ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Deuteronomy 18.22

Book: Deuteronomy · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"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. 21. And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken?"

"22. when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"20. But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.” 21. You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?”"

"22. When a prophet speaks in Yahweh’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"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. 21. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?"

"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, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"20. 'Only, the prophet who presumeth to speak a word in My name, that which I have not commanded him to speak, and who speaketh in the name of other gods, even that prophet hath died. 21. 'And when thou sayest in thy heart, How do we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken? --"

"22. that which the prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing is not, and cometh not, it [is] the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; in presumption hath the prophet spoken it;, thou art not afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Moses (sermons recorded by narrator)
  • Audience: second-generation Israelites about to enter Canaan
  • Location: plains of Moab, east of the Jordan
  • Time period: events c. 1406 BC; composed c. 1406 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.