For those nations which thou shall possess hearkened unto
observers of times, and unto diviners
Such as are before mentioned, and did as they directed them:
but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do;
or, "but thou not so" F13 thou shouldest not do so, not hearken to such persons, but to the Lord thy God, and to his law and testimony; nor art thou left to the deception of such persons:
the Lord thy God hath given thee:
his word and statutes, as a rule to go by, which he has not given to other nations: the Targum of Jonathan adds,
``the priests shall ask by Urim and Thummim, and a true prophet shall the Lord your God give unto you;''so that they had no need to hearken to such impostors and deceivers: or, "as for thee, not so are they whom the Lord thy God giveth thee" {n}; that is, the prophets whom the Lord would give unto them would not be like the diviners of the Heathens, who imposed on the people and deceived them; but would be men sent and inspired by God, and true and faithful in the discharge of their office; and to hearken to these they are encouraged by the promise of a very eminent one, like to Moses, in the next verse.