Deuteronomy 13:8

8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare , neither shalt thou conceal him:

Deuteronomy 13:8 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 13:8

Thou shall not consent unto him
To commit the idolatry enticed unto, or join with him in it:

nor hearken to him;
not so much as patiently to hear him, but at once express an abhorrence of and indignation at what he recommends:

neither shall thine eye pity him;
pitied he might be for his ignorance, stupidity, and wickedness, and on account of the miserable estate and condition he was in, and of those dreadful consequences which would follow upon it, if not converted from it; but no mercy was to be shown him on account of nearness of relation:

neither shall thou spare;
to reprove him sharply and to expose him to public vengeance:

neither shall thou conceal him;
neither him nor his sin, but make both public, acquaint others with it, and endeavour to bring him before the civil magistrate to be examined, tried, and judged; so far should they be from hiding his offence from others, or excusing and extenuating it, or from harbouring his person privately when sought for upon information.

Deuteronomy 13:8 In-Context

6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying , Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known , thou, nor thy fathers;

7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;

8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare , neither shalt thou conceal him:

9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death , and afterwards the hand of all the people.

10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die ; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.