A Prophet Like Moses

Moses says the LORD will raise up a prophet like him from among Israel, and the people must listen. This promise answers their fear at Horeb, where they asked not to hear the LORD's voice directly, so the LORD appoints a prophet who will speak His words.

T¹⁵he LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him. ¹⁶This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!” ¹⁷Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. ¹⁸I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. ¹⁹And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name.

A prophet who speaks falsely in the LORD's name or in the name of other gods must die. To recognize such a prophet, Israel is to watch whether the announced word comes to pass; if it does not, the speaker has spoken presumptuously.

²⁰But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.” ²¹You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” ²²When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.