Who’s The Prophet Like Moses? — Deuteronomy 18

7 min readJul 1, 2024

Context:

Near the end of Moses’s life
Children of Israel did not want to hear God’s voice again as they did in Horeb (Exodus 20)

For a video version of this article watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dD6Trrg5J0 & https://youtu.be/jhW5dD5ISpY?si=yFfhyE-WBGksmAoC

Prophecy

Criteria

A prophet with unique characteristics of Moses
From the brethren of the Israelites
Not an existing prophet
Will speak the verbatim words of God i.e God will put his words in the mouth of the prophet

Jews Believe it’s Joshua

Christians Believe it’s Jesus

Discrepancy in Manuscripts

Samaritan Torah

Greek Septuagint

Sources: The Septuagint version of the Old Testament by Brenton, Lancelot Charles Lee, Sir, 1807–1862

https://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/nets/edition/05-deut-nets.pdf (pg.20 on PDF)

Conclusion: The word “From among you” in verse 15 are not found in the earlier manuscripts. Therefore it is not authentic & can be discarded.

Scholarly Statements

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/107/DEU.18.NET

Same Prophecy in Exodus

This same prophecy exists in Exodus 20 in the Samaritan version of the Torah which fits more with the context

Prophet Like Moses

Comparison between the prophet Moses, Muhammad, and Jesus (peace be upon them)

Highlights how shockingly similar Muhammad (peace be upon him) was to Moses (peace be upon him). Shows that Jesus (peace be upon him) wasn’t a prophet like Moses, thus weakening the Christian understanding that this prophecy is about Jesus.

Academic Statements

The only man in history who can be compared even remotely to him (Moses) is Muhammad

The Encyclopedia of Religion by Mircea Eliade

Source: What the Bible Says About Muhammad by Ahmed Deedat

Note: Small correction: Montgomery Watt says it states a general principle. However, verses 15–18 is not general, it’s specific. Regardless, Montgomery believes this can apply to Muhammad (PBUH)

Not an Israelite Prophet

Israel Referred to as a Single Person

Moses :as: was addressing this prophecy to all of Israel as if they are a single being. This is called “collective singular.”

“Brethren Of” Does Not Refer to One Being Addressed To

The rest of the tribes of Israel are called the brethren of the Levites

The Levites are called the brethren of the tribe of Judah

The edomites here are referred to the brethren of the Israelites

Just how the brethren of the Levites are not the Levites themselves, the brethren of the tribe of Judah aren’t the tribe of Judah themselves, the brethren of the Israelites cannot be referring to the Israelites themselves. Rather the brethren of the Israelites are the Ishmaelites, Edomites, etc.

Ishmaelites are the Brethren of the Israelites

Just how Esau is the brethren of Israel (Jacob), therefore the Israelites are the brethren of the Edomites due to the same father. The same way, the son of Ishmael (Ishmaelites) are the brethren of the sons of Isaac where the tribes of Israel go back to.

Midrash calls the Ishmaelites the brethren of the Israelites

Muhammad (PBUH) was a descendant of Kedar, who was the second son of Ishmael, who was the brethren of Isaac.

For more information on Islam coming from the Ishmaelites, checkout https://medium.com/@shahadamission/promise-of-a-great-nation-abraham-2a01850f8c3e

No Prophet like Moses in Israel

Since then no prophets in Israel like Moses, meaning it cannot be Joshua

“whom the lord knew face to face” is not a criteria, it just expresses the significance of Moses :as:. If that were the case, it cannot be applied to Jesus or Joshua, as they did not do signs in the land of Egypt.

Samaritan Differences

Sources: The Samaritan Pentateuch: An Introduction to Its Origin, History, and Significance for Biblical Studies by Robert T. Anderson & Terry Giles The Principles of Samaritan Bible Exegesis by S. Lowy

Future tense used in Samaritan Pentateuch, meaning no prophets will ever arise in Israel like Moses

Moses Did Not Write This Passage

If no prophet in Israel was like Moses Since then (Joshua), then it cannot be Joshua

Understood by Scholars to Mean In the Future as Well

A prophet like Moses who is a gentile can arise & they connect this with Balaam. However Deuteronomy 18:18 is about a future prophet, Balaam did not come after Moses.

Expectation of a Prophet Like Moses

The prophet like Moses was still expected during the time of Jesus :as:. Deuteronomy 18 is crossreferenced to be “the prophet” mentioned in John 1.

Some Christians may say that “the prophet” is referring to Jesus :as:. However, there is a clear distinction between these 3 figures (Christ, Elijah, & the Prophet). Christ is Jesus :as: , Elijah is John the Baptist (Matt 11:14), the Prophet is unknown.

Summary

Muhammad (PBUH) was a prophet like Moses, the only prophet like Moses
Muhammad (PBUH) was an Ishmaelite, who are the brethren of the Israelites
Muhammad (PBUH) spoke the Quran, which is the verbatim word of God, as if God put his words in the mouth of the prophet
Cannot be Jesus :as: because he was not at all like Moses :as: & is an Israelite prophet, not brethren of the Israelites
Cannot be Joshua :as: because he was not a prophet like Moses, was an Israelite prophet, and there has never arisen a prophet like Moses in Israel since then (Deut 34:10)