Deuteronomy 18:10

Laws Concerning the Cities of Refuge, the Sacredness of Landmarks,and the Punishment of False Witnesses - Deuteronomy 19 After laying down the most important features in the national constitution, Moses glances at the manifold circumstances of civil and family life, and notices in this and the two following chapters the different ways in which the lives of individuals might be endangered, for the purpose of awakening in the minds of the people a holy reverence for human life.

In this chapter, I. The rights and revenues of the church are settled, and rules given concerning the Levites' ministration and maintenance (Deu 18:1-8). II. The caution against the idolatrous abominable customs of the heathen is repeated (Deu 18:9-14). III. A promise is given them of the spirit of prophecy to continue among them, and to centre at last in Christ the great prophet (Deu 18:15-18). IV. Wrath threatened against those that despise prophecy (Deu 18:19) or counterfeit it (Deu 18:20), and a rule given for the trial of it (Deu 18:21, Deu 18:22).

18:10 never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering: Some Canaanite religions included child sacrifice to appease their gods. Israel was strictly warned never to engage in this practice (Exod 34:15-16; Lev 18:21; 20:2-5). When they did, it aroused God’s judgment (2 Kgs 17:16-17; 21:6; Ezek 23:37). • fortune-telling: Throughout the ancient Near East, diviners were considered experts at reading and interpreting omens. Divination was commonly done through extispicy, the examination of livers, kidneys, and other internal organs of various animals. • sorcery: Sorcerers conjured up the spirits of the dead. • Divining cups were often used to interpret omens (see Gen 44:5). Drops of oil would be placed in containers of water, and the spread of the oil communicated some message to the expert. A parallel would be reading tea leaves. • The practice of witchcraft included performing unusual acts or signs (Exod 7:11) to mislead people (Mal 3:5).