Deuteronomy 13:12

12–18 (13–19 in Heb.). Against a City seduced to Other Gods

Deu_13:12. in one of thy cities] So Hebrew. R. V. concerning is hardly possible (though cp. Psa_92:12). As the words define not the place where the report has been heard, but the subject of the report, the guilty city itself; therefore either saying has been carelessly misplaced and should follow hear (tell) (cp. Jos_22:11) or more probably the writer has designedly but awkwardly brought up the object of the law from the subordinate to the principal clause so as to make it prominent from the first: cp. Deu_31:29 (Dillm., Driv.). Translate: if thou shalt hear tell, that, in one of the cities, which … certain base fellows have gone out, etc.

cities] or towns; these social forms in Israel are much more frequent in D than tribes which under the settled conditions of the people towns gradually displaced; nearly always (exceptions Deu_19:1, Deu_20:16 and LXX of Deu_12:5) in these laws they are units of judiciary: here, Deu_19:1-13 (on the cities of refuge), Deu_21:2 ff. (with criminal responsibility for murders committed near them), Deu_21:19 ff., Deu_22:15 ff., Deu_22:24, Deu_25:8 : their representatives being their elders. The other phrase within thy gates is used of judiciary matters in Deu_16:18, Deu_17:2; Deu_17:8 (otherwise it is reserved for religious and charitable directions: see on Deu_12:12; Deu_12:21). But judges and officers are to be chosen according to thy tribes, Deu_16:18 (for tribes see also Deu_12:5; Deu_12:14).

giveth] is about to give.

Deu_13:13. Certain base fellows] Hebrew, men, sons of belial usually but doubtfully taken as worthlessness (as if a compound = no use), good-for-nothing fellows, Scot. ‘ne’er-do-weels.’ In early writings of the churlish, foul-mouthed, violent, drunken, unchaste, perjurers and abandoned criminals, but also of rebels against authority and religion as here (Jdg_19:22; Jdg_20:13; 1Sa_1:16; 1Sa_2:12; 1Sa_10:27; 1Sa_25:17; 1Sa_25:25; 2Sa_16:7; 2Sa_20:1; 1Ki_21:10; 1Ki_21:13). In D only here and Deu_15:9 (of a base word or thought), and nowhere else in Hexateuch.

are gone out] The vb. is used of going forth of set purpose to do something (Jdg_9:8; 1Sa_23:15) or, along with coming in, of all kinds of business (Deu_28:6, Deu_31:2). So here it might just mean deliberately and (of course) in public (opp. secretly, Deu_13:6); but the addition from the midst of thee conveys the suggestion of apostasy from Israel: they went out from us but they were not of us (1Jn_2:19).

drawn away] Deu_13:5 : draw thee aside (q.v.).

Let us go and worship, etc.] See Deu_13:2; Deu_13:6.

Deu_13:14. inquire] See Deu_11:12, Deu_12:30, Deu_17:4; Deu_17:9, Deu_19:18; in this sense or a similar darash is used elsewhere in the Pent. only in Lev_10:16. Make search, ḥaḳar, investigate, in D only here; elsewhere of exploring a land and of examining a case (Job_29:16). Ask diligently, well, or thoroughly; ask, sha’al, like darash, to make inquest.

and the thing certain] or the story established or substantiated (Deu_17:4), or the case well-founded.

abomination] See on Deu_7:25.

Deu_13:15. thou shalt surely] i.e. the whole nation.

with the edge of] Hebrew, mouth of.

destroying it utterly] devoting or putting it to the ban or ḥerem. On this see Deu_2:34; it is the hardest form of the ḥerem which is here pronounced upon an apostate city of Israel.

and the cattle, etc.] Not in LXX; probably a later addition to the law and if so illustrative of the ease with which its varied forms and degrees of stringency (see on Deu_2:34) arose (but see Driver’s note here).

Deu_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 Deu_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 (Jos_11:13, etc.).

Deu_13:17. devoted thing] The thing banned, as well as the banning, was called ḥerem. See on Deu_2:34, Deu_7:26, and cp. Jos_6:18.

turn from the fierceness of his anger] So Jos_7:26, after the ḥerem was fulfilled on Achan.

and shew thee mercy, etc.] Jer_42:12.

multiply thee] Again this promise! Deu_1:10, Deu_6:3 (q.v.), Deu_7:13, etc.

Deu_13:18. The usual condition attached to promises in Deut.: possibly editorial.

right] Sam., LXX add and good.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 13:12 If thou shalt hear [say] in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying,

Ver. 12. If thou shalt hear say.] Rumours are not always to be credited, nor always to be contemned.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here the case is put of a city revolting from its allegiance to the God of Israel, and serving other gods.

I. The crime is supposed to be committed, 1. By one of the cities of Israel, that lay within the jurisdiction of their courts. The church then judged those only that were within, Co1 5:12, Co1 5:13. And, even when they were ordered to preserve their religion in the first principles of it by fire and sword to propagate it. Those that are born within the allegiance of a prince, if they take up arms against him, are dealt with as traitors, but foreign invaders are not so. The city that is here supposed to have become idolatrous is one that formerly worshipped the true God, but had now withdrawn to other gods, which intimates how great the crime is, and how sore the punishment will be, of those that, after they have known the way of righteousness, turn aside from it, Pe2 2:21. 2. It is supposed to be committed by the generality of the inhabitants of the city, for we may conclude that, if a considerable number did retain their integrity, those only that were guilty were to be destroyed, and the city was to be spared for the sake of the righteous in it; for will not the Judge of all the earth do right? No doubt he will. 3. They are supposed to be drawn to idolatry by certain men, the children of Belial, men that would endure no yoke (so it signifies), that neither fear God nor regard man, but shake off all restraints of law and conscience, and are perfectly lost to all manner of virtue; these are those that say, "Let us serve other gods," that will not only allow, but will countenance and encourage, our immoralities. Belial is put for the devil (Co2 6:15), and the children of Belial are his children. These withdraw the inhabitants of the city; for a little of this old leaven, when it is entertained, soon leavens the whole lump.

II. The cause is ordered to be tried with a great deal of care (Deu 13:14): Thou shalt enquire and make search. They must not proceed upon common fame, or take the information by hearsay, but must examine the proofs, and not give judgment against them unless the evidence was clear and the charge fully made out. God himself, before he destroyed Sodom, is said to have come down to see whether its crimes were according to the clamour, Gen 18:21. In judicial processes it is requisite that time, and care, and pains, be taken to find out the truth, and that search be made without any passion, prejudice, or partiality. The Jewish writers say that, though particular persons who were idolaters might be judged by the inferior courts, the defection of a city was to be tried by the great Sanhedrim; and, if it appeared that they were thrust away to idolatry, two learned men were sent to them to admonish and reclaim them. If they repented, all would be well; if not, then all Israel must go up to war against them, to testify their indignation against idolatry and to stop the spreading of the contagion.

III. If the crime were proved, and the criminals were incorrigible, the city was to be wholly destroyed. If there were a few righteous men in it, no doubt they would remove themselves and their families out of such a dangerous place, and then all the inhabitants, men, women, and children, must be put to the sword (Deu 13:15), all the spoil of the city, both shop-goods and the furniture of houses, must be brought into the marketplace and burned, and the city itself must be laid in ashes and never built again, Deu 13:16. The soldiers are forbidden, upon pain of death, to convert any of the plunder to their own use, Deu 13:17. It was a devoted thing, and dangerous to meddle with, as we find in the case of Achan. Now, 1. God enjoins this severity of show what a jealous God he is in the matters of his worship, and how great a crime it is to serve other gods. Let men know that God will not give his glory to another, nor his praise to graven images. 2. He expects that magistrates, having their honour and power from him, should be concerned for his honour, and use their power for terror to evil doers, else they bear the sword in vain. 3. The faithful worshippers of the true God must take all occasions to show their just indignation against idolatry, much more against atheism, infidelity, and irreligion. 4. It is here intimated that the best expedient for the turning away of God's anger from a land is to execute justice upon the wicked of the land (Deu 13:17), that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger, which was ready to break out against the whole nation, for the wickedness of that one apostate city. It is promised that, if they would thus root wickedness out of their land, God would multiply them. They might think it impolitic, and against the interest of their nation, to ruin a whole city for a crime relating purely to religion, and that they should be more sparing of the blood of Israelites: "Fear not the" (says Moses), "God will multiply you the more; the body of your nation will lose nothing by the letting out of this corrupt blood." Lastly, Though we do not find this law put in execution in all the history of the Jewish church (Gibeah was destroyed, not for idolatry, but immorality), yet for the neglect of the execution of it upon the inferior cities that served idols God himself, by the army of the Chaldeans, put it in execution upon Jerusalem, the head city, which, for is apostasy from God, was utterly destroyed and laid waste, and lay in ruins seventy years. Though idolaters may escape punishment from men (nor is this law in the letter of it binding now, under the gospel), yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgements. The New Testament speaks of communion with idolaters as a sin which, above any other, provokes the Lord to jealousy, and dares him as if we were stronger than he, Co1 10:21, Co1 10:22.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Certain men, the children of Belial--lawless, designing demagogues (Jdg 19:22; Sa1 1:16; Sa1 25:25), who abused their influence to withdraw the inhabitants of the city to idol-worship.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(12) If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities.—The only case of this kind is the case of Gibeah. We may fairly assume the abominations done there to have been connected with idolatry, from the allusions in Hos_9:9; Hos_10:9. But the outrage rather than the idolatry seems to have excited the indignation of Israel (see Judges 20, 21). It is noticeable that in the remonstrance with the Benjamites at Gibeah—(Jdg_20:13): “Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel”—there seems to be an allusion to the language of this chapter in Deu_13:5; Deu_13:11.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities,.... A report concerning them, anyone of them:

which the Lord thy God had given thee to dwell there; which he had not only given them, but had put them into the possession of, and it was become their dwelling place, or was inhabited by Israelites; otherwise they were already given unto them, but did not inherit and inhabit them, and it might be possible that there might be some city or cities, at least for a time, which, though given them, were not inhabited by them, but by the Canaanites, and such cities this law did not concern: saying; as follows.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

City was to keep jealous watch over city, as man over man. The clause “which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell in” significantly reminds them that the real ownership of their dwellings rested in the Lord (compare Lev 25:23), and that they, the mere tenants, must not allow His property to become a center of rebellion against His just authority.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Cities. If the inhabitants agreed, in general, to introduce the worship of idols, they were to be first admonished, (Calmet) and if incorrigible, to be utterly destroyed. (Haydock) --- The obligation of seeing that this was executed was left to the magistrates. (Du Hamel)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Vers. 12-18. A third ease supposed is that of the inhabitants of a city being seduced by wicked men into idolatry. In this case inquiry was to be made as to the fact; and if it was found to be so, the inhabitants of that city were to be put to the sword, all their property was to be burnt, and the city itself reduced to a heap; so should the anger of the Lord be averted from Israel, and he would do them good.

Hear in one of thy cities. The Hebrew phrase, "to hear in" (B mv). has sometimes the meaning of to overhear, as in Gen_27:5; 1Sa_17:28 Job_15:8; sometimes it means simply to hear, as in 2Sa_19:35; in Job_26:14, it has the force of to hear of orconcerning, though some think this questionable. This latter is apparently the meaning here: If thou hear concerning any of thy cities, etc. Baying. This introduces what is heard.

Vers. 12-18. A city under ban.

The case here supposed is even more appalling than the former one, for it is the inhabitants of a whole city who, with all that they have, are to be destroyed. Yet, as it is certain that godly persons, dreading the execution of this sentence, would leave this city as soon as they found out what was going on being very possibly the bearers of the tidings to others the curse would practically take effect only on those who were in league with the idolaters. Searching investigation was to precede the infliction of doom (ver. 14).

I EVIL-DISPOSED PERSONS CAN DO MUCH HARM. A few men of Belial perhaps, at first, but one or two, succeed in seducing, and ultimately in destroying, a whole city. Their cancerous influence speedily infected the mass. Like fire breaking out in a little corner of a building, it soon involved the whole place in ruin. "One sinner destroyeth, much good". (Ecc_9:18) "Evil communications corrupt good manners. (1Co_15:33) Evil is not to be thought lightly of, because at first confined to a few individuals, and circumscribed in its range of operations. It will spread faster than good.

II THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF EACH CITY IS OF INTEREST TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. Disease in one part of the social organism will speedily communicate itself to the other parts.

III IMMEDIATE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO REDUCE EVIL IN ITS CHOSEN SEATS. No longer, indeed, with carnal weapons. We have no warrant to proceed by fire and sword. A better way is open to us of reducing evil than by judicial slaughter. The wickedness of a city is doubtless a token of God"s wrath resting upon it. If it repent not, his judgments will fall upon it with all the old severity. But it does not lie with us to give effect to these judgments; God keeps them in his own hand. Our work, meanwhile, is the happier one of seeking the reduction of evil by spiritual means by reasoning, by persuasion, by preaching of the truth, by substituting good influences for bad ones. These weapons are adequate to the work for which they are given, and ought to be plied to the utmost. Places differ in spiritual character. There are those of which it may be said as of Pergamos, "where Satan"s seat is" (Rev_2:13) that in them evil has a kind of stronghold. Against these, by preference, the assaults of God"s servants should be directed. The apostles chose for their attacks the leading centers of pagan influence. One stronghold gained is worth a dozen outposts, J.O.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This was to be done, and all Israel was to hear it and fear, that no such wickedness should be performed any more in the congregation. The fear of punishment, which is given here as the ultimate end of the punishment itself, is not to be regarded as the principle lying at the foundation of the law, but simply, as Calvin expresses it, as "the utility and fruit of severity," one reason for carrying out the law, which is not to be confounded with the so-called deterrent theory, i.e., the attempt to deter from crime by the mode of punishing (see my Archologie, ii. p. 262).

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Seducers Among Fellow-Citizens. —

v. 12. If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities which the Lord, thy God, hath given thee to dwell there, saying,

v. 13. Certain men, the children of Belial, literally, "sons of worthlessness," vain, profitless people, are gone out from among you, denying their allegiance to the people of God and their obligations to the Lord, and have withdrawn (seduced) the inhabitants of their city, saying, let us go and serve other gods which ye have not known, if this rumor or report should reach the ears of any member of Israel,

v. 14. then shalt thou enquire, make an investigation through the proper officers, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth and the thing certain, that such an abomination is wrought among you, if the guilt of the people is established beyond a doubt,

v. 15. thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, as having fallen under the ban of Jehovah, Deuteronomy 7, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. The ban should be carried out upon such a city with a severity which would cause the complete extermination of all living things.

v. 16. And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it, in the form of dresses, furniture, jewelry, and the like, in the midst of the street thereof, the broad, open place just inside the gate, and shalt burn with fire the city and all the spoil thereof, every whit, for the Lord, thy God, namely, as being devoted to Him through this destruction; and it shall be an heap forever; it shall not be built again.

v. 17. And there shall cleave naught of the cursed thing to thine hand, no individual should presume to keep any of the material found among the spoil, that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of His anger, and show thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, not visit the sin of that one city upon the entire nation, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, Gen 22:17;

v. 18. when thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord, thy God, to keep all His commandments which I command thee this day, including these, which enjoined the utmost severity upon the false prophets and seducers of every kind, to do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord, thy God. The command of God. as it concerns Christian congregations in our days, plainly states that they must have no fellowship with unbelievers and with false believers. Only in this way is it possible to hinder the corruption and the defection of the people of God. Cf 2Co 6:14-18.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

Moses continues speaking to the people of Israel.

Some wicked fellows have gone out from among you

The phrase "from among you" means that these wicked men were Israelites who lived in their communities.

have drawn away the inhabitants of their city and said, 'Let us go and worship other gods that you have not known.'

This can be translated as an indirect quotation. AT: "have persuaded those who live in their city to go and worship other gods that they have not known." (See: Direct and Indirect Quotations)

have drawn away the inhabitants of their city

A person causing someone else to stop obeying Yahweh is spoken of as if the person has caused the other person to physically turn and leave Yahweh. (See: Metaphor)

examine the evidence, make search, and investigate it thoroughly

All of these phrases mean basically the same thing. Moses is emphasizing that they must carefully find out what truly happened at the city. (See: Doublet)

that such an abominable thing has been done among you

This can be stated in active form. AT: "that the people of the city have done such a terrible thing" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

Yahweh

God

life

worship

false god

true

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.