Deuteronomy 18:17
New International Version
The LORD said to me: “What they say is good.

New Living Translation
“Then the LORD said to me, ‘What they have said is right.

English Standard Version
And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well.

King James Bible
And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

New King James Version
“And the LORD said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good.

New American Standard Bible
And the LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well.

NASB 1995
“The LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well.

NASB 1977
“And the LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Yahweh said to me, ‘They have spoken well.

Amplified Bible
The LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto me, They have well said that which they have spoken.

Contemporary English Version
Then the LORD told me: Moses, they have said the right thing.

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto me, They have well said that which they have spoken.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD told me, "What they've said is good.

Good News Translation
So the LORD said to me, 'They have made a wise request.

International Standard Version
"Then the LORD told me: 'What they have suggested is good.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to me, ?They have spoken well.

NET Bible
The LORD then said to me, "What they have said is good.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD said to me, "They have well said that which they have spoken.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to me, They have well spoken of that which they have spoken.

World English Bible
Yahweh said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and YHWH says to me, They have done well [in] what they have spoken;

Young's Literal Translation
and Jehovah saith unto me, They have done well that they have spoken;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will say to me, They did well in what they spake.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to me: They have spoken all things well.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord said to me: ‘They have spoken all these things well.

New American Bible
And the LORD said to me, What they have said is good.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD replied to me: “They are right in what they have said.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the LORD said to me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH said to me: “They have spoken everything beautifully.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD said unto me: 'They have well said that which they have spoken.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord said to me, They have spoken rightly all that they have said to thee.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A New Prophet
16This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!” 17Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. 18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.…

Cross References
Acts 3:22-23
For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you. / Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’

Acts 7:37
This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’

John 1:45
Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

John 5:46
If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me.

Hebrews 3:1-6
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. / He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. / For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. ...

Matthew 17:5
While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

Luke 24:19
“What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people.

John 6:14
When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

John 7:40
On hearing these words, some of the people said, “This is truly the Prophet.”

Matthew 21:11
The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Numbers 12:6-8
He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. / But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. / I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?”

Exodus 20:19
“Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”

Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD said to me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

Deuteronomy 5:28
And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.

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Rightly They
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Rightly They
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














Then the LORD said to me
This phrase indicates direct communication from God to Moses, highlighting the unique prophetic role Moses held as the mediator between God and the Israelites. In the context of Deuteronomy, Moses is recounting the events to the new generation of Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. This direct speech from God underscores the authority of Moses' leadership and the divine origin of his message. It also sets the stage for the promise of a future prophet like Moses, which is a key theme in Deuteronomy 18.

They have spoken well
This refers to the Israelites' request for a mediator between them and God, as they were fearful of hearing God's voice directly at Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:23-27). Their request is acknowledged by God as appropriate, recognizing the people's need for an intermediary. This sets a precedent for the prophetic office in Israel, where prophets would serve as God's spokespeople. Theologically, this anticipates the coming of Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King, fulfilling the role of mediator between God and humanity (Hebrews 1:1-2). The acknowledgment that "they have spoken well" also reflects God's understanding and accommodation of human limitations and fears.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who speaks to Moses and guides the Israelites.

2. Moses
The prophet and leader of Israel, who acts as a mediator between God and the people.

3. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who are receiving instructions and guidance through Moses.

4. Promised Land
The land that God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which the Israelites are preparing to enter.

5. Prophets
Individuals who are called by God to speak His words to the people, a role that Moses fulfills and which will continue with future prophets.
Teaching Points
God's Affirmation of Righteous Requests
The Israelites' request for a mediator was acknowledged by God as good. This teaches us that God listens to our concerns and desires for righteous intercession.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets serve as God's mouthpiece, delivering His messages to the people. This underscores the importance of heeding God's word as delivered through His chosen servants.

Jesus as the Fulfillment
Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the prophetic promise in Deuteronomy 18. Recognizing Jesus as the final and greatest prophet calls us to listen and obey His teachings.

The Importance of Mediation
Just as Moses mediated between God and Israel, Jesus is our mediator, bridging the gap between humanity and God. This highlights the necessity of a relationship with Christ for access to the Father.

Listening to God's Voice
The Israelites' desire to hear God's word through a prophet rather than directly reflects our need to discern and listen to God's voice today, primarily through Scripture and the Holy Spirit.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to me,
אֵלָ֑י (’ê·lāy)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“They have spoken
דִּבֵּֽרוּ׃ (dib·bê·rū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

well.
הֵיטִ֖יבוּ (hê·ṭî·ḇū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 18:17 Yahweh said to me They have well (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 18:16
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