Following the parashat Re’eh, which means vision, perception, sight, behold, is parashat Shophtim, which means to [enter] judge[-ment] or to pronounce sentence (for or against). This carries the idea of perceiving the truth and pronouncing it to those who have ears to hear.
CONTEXT
Deuteronomy 18.13-22: 13“Be perfect before יהוה your Elohim,14for these nations whom you are possessing do listen to those using magic and to diviners. But as for you, יהוה your Elohim has not appointed such for you.15“יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brothers. Listen to Him,16according to all you asked of יהוה your Elohim in Ḥorĕḇ in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of יהוה my Elohim, nor let me see this great fire any more, lest I die.’17“And יהוה said to me, ‘What they have spoken is good.18‘I shall raise up for them a Prophet like you out of the midst of their brothers. And I shall put My Words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.19‘And it shall be, the man who does not listen to My Words which He speaks in My Name, I require it of him.20‘But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other mighty ones, even that prophet shall die.’21“And when you say in your heart, ‘How do we know the word which יהוה has not spoken?’ –22when the prophet speaks in the Name of יהוה and the word is not, or comes not, that is the word which יהוה has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
Exodus 23.20-23: 20“See, I am sending a Messenger before you to guard you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21“Be on guard before Him and obey His voice. Do not rebel against Him, for He is not going to pardon your transgression, for My Name is in Him. 22“But if you diligently obey His voice and shall do all that I speak, then I shall be an enemy to your enemies and a distresser to those who distress you. 23“For My Messenger shall go before you and shall bring you in to the Amorites and the Ḥittites and the Perizzites and the Kena‛anites and the Ḥiwwites and the Yeḇusites, and I shall cut them off.
Who can be a prophet?
Numbers 11.24-30: 24And Mosheh went out and spoke to the people the words of יהוה, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the Tent. 25And יהוה came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders. And it came to be, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, but did not continue. 26However, two men had remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldaḏ, and the name of the other Mĕyḏaḏ. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but did not go out to the Tent. And they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and informed Mosheh, and said, “Eldaḏ and Mĕyḏaḏ are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Yehoshua son of Nun, Mosheh’s assistant from his youth, answered and said, “Mosheh my master, forbid them!” 29Then Mosheh said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Oh, that all the people of יהוה were prophets, that יהוה would put His Spirit upon them!” 30And Mosheh returned to the camp, both he and the elders of Yisra’ĕl.
1 Corinthians 14.1-6, 31-32: 1Pursue love, and earnestly seek the spiritual gifts, but rather that you prophesy. 2For he who is speaking in a tongue does not speak to men but to Elohim, for no one understands, but in the Spirit he speaks secrets. 3But he who is prophesying speaks upbuilding and encouragement and comfort to men. 4He who is speaking in a tongue builds up himself, but he who is prophesying builds up the assembly. 5Now I wish you all spoke with tongues, but rather that you might prophesy, for he who is prophesying is greater than he who is speaking with tongues, unless he interprets, so that the assembly might receive upbuilding. 6But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you, either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by teaching?..31For you are all able to prophesy one by one, so that all learn and all be encouraged. 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
How do we know YaH sent the prophet?
Numbers 12.6-8: 6And He said, “Hear now My words: If your prophet is of יהוה, I make Myself known to him in a vision, and I speak to him in a dream. 7“Not so with My servant Mosheh, he is trustworthy in all My house. 8“I speak with him mouth to mouth, and plainly, and not in riddles. And he sees the form of יהוה. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Mosheh?”
Jeremiah 23.16-33: 16Thus said יהוה of hosts, “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, they lead you astray. They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of יהוה. 17“They keep on saying to those who despise Me, ‘יהוה has said you shall have peace.’ And to all who walk according to the stubbornness of their own heart they say, ‘No evil comes upon you.’” 18For who has stood in the counsel of יהוה, and has seen and heard His word? Who has listened to His word and obeyed it? 19See, a storm of יהוה shall go forth in a rage, a whirling storm! It whirls on the head of the wrong. 20The displeasure of יהוה shall not turn back until He has done and established the purposes of His heart. In the latter days you shall understand it perfectly. 21“I did not send these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. 22“But if they had stood in My counsel, then they would have let My people hear My Words, and they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds. 23“Am I an Elohim close by,” declares יהוה, “and not an Elohim afar off? 24“If anyone is hidden in secret places, would I not see him?” declares יהוה. “Do I not fill the heavens and earth?” declares יהוה. 25“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsehood in My Name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26“Till when shall it be in the heart of the prophets? – the prophets of falsehood and prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27who try to make My people forget My Name by their dreams which everyone relates to his neighbour, as their fathers forgot My Name for Ba‛al. 28“The prophet who has a dream, let him relate the dream, and he who has My Word, let him speak My Word in truth. What is the chaff to the wheat?” declares יהוה.29“Is not My Word like a fire?” declares יהוה, “and like a hammer that shatters a rock? 30“Therefore see, I am against the prophets,” declares יהוה, “who steal My Words every one from his neighbour. 31“See, I am against the prophets,” declares יהוה, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He declares.’ 32“See, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares יהוה, “and relate them, and lead My people astray by their falsehoods and by their reckless boasting. But I Myself did not send them nor have I commanded them. And they do not profit this people at all,” declares יהוה. 33“And when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is the message of יהוה?’ then you shall say to them, ‘What message?’ I shall forsake you,” declares יהוה.
2 Kepha 1.16-21: 16For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we made known to you the power and coming of our Master יהושע Messiah, but were eye-witnesses of His superbness. 17For when He received respect and esteem from Elohim the Father, such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Esteem, “This is My Son, the Beloved in whom I did delight.” 18And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the set-apart mountain. 19And we have the prophetic word made more certain, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture came to be of one’s own interpretation, 21for prophecy never came by the desire of man, but men of Elohim spoke, being moved by the Set-apart Spirit.
Listen to the reading and discussion of Parashat Shoptim here
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