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; read more
Deuteronomy 13:6. The son of thy mother This is added, to restrain the signification of the word brother, which is often used generally for one near akin, and to express the nearness of the relation, the mother’s side being usually the ground of the most fervent affection. Thy daughter Thy piety must overcome both thy affection and thy compassion to the weaker sex. The father and mother are here omitted, because they are sufficiently contained in the former examples. read more
Warnings against idolatry (12:29-13:18)In Canaan the Israelites would meet many new temptations. Moses therefore warned them not to be curious about the religious practices of the former inhabitants, lest they copy them and corrupt their own religion (29-32). They were also to beware of the person who could apparently perform miracles and predict events. The test of the genuineness of the person was not whether his predictions came true, but whether he led people in the ways of God... read more
own soul = own self. Hebrew. nephesh , Hebrew. nephesh . App-13 . entice . . . secretly. Both (Hebrew) words used here. read more
"If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, that 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; of the gods of the people that are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; thou shalt not consent unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare,... read more
Ver. 6. If thy brother, &c.— To convince them of the high duty they owed to God, and to shew them that this law ought to be executed in its utmost rigour against a sin which struck at the very foundation of their religion and government, Moses puts the case in the strongest manner; that if the nearest and dearest relation and friend should entice a man to the worship of false gods, he was to have no mercy upon the enticer, but was to put him to death, ver. 9. The reason of the thing,... read more
6. If thy brother . . . entice thee secretly—This term being applied very loosely in all Eastern countries (Genesis 20:13), other expressions are added to intimate that no degree of kindred, however intimate, should be allowed to screen an enticer to idolatry, to conceal his crime, or protect his person. Piety and duty must overcome affection or compassion, and an accusation must be lodged before a magistrate. read more
The relative or friend 13:6-11It was not just religious leaders who suffered for this crime. The authorities were to execute any Israelite who sought to lead others into idolatry. Moses set forth the deterrent value of capital punishment as a reason for its practice (Deuteronomy 13:11; cf. Deuteronomy 17:13). In modern times advocates of the abolition of capital punishment have argued that this practice does not deter crime, but the scriptural testimony is that it does. read more
Warnings against Temptations to IdolatryThe people are warned against three possible sources of temptation to idolatry, viz. the false prophet (Deuteronomy 13:1-5), an erring member of the family (Deuteronomy 13:6-11), and an apostate city (Deuteronomy 13:12-18). In each case the tempter or tempters must he put to death without mercy.2. A sign or a wonder is not enough to establish the credentials of a prophet. If he seeks to turn the people from the worship of Jehovah, he confesses himself... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 13:6-12
God or our brother. Terribly stern is the duty here laid on the person enticed to idolatry. The law is adapted to an age of stern deeds, and to a people living under a stern dispensation. Yet, reflecting on the nature of the crime, on the constitution of the Jewish state, and on the issues to mankind which hung on the slender thread of this one nation's fidelity, it is difficult to see how it could well have been less stern than it is. Its severity was perhaps its mercy. Note, too, that... read more