Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 13:12-18

Testing the Prophets and Purging the Tempters: The Absolute Demand of Exclusive Loyalty

From the prophet whose sign comes true but who teaches rebellion (vv. 1-5), through the intimate family member or friend who secretly entices to idolatry (vv. 6-11), to the entire city within Israel that has been led astray (vv. 12-18) — the chapter moves from individual false prophet through intimate personal betrayal to communal apostasy, each requiring the same covenant response: investigation, refusal, and execution of the tempter.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

12 If, regarding one of the cities the LORD your God is giving you to inhabit, you hear it said

13 that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),

14 then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you,

15 you must surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword. Devote to destruction all its people and livestock.

16 And you are to gather all its plunder in the middle of the public square, and completely burn the city and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. The city must remain a mound of ruins forever, never to be rebuilt.

17 Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hands, so that the LORD will turn from His fierce anger, grant you mercy, show you compassion, and multiply you as He swore to your fathers,

18 because you obey the LORD your God, keeping all His commandments I am giving you today and doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD your God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 12

Cross-references

Joshua 22:11 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 17:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

If כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction regarding one בְּאַחַ֣ת H259 Preposition-b | Number - feminine singular construct of the cities עָרֶ֗יךָ H5892 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר֩ H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular is giving נֹתֵ֥ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular you לְךָ֛ Preposition | second person masculine singular to inhabit לָשֶׁ֥בֶת H3427 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct . . . שָׁ֖ם H8033 Adverb you hear תִשְׁמַ֞ע H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular it said לֵאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 13

Cross-references

1 Samuel 10:27 Classic cross-references 1 John 2:19 Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 25:17 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 6:15 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 23:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

that wicked בְלִיַּ֙עַל֙ H1100 Noun - masculine singular men אֲנָשִׁ֤ים H376 Noun - masculine plural . . . בְּנֵֽי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct have arisen יָצְא֞וּ H3318 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural from among you מִקִּרְבֶּ֔ךָ H7130 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and have led the people יֹשְׁבֵ֥י H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct of their city עִירָ֖ם H5892 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural astray וַיַּדִּ֛יחוּ H5080 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker saying לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Let us go נֵלְכָ֗ה H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural and serve וְנַעַבְדָ֛ה H5647 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural other אֲחֵרִ֖ים H312 Adjective - masculine plural gods אֱלֹהִ֥ים H430 Noun - masculine plural which אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you have not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle known יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃ H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural

Verse 14

Cross-references

Proverbs 18:13 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 17:4 Classic cross-references 1 Timothy 5:19 Classic cross-references Isaiah 11:3 Classic cross-references John 7:24 Classic cross-references

Original words

then you must inquire וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֧ H1875 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular investigate וְחָקַרְתָּ֧ H2713 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular and interrogate וְשָׁאַלְתָּ֖ H7592 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular thoroughly הֵיטֵ֑ב H3190 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute And if וְהִנֵּ֤ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection it is established with certainty אֱמֶת֙ H571 Noun - feminine singular . . . נָכ֣וֹן H3559 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular . . . הַדָּבָ֔ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular that this הַזֹּ֖את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular abomination הַתּוֹעֵבָ֥ה H8441 Article | Noun - feminine singular has been committed נֶעֶשְׂתָ֛ה H6213 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular among you בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ׃ H7130 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 7:2 Classic cross-references Exodus 22:20 Classic cross-references Joshua 7:15 Classic cross-references Judges 20:48 Classic cross-references Leviticus 27:28 Classic cross-references

Original words

you must surely put הַכֵּ֣ה H5221 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . תַכֶּ֗ה H5221 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the inhabitants יֹֽשְׁבֵ֛י H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct of that הַהוּא H1931 Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular city הָעִ֥יר H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular vvv לְפִי־ H6310 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct to the sword חָ֑רֶב H2719 Noun - feminine singular Devote to destruction הַחֲרֵ֨ם H2763 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular - לְפִי־ H6310 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct - חָֽרֶב׃ H2719 Noun - feminine singular - אֹתָ֧הּ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker all [its people] כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and livestock בְּהֶמְתָּ֖הּ H929 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; similarly in verse 17.

Verse 16

Cross-references

Jeremiah 49:2 Classic cross-references Joshua 8:28 Classic cross-references Isaiah 17:1 Classic cross-references Isaiah 25:2 Classic cross-references Joshua 6:24 Classic cross-references

Original words

And וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker you are to gather תִּקְבֹּץ֮ H6908 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct its plunder שְׁלָלָ֗הּ H7998 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular in אֶל־ H413 Preposition the middle תּ֣וֹךְ H8432 Noun - masculine singular construct of the public square רְחֹבָהּ֒ H7339 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular and completely burn וְשָׂרַפְתָּ֨ H8313 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular . . . בָאֵ֜שׁ H784 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the city הָעִ֤יר H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct its plunder שְׁלָלָהּ֙ H7998 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular as a whole burnt offering כָּלִ֔יל H3632 Noun - masculine singular to the LORD לַיהוָ֖ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular [The city] must remain וְהָיְתָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular a mound of ruins תֵּ֣ל H8510 Noun - masculine singular construct forever עוֹלָ֔ם H5769 Noun - masculine singular never לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to be rebuilt תִבָּנֶ֖ה H1129 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular . . . עֽוֹד׃ H5750 Adverb

Verse 17

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 28:9 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 7:26 Classic cross-references Psalms 85:3 Classic cross-references Numbers 25:4 Classic cross-references Genesis 26:24 Classic cross-references

Original words

Nothing וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle . . . מְא֖וּמָה H3972 Noun - masculine singular devoted to destruction הַחֵ֑רֶם H2764 Article | Noun - masculine singular shall cling יִדְבַּ֧ק H1692 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to your hands בְּיָדְךָ֛ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular so that לְמַעַן֩ H4616 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֜ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular will turn יָשׁ֨וּב H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition His fierce anger מֵחֲר֣וֹן H2740 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct . . . אַפּ֗וֹ H639 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular grant וְנָֽתַן־ H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular you לְךָ֤ Preposition | second person masculine singular mercy רַחֲמִים֙ H7356 Noun - masculine plural show you compassion וְרִֽחַמְךָ֣ H7355 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular and multiply you וְהִרְבֶּ֔ךָ H7235 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular as כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative He swore נִשְׁבַּ֖ע H7650 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to your fathers לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

Exodus 15:26 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:32 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:28 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 12:25 Classic cross-references Matthew 7:21 Classic cross-references

Original words

because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction you obey תִשְׁמַ֗ע H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . בְּקוֹל֙ H6963 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular keeping לִשְׁמֹר֙ H8104 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct His commandments מִצְוֺתָ֔יו H4687 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֛ר H834 Pronoun - relative I אָנֹכִ֥י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular am giving you today מְצַוְּךָ֖ H6680 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular . . . הַיּ֑וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular [and] doing לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct what is right הַיָּשָׁ֔ר H3477 Article | Adjective - masculine singular in the eyes בְּעֵינֵ֖י H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc of the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ס H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular

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