The Meaning of Deuteronomy 18:18 Explained

Deuteronomy 18:18

KJV: I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

YLT: a prophet I raise up to them, out of the midst of their brethren, like to thee; and I have given my words in his mouth, and he hath spoken unto them all that which I command him;

Darby: A prophet will I raise up unto them from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

ASV: I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I will raise them up  a Prophet  from among  their brethren,  like unto thee, and will put  my words  in his mouth;  and he shall speak  unto them all that I shall command  him. 

What does Deuteronomy 18:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 18:1-22 - The Prophet Who Was To Come
Those that serve the altar may live by the altar. Let us not forget the needs of those who serve us in holy things. It is a blessed thing when an individual desires "the place that the Lord chooses." Let us be true to the inner prompting, at whatever cost. We shall be fully repaid. When Peter loaned his boat Jesus returned it, filled with fish!
We are to be "perfect with the Lord"-i.e., we are not knowingly to permit things that hurt or grieve His Holy Spirit. If the question should arise, how we are to know God's way, we must take our question to the true Prophet. See Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37. He can answer our hard question; but we are strictly forbidden to go to crystal-gazers, palmists, fortune-tellers, and those who profess to read the future. How serious is their fault who refuse Him! Compare Deuteronomy 18:19 with Hebrews 10:28-29. Let thy Urim and Thummim be with the Holy One! 1 Samuel 23:11-12; 1 Samuel 30:7-8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 18

1  The LORD is the priests and Levites' inheritance
3  The priests' due
6  The Levites' portion
9  The abominations of the nations are to be avoided
15  Christ the Prophet is to be heard
20  The presumptuous prophet is to die

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 18:18 mean?

A Prophet I will raise up for them from among their brothers like you and will put My words in His mouth and He shall speak to them - all that I command Him
נָבִ֨יא אָקִ֥ים לָהֶ֛ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם כָּמ֑וֹךָ וְנָתַתִּ֤י דְבָרַי֙ בְּפִ֔יו וְדִבֶּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲצַוֶּֽנּוּ

נָבִ֨יא  A  Prophet 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
אָקִ֥ים  I  will  raise  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
לָהֶ֛ם  for  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
מִקֶּ֥רֶב  from  among 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם  their  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
כָּמ֑וֹךָ  like  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
וְנָתַתִּ֤י  and  will  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
דְבָרַי֙  My  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
בְּפִ֔יו  in  His  mouth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
וְדִבֶּ֣ר  and  He  shall  speak 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אֲצַוֶּֽנּוּ  I  command  Him 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.