Deuteronomy 13:5-15

5 And that prophet, either (that) feigner of dreams, shall be slain; for he spake (so) that he should turn you away from your Lord God, that led you out of the land of Egypt, and again-bought you from the house of servage (and bought you back, or redeemed, or ransomed, you, from the house of servitude, or of slavery), (so) that he make thee to err from the way that thy Lord God commanded to thee; and in (the) killing of him thou shalt do away evil from the midst of thee.
6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, either thy son, either thy daughter, either the wife which is in thy bosom, either thy friend, whom thou lovest as thy (own) soul, will counsel thee, and saith privily, Go we and serve alien gods, which thou knowest not, and thy fathers know not (will counsel thee, and saith privately, Let us go, and serve foreign, or other, gods, which thou knowest not, nor thy fathers knew),
7 (the gods) of all the folks about, that be nigh either far, from the beginning unto the end of the land,
8 assent thou not to him, neither hear thou him, neither thine eye spare him, that thou have mercy of him, and hide him, (assent thou not to him, nor listen thou to him, nor thine eye spare him, so that thou have mercy on him, or that thou hide him,)
9 but anon thou shalt slay him. Thine hand be first upon him, and after thee, all the people put to (the) hand. (but at once thou shalt kill him. Thy hand be the first upon him, and after thee, the hands of all the other people.)
10 He shall be oppressed with stones, and shall be slain; for he would draw thee away from thy Lord God, that led thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servage, (He shall be killed with stones; for he tried to draw thee away from the Lord thy God, who led thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude, or of slavery,)
11 that all Israel hear this and dread, and do no more anything like this thing. (then all Israel shall hear of this, and be afraid, and never again do anything evil like this.)
12 If thou hearest any men saying in one of thy cities, which thy Lord God shall give thee to dwell in,
13 The sons of Belial went out from the midst of thee, and turned away the dwellers of the city, and said, Go we, and serve alien gods, which ye knew not, (The sons of Belial went out from thy midst, and turned away that city's inhabitants, for they said, Let us go, and serve foreign, or other, gods, which ye knew not,)
14 inquire thou busily, and when the truth of the thing is beholden diligently, if thou findest that this thing is certain, that is said, and that this abomination is done indeed, (carefully inquire thou, and when the truth of the thing is diligently seen, if thou findest that it is certain that this was said, and that this abomination was indeed done,)
15 anon thou shalt smite the dwellers of that city with the sharpness of sword (at once thou shalt strike the inhabitants of that city with the sharpness of the sword), and thou shalt destroy that city, and all things that be therein, unto the beasts.

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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.