Deuteronomy 18:19 kjv
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Deuteronomy 18:19 nkjv
And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.
Deuteronomy 18:19 niv
I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.
Deuteronomy 18:19 esv
And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.
Deuteronomy 18:19 nlt
I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf.
Deuteronomy 18 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 18:15 | "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you...to him you shall listen." | The promise of a true prophet to listen to. |
| Deut 18:20 | "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name that I have not commanded him...that prophet shall die." | Contrasts with false prophets and their fate. |
| Deut 18:21-22 | How to distinguish a false prophet from a true one. | Test for distinguishing true prophecy. |
| Acts 3:22-23 | Peter explicitly identifies Jesus as the Prophet like Moses, quoting Deut 18:15 and 18:19, warning of being "cut off." | Direct fulfillment and application to Christ. |
| Acts 7:37 | Stephen, too, affirms Jesus as "the Prophet like Moses." | Another New Testament affirmation. |
| Matt 17:5 | "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!" | God the Father commanding to listen to Jesus. |
| John 5:46-47 | Jesus says, "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me... But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" | Connection between believing Moses (and his prophecy) and believing Christ. |
| Heb 1:1-2 | "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son." | Jesus as the ultimate culmination of divine revelation. |
| Heb 2:1-3 | Warning against neglecting such a great salvation proclaimed by the Lord. | Importance of heeding God's message, post-Christ. |
| Heb 12:25 | "See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns from heaven." | Greater accountability for rejecting Christ's warning. |
| Luke 10:16 | "The one who hears you hears Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me, and the one who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." | Rejecting God's messengers is rejecting God Himself. |
| Jer 23:30-32 | Warning against false prophets who speak their own dreams, not from God. | Reiterates consequences of speaking/listening to false words. |
| Isa 1:19-20 | "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword..." | General principle of blessing for obedience, judgment for disobedience. |
| Psa 50:16-17 | God questioning the wicked for declaring His statutes while hating instruction. | Emphasizes internal rejection of God's word. |
| Zech 7:11-12 | Describes people who refused to listen, turning a stubborn shoulder. | Historical pattern of rebellion and deafness to God's word. |
| Prov 1:24-28 | Wisdom calling out, but ignored, leading to disaster when they seek it too late. | Consequences for rejecting wisdom/instruction. |
| Exod 19:5 | "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be My treasured possession..." | Obedience to God's voice as a foundational covenant principle. |
| 1 Sam 8:7 | God tells Samuel, "they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them." | Rejecting God's appointed representative is rejecting God. |
| Num 14:11 | "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me?" | Direct expression of God's grievance against disbelief/rejection. |
| Rom 2:4-6 | "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness... storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed." | Accountability and judgment for unrepentance. |
Deuteronomy 18 verses
Deuteronomy 18 19 Meaning
Deuteronomy 18:19 states that anyone who does not listen to the words of the prophet whom God raises up, and who speaks in God's name, will face direct accountability and judgment from God Himself. It emphasizes the absolute necessity of heeding God's divinely authorized messenger.
Deuteronomy 18 19 Context
Deuteronomy 18 forms part of Moses' farewell speeches to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, before entering Canaan. This chapter outlines the regulations for spiritual leadership in the promised land, distinguishing clean practices from the abhorrent idolatrous customs of the Canaanites. Specifically, verses 9-14 forbid practices like divination, sorcery, spiritism, and consulting the dead—all common in pagan cultures. Verses 15-22 then pivot to explain how God will truly communicate with His people: through a genuine prophet. Verse 19, therefore, is a stark warning about the consequences of ignoring or rejecting this divinely appointed and authorized spokesperson. It follows the promise of the "Prophet like Moses" (v.15) and precedes the instructions on how to test a prophet (vv.20-22). The immediate historical context is Israel preparing to enter a land saturated with occult practices, requiring clear divine instructions on how to maintain covenant fidelity and listen only to God's true voice.
Deuteronomy 18 19 Word analysis
- And it shall be that whoever:
Whoever(Heb. w’hayah… ish): Emphasizes individual accountability. No one is exempt from this command. It's a personal responsibility to discern and obey.
- will not listen:
Listen(Heb. shama - שָׁמַע): This is more than merely hearing; it implies heeding, obeying, and understanding. In biblical context, shama denotes obedience derived from careful hearing. It's an active refusal, not a passive inability to hear.
- to My words:
My words(Heb. davarai - דְבָרַי): Refers specifically to God's direct message. This emphasizes that the prophet is not speaking his own thoughts but conveying the very words of Yahweh. This imparts divine authority to the prophet's utterance.
- which he shall speak:
Speak(Heb. yedabber - יְדַבֵּר): Implies a sustained and authoritative declaration. It reinforces the prophet's role as a divine spokesperson.
- in My name:
In My name(Heb. bishmi - בִּשְׁמִי): A crucial phrase signifying divine authority and commission. The prophet acts as God’s representative, using His authority. Speaking in God's name means speaking on God's behalf, as God's representative, invoking His power and character. This is central to legitimate prophecy.
- I Myself:
I Myself(Heb. Anochi - אָנֹכִי֙): An emphatic first-person pronoun, typically used by God in covenants and lawgiving (e.g., "I am the LORD your God" in the Ten Commandments). It underscores the personal, direct, and non-delegable nature of God's impending judgment.
- will require it:
Require it(Heb. edrosh bo - אֶדְרֹשׁ בּוֹ): The verb darash means to seek, inquire, demand, or exact. In this context, it signifies a strong divine reckoning, an immediate and personal holding to account, and ultimate judgment for disobedience. It's a statement of inescapable consequence and divine justice. It suggests an active pursuit of justice and punitive action by God Himself.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "will not listen... in My name": This combination highlights that the offense is not merely disbelief but a willful disregard for God's explicit communication delivered through His chosen agent, under His authority. It emphasizes rebellion against divine will.
- "I Myself will require it": This phrase conveys the seriousness and certainty of the consequence. It's not a human court, but God directly who will act as judge and enforcer of the divine command. This gives the command ultimate weight and solemnity.
Deuteronomy 18 19 Bonus section
The "Prophet like Moses" in Deuteronomy 18:15 and its warning in verse 19 find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. This unique prophetic lineage highlights Jesus not just as a prophet, but as the supreme Prophet who perfectly embodies and supersedes Moses. Unlike previous prophets who relayed God's words, Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14). His words carry intrinsic divine authority, and the consequences of rejecting them are eternal. The concept of "listening" (Shema) is central to the entire Torah, implying active obedience and faithfulness to the covenant. Disregarding the voice of God's Prophet is seen as a profound breach of covenant and an act of direct defiance against Yahweh, leading to expulsion from His presence and community ("cut off").
Deuteronomy 18 19 Commentary
Deuteronomy 18:19 underscores the immense weight of receiving divine revelation and the grave danger of neglecting it. It firmly establishes that God communicates through His chosen messengers and that rejecting these messengers is tantamount to rejecting God Himself. The verse serves as a crucial theological cornerstone, promising both the true Prophet (fulfilled ultimately in Jesus Christ) and warning against the severe, personal judgment that awaits those who refuse to hear His divine message delivered through His appointed mouthpiece. This accountability extends from Israel's initial reception of the Mosaic Law to the New Testament's call to obey Christ. It emphasizes that divine words are not optional suggestions but binding decrees demanding obedience.