IF THERE ARISE IN THE MIDST OF THEE A PROPHET, OR A DREAMER OF DREAMS. Scripture calls him "a prophet" on the basis of his own claim, for it is he who claims, "G-d spoke with me while I was awake and I am His prophet sent to you [to command] that you [worship idols,⁠" as mentioned in (3)]. But it is possible that Scripture alludes to that which is true [that the person does indeed possess certain prophetic powers], for there is a prophetic potential in the souls of some people by which they know of things to come without the person knowing whence it comes to him, but he will isolate himself and [then] a spirit will arrive within him saying, "Thus it will happen to that person in the future in a particular matter.⁠" The philosophers call [that power of prophecy] kahin.⁠¹ They do not know its cause, but the matter is substantiated in the sight of witnesses. Perhaps the soul in its keenness cleaves to the pure intellect² and concentrates on it. Such a person is called "prophet,⁠" because he predicts events, and, therefore, the sign or wonder³ whereof he spoke comes to pass.

AND HE GIVE THEE 'OTH' (A SIGN) OR 'MOFEITH' (WONDER). A Sign [denotes a natural phenomenon serving as] a symbol of something similar that will take place afterwards, this being associated with the expression, every man with his own standard, 'b'othoth' (according to the ensigns).⁠⁴ For when a prophet comes and says "The following [natural] matter is to represent something which is to take place" that is termed an oth (a sign), similar to what is stated, Therefore, the Eternal Himself shall give you an 'oth' (a sign)⁠⁵ that G-d is with us, [the omen being] the name of the son of the prophet's wife, ["Immanuel,⁠" meaning "G-d is with us"]⁠⁶ The word oth is thus derived from at hah ["coming,⁠" since the oth represents something about to come]. A mofeith (a wonder), on the other hand, applies to something novel which the prophet does before us, making some change in the natural order of the world, similar to what is stated, to inquire of 'hamofeith' (the wonder) that was done in the Land;⁷ And I will show 'moft him' (wonders) in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire.⁠⁸ The word mofeith is thus a shortened form of mufleith (marvelous)⁠⁹ — just like the expression 'sheirith' (the rest of) Israel¹⁰ [which is a shortened form of she'eirith]. The [Sacred] Language adopted the term to signify anything which is supernatural, just as it is stated, Thus Ezekiel shall be unto you 'l'mofeith' (for a wonder),⁠¹¹ and it is stated there, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb; so shall thou be 'l'mofeith' (for a wonder) unto them,⁠¹² seeing that his actions were wondrous in the eyes of the beholders. The word mofeith [a derivative from pele — wonder] is thus similar in sense to the following expression, and she is come down 'p'la'im' (wonderfully).⁠¹³ So also: the signs 'v'thimhaya' (and wonders);⁠¹⁴ how great are His signs, 'v'thimhohie' (and His wonders) how mighty they are!;¹⁵ the signs 'v'hamoft him' (and the wonders),⁠¹⁶ for the terms pele and teimah refer to the same topic. Now, in the departure from Egypt there were signs, these being the matters which Moses told them from the beginning, such as, by tomorrow shall this 'sign' be,⁠¹⁷ and there were wonders which were done spontaneously without previously informing Pharaoh about them [such as the splitting of the Red Sea]. So also, what is 'the sign' that I shall go up to the House of the Eternal?¹⁸ [King Hezekiah asked of the prophet Isaiah] that he should give him foreknowledge [by means of a sign that he would recover from his illness]. And in connection with that very sign it states that [the king of Babylon sent his princes to Hezekiah] to inquire of 'hamofeith' (the wonder) that was done in the Land¹⁹ in order to learn how this novel matter had occurred among them.⁠²⁰ Similarly, the rod which was turned to a serpent²¹ He referred to as a sign²² when He informed the children of Israel thereby [of the purpose of Moses' mission], and He called it a wonder²³ when He performed it before Pharaoh as an unannounced miracle. Likewise, Just as My servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot for three years as 'a sign' and 'a wonder' upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia, so shall etc.,⁠²⁴ [implying that the same act can be simultaneously an oth and a mofeith], because in this act of the prophet, there was a sign foretelling what was to come, and a wonder in the practice of the prophet in walking that way.
If so, the meaning of the expression [before us], and he give thee a sign or a wonder is that he will say, "I am the prophet sent to you that you worship a particular idol, and this shall be 'the sign' for you: tomorrow there shall come the locust, the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm.⁠" Or he shall show them "a wonder:" he will cast down a rod before them and it will become a serpent. Now, in the Sifre the Rabbis have said:⁠²⁵ "A sign is [identical to] a wonder and a wonder is [identical to] a sign except that the Torah refers [to them] in two terms.⁠" Perhaps the intent of the Rabbis was [not to state that the terms are identical in meaning but that] there is no difference between the two or distinction in their legal status, and [therefore] it would have been sufficient to mention one. But the Torah wanted to elaborate on the matter saying in effect "whatever sign he gives you, from whatever signs [exist] on earth.⁠"
Now, this man who calls himself "prophet" and commands [you] to worship idols is by way of the simple meaning of Scripture a prophet of an idol who says "The idol [Baal] Peor sent me to you declaring that he is god and he commanded that you worship him in a certain way.⁠" It is he of whom Scripture further says, and he that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die,⁠²⁶ for all who prophesy in the name of other gods, do so in order that people worship them, because they are [that prophet's] deities, and Scripture mentions him there, among the [general] false prophets. But what emerges from the words of our Rabbis²⁷ is that the prophet mentioned here prophesies in the name of G-d, saying "The Glorious Name²⁸ sent me that you worship [Baal] Peor because he was His partner in creation,⁠" or that he [Baal-peor] is greater than all the gods before Him and He desires that they worship him. And the Rabbis of blessed memory have mentioned²⁹ that even if he were to say that they should worship a certain idol but for one moment alone, for example, if he says, "Worship [Baal] Peor just this day alone and you will succeed in a certain project for such is the will before the Glorious Name" — that prophet is guilty of a capital offense. This, too, lies within the plain meaning of Scripture.
Thus Scripture commanded that we hearken not at all to him who prophesies in the name of G-d to worship the idols, nor take note of the signs and wonders that he will make. And it mentions the reason³⁰ because we know from the exodus from Egypt which was an actual event — not a vision or a mirage — that the earth is the Eternal's³¹ and He is the Creator, the One Who wills all, and the Omnipotent, and there is no god beside Him, and we further know from the Revelation on Mount Sinai that face to face³² He commanded us to walk in this way, not to worship anything at all beside Him, and that He has not given His glory to another [deity].⁠³³ This is the sense of the expression, which the Eternal thy G-d commanded thee.⁠³⁴ Thus the prophet hath spoken perversion against the Eternal³⁵ Who never commanded him so, or he spoke perversion against His Glory, for it is not proper to worship another god.