(9) Thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death.—A law tending to prevent false accusation. Where the witness is obliged to carry out himself, or to aid in carrying out, the sentence he demands, secret accusation is impossible; and it is far less easy to pervert the law in order to prosecute a private quarrel. read more
LAWS AGAINST IDOLATROUS ACTS AND CUSTOMSDeuteronomy 13:1-18; Deuteronomy 14:1-29HAVING thus set forth the law which was to crown and complete the long resistance of faithful Israel to idolatry, our author goes on to prohibit and to decree punishment for any action likely to lead to the worship of false gods. He absolutely forbids any inquiry into the religions of the Canaanites. "Take heed to thyself that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so... read more
9. Warnings Against False Prophets and Their Punishment CHAPTER 13 1. The first case: The false prophet and dreamer (Deuteronomy 13:1-5 ) 2. The second case: Temptation to idolatry from blood-relations (Deuteronomy 13:6-11 ) 3. The third case: The apostasy of a city (Deuteronomy 13:12-18 ) Three cases are mentioned. The false prophet or a dreamer of dreams, who confirms his claims by a sign or a miracle, yet whose aim is to seduce to idolatry, is to be put to death. False teaching,... read more
13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be {d} put to death; because he hath spoken to turn [you] away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.(d) Being convicted by testimonies, and condemned by the judge. read more
13:6 If {e} 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 {f} soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;(e) All natural affection must give place to God’s honour.(f) Whom you love as your life. read more
13:9 But thou shalt surely kill him; {g} thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.(g) As the witness is charged. read more
JUDGMENT OF FALSE PROPHETS (vs.1-11) Just as Paul warned the Ephesian elders that "savage wolves" would enter in among New Testament believers, and men from among themselves would teach perverted things to draw away disciples after them (Acts 20:29-30), so Moses warned Israel here of what might happen among them, and did happen. A prophet or dreamer of dreams might arise, prognosticating something about to happen and using this to back up his leading others to serve idols. The thing that he... read more
CONDITIONS OF BLESSING PLACES OF WORSHIP (Deuteronomy 12:0 ) In Canaan, what were the Israelites to destroy and how thoroughly was the work to be done (Deuteronomy 12:1-3 )? What contrast were they to place between themselves and the heathen in public worship (Deuteronomy 12:4-7 )? Did this apply to the same extent in the wilderness, and if not, why not (Deuteronomy 12:8-14 )? What exception was made as to their private and domestic affairs (Deuteronomy 12:15-16 )? What were they not at... read more
Danger and Security Deuteronomy 13:0 This passage, by the inspiration of God, touches upon all the possible points of danger in a religious course. Suppose, for the moment, we do not admit the inspiration, still there remains the fact that in a book so old as Deuteronomy some master hand has touched the three great points of vital danger in religious progress. We bow to genius: we acknowledge power: we say it is but decent to uncover the head in the presence of superiority; bound by this law,... read more
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Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Deuteronomy 13:6
(6) If thy brother.—The substance of this law is that individual idolaters might be executed in Israel. It justifies Jehu and Jehoiada in destroying Baal out of Israel and Judah (2 Kings 10:19-27; 2 Kings 11:18). It also accounts for the covenant made in the time of Asa (2 Chronicles 15:13), that whosoever would not serve the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether man or woman.The law may seem harsh, but its principle is reproduced in the Gospel: “He that loveth father or mother more... read more