The Meaning of Deuteronomy 18:22 Explained

Deuteronomy 18:22

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: When a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing followeth not, nor cometh to pass, that is the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: be not afraid of him.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 18:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 18:1-22 - The Prophet Who Was To Come
Those that serve the altar may live by the altar. Let us not forget the needs of those who serve us in holy things. It is a blessed thing when an individual desires "the place that the Lord chooses." Let us be true to the inner prompting, at whatever cost. We shall be fully repaid. When Peter loaned his boat Jesus returned it, filled with fish!
We are to be "perfect with the Lord"-i.e., we are not knowingly to permit things that hurt or grieve His Holy Spirit. If the question should arise, how we are to know God's way, we must take our question to the true Prophet. See Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37. He can answer our hard question; but we are strictly forbidden to go to crystal-gazers, palmists, fortune-tellers, and those who profess to read the future. How serious is their fault who refuse Him! Compare Deuteronomy 18:19 with Hebrews 10:28-29. Let thy Urim and Thummim be with the Holy One! 1 Samuel 23:11-12; 1 Samuel 30:7-8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 18

1  The LORD is the priests and Levites' inheritance
3  The priests' due
6  The Levites' portion
9  The abominations of the nations are to be avoided
15  Christ the Prophet is to be heard
20  The presumptuous prophet is to die

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 18:22 mean?

when speaks a prophet in the name of Yahweh and if not does happen the thing or come to pass it [is] the thing which not has spoken Yahweh presumptuously has spoken it the prophet not you shall be afraid of him -
אֲשֶׁר֩ יְדַבֵּ֨ר הַנָּבִ֜יא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־ יִהְיֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ וְלֹ֣א יָב֔וֹא ה֣וּא הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ דִבְּר֖וֹ יְהוָ֑ה בְּזָדוֹן֙ דִּבְּר֣וֹ הַנָּבִ֔יא לֹ֥א תָג֖וּר מִמֶּֽנּוּ ס

יְדַבֵּ֨ר  speaks 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
הַנָּבִ֜יא  a  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
בְּשֵׁ֣ם  in  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָ֗ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְלֹֽא־  and  if  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִהְיֶ֤ה  does  happen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַדָּבָר֙  the  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יָב֔וֹא  come  to  pass 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
ה֣וּא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הַדָּבָ֔ר  the  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
דִבְּר֖וֹ  has  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּזָדוֹן֙  presumptuously 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָדֹון  
Sense: pride, insolence, presumptuousness, arrogance.
דִּבְּר֣וֹ  has  spoken  it 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
הַנָּבִ֔יא  the  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
תָג֖וּר  you  shall  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: גּוּר 
Sense: to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely.
מִמֶּֽנּוּ  of  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation