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Deuteronomy 18:20

in Deuteronomy 18

But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.

KJV

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

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This verse in Deuteronomy 18

Commentary

4 notes on this verse

A commentator

Origen of Alexandria

EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM 8 · Written before 253.

We can be prepared to find some prophet even of impiety—and perhaps not just one but several—who will tell us of a word of the Lord, which the Lord has not at all commanded, or a "word of wisdom" which has nothing whatever to do with wisdom. His purpose is to slay us by the word of his mouth.

This site's exposition

shall presume to speak a word

on Deuteronomy 18:20-21

Two offences carry the one penalty, a word spoken presumptuously in the Lord's name and a word spoken in the name of other gods, and chapter 13:1-5 had already handled the second. Verse 21 puts the question from the hearer's side, because the man in the congregation has to judge before the outcome is in. Albert Barnes reads the assumed occasion as a crisis such as a coming battle and points to 1 Kings 22:11, where two prophets give opposite words about the same campaign. Jeremiah 28 is this statute in operation, Hananiah contradicting Jeremiah in the temple and dying that same year.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

), namely, by the judgment of the great sanhedrim, which, in process of time, sat at Jerusalem; and therefore our Saviour says that a prophet could not perish but at Jerusalem, and lays the blood of the prophets at Jerusalem's door ( Luke xiii.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation

But the prophet which shall presume to speak in my name,....

The words behind it

20 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • אַ֣ךְnevertheless

    ʾakhH389 →161 times

  • הַנָּבִ֡יאthe prophet

    hanavi'H5030 →314 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֣רwho

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • יָזִיד֩he will act presumptuously

    yazidH2102 →10 times

  • לְדַבֵּ֨רby speaking

    ledaberH1696 →1141 times

  • דָּבָ֜רa word

    davarH1697 →1440 times

  • בִּשְׁמִ֗יin name my

    bishmiH8034 →864 times

  • אֵ֣ת<obj.>

    ʾetH853 →10935 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֤ר[that] which

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • לֹֽא־not

    lo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • צִוִּיתִיו֙I commanded him

    tzivitivH6680 →494 times

  • לְדַבֵּ֔רto speak

    ledaberH1696 →1141 times

  • וַאֲשֶׁ֣רand who

    vaasherH834 →5497 times

  • יְדַבֵּ֔רhe will speak

    yedaberH1696 →1141 times

  • בְּשֵׁ֖םin [the] name of

    beshemH8034 →864 times

  • אֱלֹהִ֣יםgods

    ʾelohimH430 →2601 times

  • אֲחֵרִ֑יםother

    ʾacherimH312 →166 times

  • וּמֵ֖תand he will die

    umetH4191 →839 times

  • הַנָּבִ֥יאthe prophet

    hanavi'H5030 →314 times

  • הַהֽוּא׃<the> him

    hahu'H1931 →1879 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Deuteronomy 18:22When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.13 worksJeremiah 23:30“Therefore behold,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words they attribute to Me.”11 worksJeremiah 27:15For I have not sent them, declares the LORD, and yet they are prophesying falsely in My name; therefore I will banish you, and you will perish—you and the prophets who prophesy to you.”9 worksDeuteronomy 13:1–5If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you,9 worksEzekiel 13:6They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message.8 worksJeremiah 28:15–17Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you, but you have persuaded this people to trust in a lie.8 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Matthew 7:15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.8 worksJeremiah 23:31“Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and proclaim, ‘The LORD declares it.’”8 worksZechariah 13:3And if anyone still prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not remain alive, because you have spoken falsely in the name of the LORD.’ When he prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will pierce him through.8 worksJeremiah 23:13–15“Among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.8 worksJeremiah 14:14–15“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.7 worksJeremiah 2:8The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.6 works1 Kings 18:27At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”6 worksExodus 22:20If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.6 works1 Kings 18:40Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.5 works2 Peter 2:12These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.4 worksJeremiah 23:32“Indeed,” declares the LORD, “I am against those who prophesy false dreams and retell them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people,” declares the LORD.4 worksDeuteronomy 13:5Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way in which the LORD your God has commanded you to walk. So you must purge the evil from among you.4 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 7:15

    Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

    it leads to

    • 1 John 4:1

      Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

    • Matthew 24:11

      and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.

    • 2 Peter 2:1–3

      Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…

    • Mark 13:22–23

      For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

    • Acts 20:29–31

      I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

  • Through

    Ezekiel 13:6

    They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message.

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 28:15

      Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you, but you have persuaded this people to trust in a lie.

    • Ezekiel 22:28

      Her prophets whitewash these deeds by false visions and lying divinations, saying, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ when the LORD has not spoken.

    • Jeremiah 29:8

      For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from…

Where this verse is studied

About Deuteronomy

Moses Comes Down from Mount Sinai, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Moses Comes Down from Mount Sinai, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Deuteronomy: the study guide →Read Deuteronomy 18 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM 8.

Read on in Deuteronomy 18 →