Deu 18:21-22 | NETfull | STEP | Now if you say to yourselves, ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord ?’

Deuteronomy 18:21-22

21 Now if you say to yourselves, ^{▼▼ Heb “in your heart.”} ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord?’ ^{▼▼ Heb “know the word which the Lord has not spoken.” The issue here is not understanding the meaning of the message, but distinguishing a genuine prophetic word from a false one.} – 22 whenever a prophet speaks in my ^{▼▼ Heb “the Lord’s.” See note on the word “his” in v. 5.} name and the prediction ^{▼▼ Heb “the word,” but a predictive word is in view here. Cf. NAB “his oracle.”} is not fulfilled, ^{▼▼ Heb “does not happen or come to pass.”} then I have ^{▼▼ Heb “the Lord has.” See note on the word “his” in v. 5.} not spoken it; ^{▼▼ Heb “that is the word which the Lord has not spoken.”} the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”