Deuteronomy 13:5-15

5 "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be 1put 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, 2to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. 3So you shall purge the evil from among you.
6 "4If 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, '5Let 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 6you shall not yield to him or listen to him; 7and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him.
9 "8But you shall surely kill him; 9your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
10 "So you shall stone him to death because he has sought 10to seduce you from the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
11 "Then 11all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.
12 "If you hear in one of your cities, which the LORD your God is giving you to live in, anyone saying that
13 some worthless men have gone out from among you and have seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, '12Let us go and serve other gods ' (whom you have not known ),
14 then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you,
15 13you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it and all that is in it and its cattle with the edge of the sword.

Deuteronomy 13:5-15 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.

Cross References 13

  • 1. Deuteronomy 13:9, 15; Deuteronomy 17:5; 1 Kings 18:40
  • 2. Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 13:10
  • 3. 1 Corinthians 5:13
  • 4. Deuteronomy 17:2-7; Deuteronomy 29:18
  • 5. Deuteronomy 13:2
  • 6. Proverbs 1:10
  • 7. Deuteronomy 7:2
  • 8. Deuteronomy 13:5
  • 9. Leviticus 24:14; Deuteronomy 17:7
  • 10. Deuteronomy 13:5
  • 11. Deuteronomy 19:20
  • 12. Deuteronomy 13:2
  • 13. Deuteronomy 13:5

Footnotes 7

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