A Journey through the Bible with Tiglath

31. Deuteronomy Chapter 18 (verse 4) to 31

Chapter 18 is of great interest, not only does it tell us how the Levites were to

be rewarded for carrying out the priestly offices but it also warns the people

against indulging in witchcraft which they may learn from surrounding peoples.

Even more interesting, in the latter part of the chapter, there is reference to God

raising up a Prophet (verse 15). This is referred to again in verse 18. In the

Gospel of St John, Chapter 5, verse 46, these words are written –For had ye

believed Moses, you would have believed me; “for he wrote of me!”.

In Chapter 19 three cities of refuge are added to the three already given to the

people by the Lord. To these cities people who have killed someone, very often

by accident, can go until tempers have cooled and the circumstances can be

investigated. In this way blood feuds can be avoided. Verse 14 instructs the

people not to interfere with their neighbour’s landmarks. They are also warned

not to give false witness (verses 15 to 19). Verses 19 to 21 set out the law of

Retaliation.

We shall now hurry through the succeeding chapters of Deuteronomy noting

that in Chapter 20 the priests tell the people how to fight a battle. In Chapter 21

men are instructed how to treat a captive woman whom they have married. In

Chapter 22 we learn that those who have committed adultery are to be put to

death. Verses 28 to 29 are very interesting! It would take me far too long to go

through all the laws that Moses wrote in these chapters of Deuteronomy. He

finished writing them in Chapter 31.