Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 18:20
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.
20. the prophet, etc.] These special cases prove that throughout this passage no single prophet but a succession of prophets is meant.
which shall speak presumptuously, etc.] Heb. who shall be presumptuous (Deu 17:12, see on Deu 1:43) to speak a word, etc. It is notorious how many such ‘prophets’ appeared in Israel both before and during the seventh century (see Jeremiah passim). On the rest of the v. see on Deu 13:1-5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Compare the marginal references.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
But the prophet which shall presume to speak in my name,…. Pretending a mission and commission from God, and yet was never sent by him, like the prophets in Jer 23:21,
which I have not commanded him to speak; which though true was not to be spoken in a public manner, by assuming a public office, without a divine authority or a commission from God, and much less what was false, and never commanded to be spoken at all by any:
or, that shall speak in the name of other gods; the idols of the people, as the Targum; as if any should affirm they were sent by Jove, or inspired by Apollo, as some are said to prophesy by Baal, as if they had received their orders and instructions from him, and were inspired by him, Jer 2:8
even that prophet shall die; the Targum of Jonathan is, be killed by the sword, but the Jews q generally interpret it of strangling.
q Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 10. sect. 1. Bartenora in ib sect. 5. and Jarchi in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 20-22:
The text is a warning against hearing and heeding a prophet who prophesies falsely, either something God has not commanded him to speak, or in the name of a false god. Such was a capital crime.
Verses 21, 22: the test to determine which was the true and which was the false prophet was the fulfillment or the failure of his prediction. This deals primarily with events of the near future, but which one would not know without supernatural assistance.
When the events came to pass as the prophet said, this confirmed his claim as a prophet and God’s approval upon his prophecy. But if the events did not come to pass as the prophet said, this pointed him out as an impostor, subject to the penalty of the law, which was death.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
20. But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak Deu 13:5.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
False Prophets will Arise. The Test of A True Prophet ( Deu 18:20-22 ).
Deu 18:20
“ 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.”
But the danger was that false prophets would also arise. Let men beware of being false prophets. The position of the prophets was to be so important that anyone who feigned being a prophet was to be put to death. If men professed to be prophets but spoke their own words pretending that they were Yahweh’s, speaking their own wisdom presumptuously pretending that it was God’s, giving commands in His name which had not really come from Him, then they were to die. So also were any who came as prophets in the names of other gods.
Deu 18:21
‘ And if you say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?” ’
But this would immediately raise the question as to how they were to know whether this was so or not, how they were to know what God had not said and how they were to recognise God’s truth.
Deu 18:22
‘ When a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing follow not, nor come about, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.’
The solution was outwardly simple. If a man speaks in the name of Yahweh, and what he says ‘is not’ and/or ‘does not come about’, then that is the proof that Yahweh has not spoken through him, and that the prophet has spoken presumptuously. Thus they need not be afraid of his words.
The emphasis here is on the fact that Yahweh’s words always have genuine content and that He always does what He says He will do. In view of the non-mention of a positive perspective this would seem to be as much a careful declaration that Yahweh would honour the word of His true prophets as the simple test of a prophet. But the outcome of some prophecies would not be apparent for some considerable time. The people still had to weigh up their words and consider the likelihood of their fulfilment in the light of the Scriptures that they had, and in the light of the covenant.
But the corollary is that if a man speaks in the name of Yahweh and what he says has powerful moral impact and does continually come about, then unless there are grounds for thinking otherwise it would be an indication that he did come from Yahweh. Thus he should be heeded, and his words treasured, especially if he urged them to the fear of Yahweh. And they should listen and fear what he says. A prophet who does not bring them to the fear of Yahweh should certainly, however, not be heeded. Nor should one whose words failed of fulfilment. And certainly one who came in the name of other gods should be rejected immediately.
It will be observed that this proof could not in many cases be fully known at the time of the prophecy, although it would in some be apparent shortly afterwards, for the message of the prophet was regularly concerning immediate and local situations. Thus its manifest truthfulness or otherwise would become apparent. Once the prophet’s integrity was established he could then be trusted. There are many examples of such short term prophecies in Scripture, men who came, spoke truly, and went (Jdg 6:8; 1Sa 22:5; 2Sa 24:11 ; 1Ki 11:29; 1Ki 13:1; and often). But although they disappeared from our point of view they would continue to be known in the community.
In the case of the prophets of whom we know most, because their words were recorded, much of their prophecy was looking into the future that was coming which would take time to unfold, but it is clear from their words that they expected their listeners to use their moral judgment, and recognise the truth of the situation. And that some did so comes out in that their words were preserved.
The very content of the prophecy often demonstrated its own truth. The true prophet’s warnings were unheeded, not because they were manifestly untrue, but because men did not want to hear what they were saying, because their hearts were hardened. We all like men who tell us what we want to hear. Had their hearts been right, and had they thought more deeply, they would have known. A clear example can be found of this in 1Ki 2:5-18).
Later tests given would be that they must be tested against God’s own words received from the past (Isa 8:20). Another that they could be tested by the voice of God’s Spirit within Who would witness to what was true (1 John 1:20, 27). But in the end the prophet was recognised by those whose hearts were right and true to the covenant.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Of False Prophets
v. 20. But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in My name, v. 21. And if thou say in thine heart, how shall we know the word which the Lord hath spoken? v. 22. When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
And what is the distinguishing mark to the church now? See those two sweet scriptures: Isa 8:20 ; Rom 8:14 . To which I add a third: “It is the spirit that beareth witness, because the SPIRIT is truth.” 1Jn 5:6 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the prophet: Deu 13:1-5, Jer 14:14, Jer 14:15, Jer 23:13-15, Jer 23:31, Jer 27:15, Eze 13:6, Mat 7:15, 2Pe 2:12
in the name: Deu 13:1, Deu 13:2, 1Ki 18:19, 1Ki 18:27, 1Ki 18:40, Jer 2:8, Jer 28:15-17, Zec 13:3, Rev 19:20
Reciprocal: Exo 22:20 – sacrificeth Deu 13:5 – prophet Deu 18:22 – presumptuously 1Ki 13:19 – General 1Ki 22:28 – If thou return Jer 23:30 – General Jer 23:32 – to err Jer 26:11 – saying Eze 13:23 – ye shall see Joh 19:7 – We have