Deuteronomy 13:1-9

Shun Idolatry

1 "¹If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,

2 and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, '²Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known ) and let us serve them,'

3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is ³testing you to find out if ⁴you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

4 "⁵You shall follow * the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and ⁶cling to Him.

5 "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be ⁷put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, ⁸to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. ⁹So you shall purge the evil from among you.

6 "¹⁰If your brother, your mother's son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, '¹¹Let us go and serve other gods ' (whom neither you nor your fathers have known,

7 of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end ),

8 ¹²you shall not yield to him or listen to him; ¹³and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him.

9 "¹⁴But you shall surely kill him; ¹⁵your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

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Deuteronomy 13:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 13

In this chapter the Israelites are taught how to discern a false prophet, shun and punish him, De 13:1-5, what to do with enticers to idolatry, not only not to consent to them, but, without favour and affection to them, endeavour to bring them to just punishment, and be the first that should inflict it on them, De 13:6-11 and how to behave towards a city drawn into idolatry, as to inquire the truth of it; then make war against it; destroy all in it, men, women, children, and cattle; and burn the spoil of it, and suffer not anything at all belonging to it to cleave unto them, De 13:12-18.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 15

1. Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9
2. Deuteronomy 13:6, 13
3. Exodus 20:20; Deuteronomy 8:2, 16; 1 Corinthians 11:19
4. Deuteronomy 6:5
5. 2 Kings 23:3; 2 Chronicles 34:31; 2 John 6
6. Deuteronomy 10:20
7. Deuteronomy 13:9, 15; Deuteronomy 17:5; 1 Kings 18:40
8. Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 13:10
9. 1 Corinthians 5:13
10. Deuteronomy 17:2-7; Deuteronomy 29:18
11. Deuteronomy 13:2
12. Proverbs 1:10
13. Deuteronomy 7:2
14. Deuteronomy 13:5
15. Leviticus 24:14; Deuteronomy 17:7

Footnotes 5

[a]. Ch 13:2 in Heb
[b]. Lit "spoken"
[c]. Lit "turning aside"
[d]. Lit "slaves"
[e]. Lit "of your bosom"