Tyndale Open Study Notes on Deuteronomy 18:10

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Modern study notes
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

18:10 never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering: Some Canaanite religions included child sacrifice to appease their gods. Israel was strictly warned never to engage in this practice (Exod 34:15-16; Lev 18:21; 20:2-5). When they did, it aroused God’s judgment (2 Kgs 17:16-17; 21:6; Ezek 23:37). • fortune-telling: Throughout the ancient Near East, diviners were considered experts at reading and interpreting omens. Divination was commonly done through extispicy, the examination of livers, kidneys, and other internal organs of various animals. • sorcery: Sorcerers conjured up the spirits of the dead. • Divining cups were often used to interpret omens (see Gen 44:5). Drops of oil would be placed in containers of water, and the spread of the oil communicated some message to the expert. A parallel would be reading tea leaves. • The practice of witchcraft included performing unusual acts or signs (Exod 7:11) to mislead people (Mal 3:5).

Read Deuteronomy 18:10 →Read the full chapter →John Gill's Exposition →Barnes' Notes →Wesley's Explanatory Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →

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This excerpt is attributed to its named commentary. It is included as a historical study resource and should be evaluated in light of Scripture and other relevant evidence.