Deuteronomy 13:18

13:12-18 Here is the case of a city revolting from the God of Israel, and serving other gods. The crime is supposed to be committed by one of the cities of Israel. Even when they were ordered to preserve their religion by force, yet they were not allowed to bring others to it by fire and sword. Spiritual judgments under the Christian dispensation are more terrible than the execution of criminals; we have not less cause than the Israelites had, to fear the Divine wrath. Let us then fear the spiritual idolatry of covetousness, and the love of worldly pleasure; and be careful not to countenance them in our families, by our example or by the education of our children. May the Lord write his law and truth in our hearts, there set up his throne, and shed abroad his love!

13:12-18 Here is the case of a city revolting from the God of Israel, and serving other gods. The crime is supposed to be committed by one of the cities of Israel. Even when they were ordered to preserve their religion by force, yet they were not allowed to bring others to it by fire and sword. Spiritual judgments under the Christian dispensation are more terrible than the execution of criminals; we have not less cause than the Israelites had, to fear the Divine wrath. Let us then fear the spiritual idolatry of covetousness, and the love of worldly pleasure; and be careful not to countenance them in our families, by our example or by the education of our children. May the Lord write his law and truth in our hearts, there set up his throne, and shed abroad his love!

When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God,.... Not only in this case, but in all others: to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day: the repetition of which he made unto them, and enjoined the observance of them in the name of the Lord: to do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord thy God; which they would do, if they kept the commandments of the Lord, which are holy, just, and good, and must be right in his sight because commanded by him.

Deuteronomy 13:16 . street ] broad or open place . So far as they have been unearthed the streets of ancient Canaanite towns were as narrow as those of the villages of modern Palestine. But there was always a broad place, just inside the gate, where local courts and consultations were held. every whit ] a whole offering , holocaust. Hebrew kalîl usually synonymous with ‘olah (see Deuteronomy 12:6 ), but here used of the ḥerem ; so in Jdg 20:40 of a city set on fire and its smoke: the whole offering of the city went up to heaven. an heap ] or mound . Heb., as Ar., tel ( tell ), in both languages also applied to the mounds on which living cities stand, their dead selves; the remains of their previous gradual decay or overthrow: all the cities standing on their mounds ( Joshua 11:13 , etc.). Deuteronomy 13:17 . devoted thing ] The thing banned , as well as the banning , was called ḥerem . See on Deuteronomy 2:34 , Deuteronomy 7:26 , and cp. Joshua 6:18 . turn from the fierceness of his anger ] So Joshua 7:26 , after the ḥerem was fulfilled on Achan. and shew thee mercy , etc.] Jeremiah 42:12 . multiply thee ] Again this promise! Deuteronomy 1:10 , Deuteronomy 6:3 ( q.v. ), Deuteronomy 7:13 , etc. Deuteronomy 13:18 . The usual condition attached to promises in Deut.: possibly editorial. right ] Sam., LXX add and good .

18 . shall make diligent inquisition ] See Deuteronomy 13:14 (15), Deuteronomy 17:4 ; Deuteronomy 17:9 ; Sg. false, falsely ] Heb. sheḳer : so in Exodus 20:16 , but Deuteronomy 5:20 has shav, vain . brother ] here and next v .: the usual term in Sg. passages for fellow-Israelite . Deuteronomy 19:18

[Bible] 12:23. Only beware of this, that thou eat not the blood, for the blood is for the soul: and therefore thou must not eat the soul with the flesh: 12:24. But thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water, 12:25. That it may be well with thee and thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is pleasing in the sight of the Lord. 12:26. But the things which thou hast sanctified and vowed to the Lord, thou shalt take, and shalt come to the place which the Lord shall choose: 12:27. And shalt offer thy oblations, the flesh and the blood upon the altar of the Lord thy God: the blood of thy victims thou shalt pour on the altar: and the flesh thou thyself shalt eat. 12:28. Observe and hear all the things that I command thee, that it may be well with thee and thy children after thee for ever, when thou shalt do what is good and pleasing in the sight of the Lord thy God. 12:29. When the Lord thy God shall have destroyed before thy face the nations, which thou shalt go in to possess, and when thou shalt possess them, and dwell in their land: 12:30. Beware lest thou imitate them, after they are destroyed at thy coming in, and lest thou seek after their ceremonies, saying: As these nations have worshipped their gods, so will I also worship. 12:31. Thou shalt not do in like manner to the Lord thy God. For they have done to their gods all the abominations which the Lord abhorreth, offering their sons and daughters, and burning them with fire. 12:32. What I command thee, that only do thou to the Lord: neither add any thing, nor diminish. That only do thou, etc... They are forbid here to follow the ceremonies of the heathens; or to make any alterations in the divine ordinances. Deuteronomy Chapter 13 False prophets must be slain, and idolatrous cities destroyed. 13:1. If there rise in the midst of thee a prophet or one that saith he hath dreamed a dream, and he foretell a sign and a wonder,

and all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wicked thing as this in thy midst. If in one of thy cities, which Jehovah thy God hath given thee to dwell there, thou hearest, saying, There are men, children of Belial, gone out from among you, and they have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, whom ye have not known; then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and if it be truth, [and] the thing be certain, that this abomination hath happened in the midst of thee, thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, devoting it to destruction, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. And all the spoil of it shalt thou gather into the midst of the open place thereof, and shalt burn the city with fire, and all the spoil thereof, wholly to Jehovah thy God; and it shall be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again. And thou shalt not let anything cleave to thy hand of the devoted thing; that Jehovah may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; when thou hearkenest to the voice of Jehovah thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, that thou mayest do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah thy God. Chapter 14