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Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Deuteronomy 18:11

Deuteronomy 18:11. Or a charmer One that charmeth serpents or other creatures. Or rather, as the Hebrew חבר חבר , chober chaber, seems to mean, an astrologer, or such as, by the conjunction of the planets, pretended to foretel the events of men’s lives, or other future things. It must be observed that the eastern people were much addicted to divination of all kinds, and undertook no enterprise of importance without consulting their soothsayers; and therefore Moses uses these sundry... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:1-22

Spiritual guides, good and bad (18:1-22)Further information is given concerning the support of priests (18:1-5; see notes on Numbers 18:8-20). If a Levite from the country sold his local possessions to move to the central place of worship, he could retain the money from the sale of his goods and still be financially supported by the people, the same as other Levites (6-8; see notes on Numbers 18:21-32).Israel’s law prohibited all forms of witchcraft and magic, whether cruel practices in which... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Deuteronomy 18:11

familiar spirits. See note on Leviticus 19:31 . necromancer = a seeker unto the dead; a medium. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Deuteronomy 18:11

Ver. 11. Or a charmer— in the Hebrew חבר חבר chober chober, jungens junctionem. The word חבר chober, says Parkhurst, signifies to charm, or, by pretended incantations, to collect serpents, and other noxious animals together, without harm: thus Buxtorf, Psalms 58:5. A passage from the author of The conformity of the East Indians with the Jews, and other ancient nations, ch. 28: may throw some light on the subject: "Their enchantments, or at least such as I have had any knowledge of, have not... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Deuteronomy 18:9-22

Prophets 18:9-22The context of this section is significant, as usual. Deuteronomy 18:1-8 deal with people who ministered to Yahweh in various ways for the people, and Deuteronomy 18:15-22 concern the delivery of God’s revelations to His people. Deuteronomy 18:9-14 contrast illegitimate types of religious personnel and practices with the legitimate kinds Moses dealt with in the surrounding sections."Of the three major institutions of ancient Israelite social and religious life-royalty, the... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 18:1-22

The Priestly Dues. Character and Work of the True Prophet1-8. The Priestly dues: see on Numbers 18.4. This is the only place where the priests are said to receive the first of the fleece: cp. Numbers 18:12.9-14. Condemnation of superstitious and magical practices.10. Pass through the fire] The context here seems to imply that this was a method of divining or obtaining an oracle from a god: cp. on Leviticus 18:21. Useth divination] a general term, but applied specially to the casting of lots:... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Deuteronomy 18:9-14

(9-14) Certain forms of idolatry to be avoided, especially unlawful means of communication with the unseen world. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Deuteronomy 18:11

(11) Charmer.—Literally one who ties knots, used here for the first time in Old Testament.Consulter with familiar spirits.—Literally, one who consulteth ôb (see Leviticus 19:31).A Wizard.—One who knows or pretends to know the secrets of the unseen world. (See Leviticus 19:31.)Necromancer.—One who inquires of the dead. Four of the above practices are ascribed to king Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33:6. It is hardly possible that all of them were mere imposture and deceit. read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Deuteronomy 18:1-22

Deuteronomy 18:9-22 'A Prophet.' How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? In the following passages our Lord claims prophetic powers: 'My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me'. 'Then shall ye know that I do nothing of Myself, but as the Father hath taught Me, I speak these things.' 'Like unto Moses.' Christ has the whole prophetic life in Himself, says a German writer. He has the pathos of an Isaiah, the melancholy of an Hosea, the meekness of a Jeremiah, the joy in nature of an... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:9-22

SPEAKERS FOR GOD -III. THE PROPHETDeuteronomy 18:9-22.THE third of the Divine voices to this nation was the prophet. Just as in the other Semitic nations round about Israel there were kings and priests and soothsayers, there were to be in Israel kings and priests and prophets; and the first two orders having been discussed, there remains for consideration the prophet, in so far at least as he was to be the substitute for the soothsayer. That this parallel was in the mind of the writer, and that... read more

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