Interpretation of Deut. 18:15-19 & 34:10-12

Sam Shamoun
Sam Shamoun

Table of Contents

I cite various translations and/or interpretations of Deut. 18:15-19 and 34:10-12 from a variety of writings. All emphasis will be mine.

Rashi 

15 A prophet from among you, from your brothers, like me, the Lord, your God will set up for you; you shall hearken to him.

A prophet] from among you, from your brothers, like me. This means: Just as I am among you, from your brothers, so will He set up for you [another prophet] in my stead, and so on, from prophet to prophet. (The Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary)

Samaritan Pentateuch

15 Shema your God will raise up for you a prophet from among your brothers, like me, and to him you shall listen, 16 according to all that you desired of Shema your God in Ureb in the day of the assembly, saying, ʻLet me not hear again the voice of Shema my God or see this great ˚re of him, lest I die.ʼ :>— — 17 And Shema said to me, ʻThey have well said that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to his words which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him. (The Samaritan Pentateuch: An English Translation with a Parallel Annotated Hebrew Text, pp. 826-827)

10 And there has not arisen since a prophet in Yishraʾel like Mushi, whom Shema knew face to face, 11 in all the signs and the wonders, which Shema sent him to do in the land of Miṣrem, to Faru, and to all his servants, and to all his land, 12 and in all the mighty hand, and in all the great vision, which Mushi performed in the sight of all Yishraʾel. (Ibid., p. 896)

Targumim

נְבִיָּא מִבֵּינָךְ מֵאַחָיךְ כְּוָתִי יְקִים לָךְ יְיָ אֱלָהָךְ מִנֵּיהּ תְּקַבְּלוּן:  

A prophet from your midst, of your brethren, like me, will Adonoy, your God, establish for you; heed him.

כְּכֹל דִּי שְׁאֶלְתָּא מִקֳּדָם יְיָ אֱלָהָךְ בְּחֹרֵב בְּיוֹמָא דִקְהָלָא לְמֵימָר לָא אוֹסֵף לְמִשְׁמַע יָת קָל מֵימְרָא דַיְיָ אֱלָהַי וְיָת אֶשָּׁתָא רַבְּתָא הָדָא לָא אֶחֱזֵי עוֹד וְלָא אֵמוּת:  

Exactly as you requested from [before] Adonoy, your God, at Choreiv, on the day of assembly, saying, ‘‘Let me not continue to hear the voice [the word] of Adonoy, my God, and this great fire let me not see any more as that I will not die.’’

וַאֲמַר יְיָ לִי אוֹטִיבוּ דִּי מַלִּילוּ: 

Adonoy said to me, ‘‘What they said is excellent.

נְבִיָּא אֲקִים לְהוֹן מִגּוֹ אֲחֵיהוֹן כְּוָתָךְ וְאֶתֵּן פִּתְגָּמֵי נְבוּאָתִי בְּפוּמֵיהּ וִימַלֵּל עִמְּהוֹן יָת כָּל דִּי אֲפַקְּדִנֵּיהּ: 

A prophet will I establish for them from among their brethren like you, and I will place My words [of prophecy] in his mouth and he will tell them everything that I command him. (Targum Onkelos, 18)

וְלָא קָם נְבִיָּא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמשֶׁה דִּי אִתְגְּלִי לֵיהּ יְיָ אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין:  

And there has not ever arisen a prophet within Yisroel like Moshe, whom Adonoy knew [appeared to] face-to-face. (Ibid., 34)

נְבִיָא מִבֵּינֵיכוֹן מִן אֲחוּכוֹן דְּדָמֵי לִי בְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא יְקִים לְכוֹן יְיָ אֱלָהָכוֹן מִנֵּיהּ תְקַבְּלוּן 

a Prophet from among you of your brethren like unto me, with the Holy Spirit will the Lord your God raise up unto you; to Him shall you be obedient.

כְּכל דְּשַׁיִּילְתּוּן מִן קֳדָם יְיָ אֱלָהָכוֹן בְּחוֹרֵב בְּיוֹמָא דְאִתְכַּנָּשׁוּ שִׁבְטַיָא לִמְקַבְּלָא אוֹרַיְיתָא לְמֵימָר לָא נוֹסִיף לְמִשְׁמַע יַת קַל דִּיבּוּרָא מִן קֳדָם יְיָ אֱלָהָנָא וְיַת אֵישָׁתָא רַבְּתָא הֲדָא לָא נֶחֱמֵי תּוּב דְּלָא נְמוּת  

According to all that you begged before the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembling of the tribes to receive the law, saying, Let us not again hear the Great Voice {of the Word - Dibbura} from before the Lord our God, nor behold again that great fire, lest we die:

וַאֲמַר יְיָ לִי אַתְקִינָן מַה דְּמַלֵּילָן 

and the Lord said to me, That which they have spoken is right;

נְבִיָא אָקִים לְהוֹן מִבֵּינֵי אֲחוּהוֹן דְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא בֵּיהּ כְּוָותָךְ וְאֶתֵּן פִּתְגָמֵי נְבוּאָתִי בְּפוּמֵיהּ וִימַלֵּיל עִמְהוֹן יַת כָּל דְּאִיפְקְדִינֵיהּ  

I will raise up unto them a Prophet from, among their brethren in whom shall be the Holy Spirit, as in thee; and I will put My Word of prophecy in his mouth, and he shall speak with them whatsoever I command him;

וִיהֵי גַבְרָא דְלָא יִתְקַבֵּל פִּתְגָמֵי נְבוּאָתִי דִימַלֵּיל בִּשְׁמִי מֵימְרִי יִפְרַע מִנֵּיהּ  

and the man who will not hearken to the words of My prophecy which shall be spoken in My Name, My Word shall take vengeance upon him. (Targum Jonathan, 18)

וְלָא קָם נְבִיָא תּוּב בְּיִשְרָאֵל כְּמשֶׁה אֲרוּם חַכִּים יָתֵיהּ מֵימְרָא דַיְיָ מַמְלֵל כֻּלוֹ קֳבֵיל מַמְלֵל 

But no prophet hath again risen in Israel like unto Mosheh, because the Word of the Lord had known him to speak with him word for word,

לְכוּלְהוֹן אָתַיָא וְתִמְהֵי פְרִישָׁתָא דִי שַׁדְרֵיהּ מֵימְרָא דַיְיָ לְמֶעֱבַד בְּאַרְעָא דְמִצְרַיִם לְפַרְעה וּלְכָל עַבְדוֹי וּלְכָל עַם אַרְעֵיהּ  

in all the signs, and wonders, and manifestations which the Word of the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Mizraim upon Pharoh, and all his servants, and all the people of his land; (Ibid., 34

וְלָאָ קָם נְבִיָּא עוֹד בְּיִשְרָאֵל כְּמשֶׁה דִי חַכִּים יָתֵיהּ מֵימְרָא דַיְיָ מַמְלּיל כָּל קֳבֵיל מַמְלָּל: 

But no prophet hath arisen yet in Israel as Mosheh, whom the Word of the Lord knew, (speaking with him word for word,) (Targum Jerusalem, 34)

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