10 Meaning

Deuteronomy 18:10 strictly prohibits several practices deeply ingrained in the worship and culture of the nations surrounding Israel. Primarily, it forbids the gruesome act of child sacrifice, understood as an offering by fire. Following this, it outlaws various forms of occult communication and manipulation, including divination, fortune-telling, interpreting omens, and sorcery. These prohibitions underscore God’s demand for exclusive and pure worship from Israel, rejecting any attempt to bypass His divine will or manipulate spiritual forces outside His command. The verse stands as a stark demarcation between the holy practices commanded by the Lord and the detestable practices of paganism.

Deuteronomy 18 10 Context

Deuteronomy 18:10 is embedded within Moses' final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. The preceding verses (1-8) delineate the support for the Levite priests, emphasizing proper worship and service to Yahweh. Verse 9 then acts as a crucial transition, explicitly commanding Israel not to emulate "the abominable practices of those nations" they are about to dispossess. Verse 10 particularizes these abominations, providing specific examples of rituals and occultic arts that were common among the Canaanites but strictly forbidden for Israel. This immediately precedes the promise of a true prophet, like Moses (v. 15-18), who will be God's legitimate means of revelation, thereby contrasting God's direct and holy communication with the forbidden practices of divination. Historically, these pagan rites were pervasive in the Ancient Near East, where fertility cults often incorporated child sacrifice, and people regularly sought omens or used magic to gain control over their circumstances, foretell the future, or influence deities. This passage draws a sharp ethical and spiritual line for Israel, calling them to be distinct and holy before God.

Deuteronomy 18 10 Word analysis

• "There shall not be found among you": This phrase emphasizes the absolute prohibition and the imperative for the Israelite community to entirely purge and exclude such practices from their midst. It speaks to a communal responsibility to maintain ritual and moral purity.

• "anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering":

  • Hebrew: ’ōfēr bənō-w wə·’eṯ-bit·tōw ba’ēš (one who passes his son or his daughter through the fire). While "burns...as an offering" accurately conveys the gruesome reality, the Hebrew "pass through fire" often refers to the horrific act of child sacrifice, typically associated with the pagan god Molech. It implies a complete consecration and destruction by fire.
  • Significance: This practice was considered an ultimate abomination (Lev 18:21; Jer 32:35), directly violating the sanctity of human life and the covenantal relationship with God. It represents the pinnacle of pagan idolatry, involving the offering of the most precious human life, often to ensure fertility, prosperity, or avert disaster, thereby undermining God's sovereignty as the giver of life.

• "anyone who practices divination":

  • Hebrew: qō·sêm qəsā·mîm (one who practices divination/augury). This is a general term for using various superstitious or magical means to foretell the future, discover hidden knowledge, or influence events. It encompasses various methods, from interpreting signs to ritualistic conjuration.
  • Significance: It implies a lack of faith in God's provision and guidance, seeking truth from unholy sources rather than divine revelation.

• "or tells fortunes":

  • Hebrew: mə·‘ō·nən (one who practices soothsaying or observes times). This refers to reading omens, discerning auspicious or inauspicious days, observing flights of birds, cloud formations, or other perceived signs to predict the future or make decisions. It suggests looking for predetermined fate outside of God's control.
  • Significance: A belief that fate or time can be deciphered or controlled, rather than resting on God's divine providence.

• "or interprets omens":

  • Hebrew: ū·mə·naḥ·ḥēš (one who practices enchantment or augury). This specifically points to taking heed of or observing signs, often those found in nature or seemingly coincidental events, believing them to carry hidden messages or portents. It could involve snake charming or interpreting unusual occurrences.
  • Significance: A reliance on natural phenomena for guidance instead of God's spoken word.

• "or a sorcerer":

  • Hebrew: ū·mə·ḵaš·šēp̄ (one who uses magic, spells, or incantations). This term refers to a magician or wizard who attempts to manipulate events or individuals through secret arts, drugs, or evil spirits. The root kashaph often relates to the use of drugs (pharmacology) in magical practices.
  • Significance: Represents an active attempt to exert supernatural power and control, often associated with harmful intentions, entirely bypassing God's authority and wisdom.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering": This segment targets the most egregious act of idolatry, distinguishing Israel sharply from its pagan neighbors whose worship sometimes culminated in child sacrifice. This practice epitomized the devaluation of human life and absolute surrender to false gods, often to the promise of material gain or perceived security. God, as the Author and Sustainer of life, forbids the perversion of procreation and familial love into such destructive worship.
  • "anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer": This grouping encompasses various methods of accessing supernatural knowledge or power apart from God's revealed will. These acts deny God as the sole source of truth and sovereignty. They invite demonic influence, deceive the practitioners and seekers, and divert attention from the living God. These prohibitions enforce God's desire for a relationship based on trust and obedience, rather than magical manipulation or reliance on unreliable spiritual sources. They protect Israel from deceptive spiritual practices that inevitably lead to spiritual corruption and abandonment of God's true way.

Deuteronomy 18 10 Bonus section

These prohibitions in Deut 18:10 are often called the "horizontal abominations," dealing with forbidden human actions, particularly contrasting with the "vertical abominations" of idolatry. They reflect the spiritual warfare dimension; these practices often served as conduits for demonic influence. The immediate juxtaposition with the promise of "a prophet like me" (Deut 18:15) indicates God's designated, pure, and authoritative alternative to pagan spiritual inquiry. Rather than engaging in illicit communication with hidden spiritual realms or offering unspeakable sacrifices, Israel was to listen to God’s appointed spokesman, who would speak God's word directly and clearly. This highlights God’s grace in providing a legitimate channel for His voice. The New Testament similarly warns against "sorcery" (pharmakeia in Greek, related to drugs and magical potions), listing it as a "work of the flesh" (Gal 5:20) and a practice of those excluded from God’s kingdom (Rev 21:8; 22:15). This demonstrates a consistent biblical condemnation across testaments.

Deuteronomy 18 10 Commentary

Deuteronomy 18:10 functions as a foundational prohibition against practices fundamentally antithetical to Yahweh worship and Israel's covenant with Him. The inclusion of child sacrifice is paramount, highlighting God's abhorrence for any system that demands human life, especially that of innocent children, for supposed divine favor. This stands in stark contrast to God's covenantal demands for faith and obedience, which preserve and affirm life. The subsequent list of divinatory and magical practices – divination, fortune-telling, interpreting omens, and sorcery – collectively forbids any attempt to discern God's will, know the future, or exert supernatural influence outside of His prescribed means. These were common Canaanite religious activities aimed at controlling fate or understanding deities through dark arts, thereby denying God's supreme authority, wisdom, and benevolence. The Lord sought to cultivate a people who relied on Him through prayer, His Law, and His appointed prophets, not on manipulative, pagan rituals that often stemmed from fear, greed, or the desire for power. By outlawing these detestable practices, God established a clear boundary for His people, emphasizing their distinct identity, their reliance on His revelation, and their commitment to holiness.

• Examples for practical usage: A Christian today seeking guidance would pray and study Scripture, not consult psychics or horoscopes. One trusts God's sovereign plan, rather than believing that manipulating objects or observing 'signs' can alter the future or reveal hidden knowledge. Believers rely on the Holy Spirit's guidance, discerned through the Word and community, not external magical interventions.