Deuteronomy 13:6-11

6 ¹“If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or ²the wife you embrace^[a] or your friend ³who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods, ’ ⁴which neither you nor your fathers have known,

7 some ⁵of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other,

8 you shall ⁶not yield to him or listen to him, nor ⁷shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him.

9 But you shall kill him. ⁸Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.

10 ⁹You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

11 And ¹⁰all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.

Deuteronomy 13:6-11 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

• 1. 13:6 ch. 17:2
• 2. 13:6 ch. 28:54, 56; Mic. 7:5
• 3. 13:6 [1 Sam. 18:1, 3; 20:17]
• 4. 13:6 ch. 28:64
• 5. 13:7 ch. 6:14
• 6. 13:8 Prov. 1:10
• 7. 13:8 See ch. 7:16
• 8. 13:9 ch. 17:7
• 9. 13:10 ch. 17:5; See Josh. 7:25
• 10. 13:11 ch. 17:13; 19:20; 21:21

Footnotes

• [a] 13:6 Hebrew 'the wife of your bosom'