Deuteronomy 18:14 kjv
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.
Deuteronomy 18:14 nkjv
For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.
Deuteronomy 18:14 niv
The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.
Deuteronomy 18:14 esv
for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do this.
Deuteronomy 18:14 nlt
The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the LORD your God forbids you to do such things."
Deuteronomy 18 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 19:26 | "You shall not eat anything with the blood; nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying." | Direct prohibition against divination/soothsaying. |
| Lev 19:31 | "Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them..." | Forbidden practices, similar to divination. |
| Lev 20:6 | "If a person turns to mediums and to necromancers, whoring after them, I will set My face against that person..." | God's strong judgment against occult practices. |
| Deut 18:9-13 | "When you come into the land...you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations... " | Immediate context listing forbidden practices. |
| Num 23:23 | "For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel..." | God's protective shield against pagan arts. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry..." | Likening rebellion to divination's sin. |
| 2 Ki 21:6 | "And [Manasseh] made his son pass through the fire, and practiced soothsaying and augury and dealt with mediums and necromancers..." | King Manasseh's wicked adoption of paganism. |
| Is 8:19 | "And when they say to you, 'Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,' should not a people inquire of their God?" | Countering the appeal of the occult with God's authority. |
| Mic 5:12 | "And I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more fortune-tellers..." | Prophetic promise of purging occultism. |
| Zech 10:2 | "For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see false visions; they tell false dreams..." | Condemnation of false sources of guidance. |
| Jer 14:14 | "The prophets are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, an empty thing, and the deceit of their own mind." | False prophets using divination. |
| Ez 13:6-9 | "They have seen false visions and uttered lying divinations... " | False prophets and their deceptive practices. |
| Dan 2:27-28 | "No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery... but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries." | Contrast with pagan inability to reveal truth, God's revelation. |
| Acts 8:9-11 | "But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria..." | New Testament encounter with a sorcerer. |
| Acts 13:6-12 | "And they found a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus..." | Apostolic opposition to a magician. |
| Acts 16:16-18 | "As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination..." | Paul confronting a spirit of divination. |
| Gal 5:19-21 | "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality...idolatry, sorcery (φαρμακεία)..." | Sorcery listed as a work of the flesh. |
| Rev 21:8 | "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers..." | Sorcerers face eternal judgment. |
| Deut 18:15-18 | "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you...to Him you shall listen." | God's true way of revelation, contrasted with paganism. |
| John 14:6 | "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life...'" | Jesus as the ultimate truth, rendering other sources futile. |
| 2 Cor 6:14-18 | "For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" | Separation from pagan practices and beliefs. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" | Command for holiness and distinction from surrounding cultures. |
| Phil 4:8 | "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely..." | Focus on truth, antithetical to deceptive divination. |
Deuteronomy 18 verses
Deuteronomy 18 14 Meaning
Deuteronomy 18:14 reveals a direct divine command distinguishing Israel from the surrounding nations. It explicitly prohibits Israel from engaging in pagan spiritual practices like fortune-telling and divination, which were common among the nations they were about to dispossess. God emphatically states that He has not permitted His people to participate in such abominations, emphasizing Israel's unique and exclusive covenant relationship with Him as the sole source of truth and guidance.
Deuteronomy 18 14 Context
Deuteronomy 18:14 is part of Moses' farewell discourse to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, before their entry into the land of Canaan. This specific passage (Deut 18:9-22) addresses the crucial topic of prophetic authority and distinguishes legitimate revelation from God through His chosen servants from the illicit and abominable practices of pagan nations. The preceding verses (Deut 18:9-13) explicitly list various forms of occult activity—child sacrifice, soothsaying, magic, charming, mediums, spiritists, and necromancy—declaring them detestable to the Lord. Verse 14 serves as a foundational justification for these prohibitions, highlighting the contrast between the ways of the Canaanite nations, which embraced these practices, and the distinctive path God mandated for Israel. Historically, the Canaanite cultures were deeply intertwined with idol worship, divination, and ritual practices designed to manipulate unseen forces or gain forbidden knowledge, which were an anathema to the monotheistic worship and dependence upon the one true God that Israel was called to embody.
Deuteronomy 18 14 Word analysis
For these nations (כִּי הַגּוֹיִם / ki hagoyim): "Nations" (גּוֹיִם, goyim) refers specifically to the pagan peoples inhabiting Canaan, such as the Amorites, Hittites, and Perizzites. This phrase draws a clear demarcation between "them" (the wicked nations) and "you" (Israel, God's chosen people).
which you are about to dispossess (אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יוֹרֵשׁ אוֹתָם / 'asher 'attah yoresh 'otam): "Dispossess" (יוֹרֵשׁ, yoresh) means to take possession of by driving out others. It underscores the divine mandate for Israel to occupy the land and execute God's judgment upon the current inhabitants, whose detestable practices led to their expulsion.
listened to (הֵמָּה שֹׁמְעִים / hemma shome'im): The verb "listened" implies more than mere hearing; it signifies heeding, obeying, and actively submitting to the counsel or practice of what follows. These nations actively embraced and practiced the listed abominations.
fortune-tellers (מְעֹנְנִים / me'onenim): This term, possibly related to "cloud-observer" or "practicer of enchantment," refers to soothsayers or diviners who interpret omens, manipulate circumstances, or practice magical arts to discern hidden knowledge or future events. It indicates a reliance on mystical means outside of divine revelation.
and diviners (וְאֶל־קֹסְמִים / ve'el-qosemim): "Diviners" (קֹסְמִים, qosemim) specifically denotes those who practice divination, attempting to gain foreknowledge or supernatural power through magical rites, spells, or consulting spirits, often associated with casting lots or using objects. It encompasses a broad range of occult activities seeking forbidden insights.
But as for you (וְאַתָּה / ve'attah): This is a strong adversative conjunction creating a stark contrast. It highlights Israel's unique status and distinct covenant relationship with Yahweh. "You" (אַתָּה, attah) is singular, addressing the nation as a corporate entity.
the LORD your God (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ / YHWH 'Eloheykha): Emphasizes the personal and covenantal relationship Israel has with their God, who is identified by His covenant name (YHWH). This God is uniquely their God, demanding exclusive loyalty.
has not allowed you to do so (לֹא־נָתַן לְךָ כֵּן / lo-natan lekha ken): "Has not allowed" (לֹא־נָתַן, lo-natan) signifies a direct, sovereign prohibition from God. He explicitly "did not give" or "did not permit" such behavior. "To do so" (כֵּן, ken) refers back to the previously mentioned forbidden occult practices, encompassing the entire spectrum. This means God holds the exclusive right to reveal His will, and humanity's attempt to access forbidden knowledge through other means is an affront to His sovereignty.
Words-group Analysis:
- "For these nations... listened to fortune-tellers and diviners.": This phrase establishes the standard of pagan culture. Their spiritual practices are characterized by seeking guidance and power from illegitimate, occult sources, indicating a profound lack of reliance on the true God. It justifies their impending judgment.
- "But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so.": This contrasting statement sets Israel apart. God's negative prohibition (
lo natan) serves as a positive command for exclusive dependence on Him. It underscores the divine expectation for holiness and distinctiveness, implying that Israel's guidance comes solely from God through His ordained means, foreshadowing the promise of a true prophet in the verses that follow.
Deuteronomy 18 14 Bonus section
The strong contrast in Deuteronomy 18:14 against Canaanite practices serves as a foundational theological polemic. It positions the God of Israel (YHWH) as entirely distinct and superior to the fragmented, often malevolent, deities or forces of the surrounding nations. While other cultures relied on signs, omens, and manipulated spiritual encounters, Israel's faith was to be based on direct revelation from the personal, moral, and singular God who governs all. This verse sets the stage for the crucial promise in the following verses (Deut 18:15-18) of a prophet "like Moses." This future prophet (ultimately Christ) would be God's singular, authorized means of communicating His will to His people, directly counteracting the need or legitimacy of any pagan or forbidden means of seeking knowledge. Thus, the prohibition isn't just about moral purity, but about guarding the theological integrity of Israel's relationship with the only true and living God, affirming His unique status as the exclusive source of divine wisdom and truth for His people.
Deuteronomy 18 14 Commentary
Deuteronomy 18:14 powerfully underscores Israel's call to radical distinction and exclusive reliance on God. The verse is not merely a prohibitive legal statement but a profound theological declaration. The detestable practices of the Canaanites – fortune-telling, divination, and all forms of occultism – stemmed from a fundamental mistrust in the one true God and a desperate attempt to control an unknown future or gain power through illicit spiritual means. These activities directly opposed God's nature as the sovereign revealer of truth and His desire for a relationship based on trust, not manipulation.
God's firm denial, "has not allowed you to do so," highlights His covenantal election of Israel, demanding complete dependence upon Him. Instead of pagan diviners, God promises a true Prophet (Deut 18:15), ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who perfectly reveals God's will and truth. Therefore, the prohibition in verse 14 prepares the way for understanding God's preferred and authentic method of revelation. Any attempt to bypass God's ordained means for receiving guidance is seen as rebellion and a turning away from His sufficiency. This command extends to all believers today, urging us to seek truth and direction from God's Word and Spirit, avoiding any reliance on practices that derive from darkness or attempt to discern knowledge apart from Him. It is a call to faith over superstition, divine truth over human speculation, and exclusive worship over syncretism.