Deuteronomy 13:1-5

1 5 (2 6 in Heb.). Against the Prophet of Other Gods

1. If there arise in the midst of thee So Deuteronomy 19:15-16 also Sg. Cp. the synonymous if there be found in the midst of theeDeuteronomy 17:2; Deuteronomy 18:10; Deuteronomy 21:1; Deuteronomy 22:22; Deuteronomy 24:7. Steuern takes this as characteristic of the Pl. document, but like the other it occurs with the Sg. address; and we have seen that Deuteronomy 17:2 may originally have belonged to the same section as Deuteronomy 13:1. No conclusion, therefore, can be drawn.

a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams In early Israel regarded as identical; cp. the frequency in E of dreams as revelations, e.g. Genesis 20:3 to Abimelech, Deuteronomy 28:10 ff., Deuteronomy 31:11 to Jacob, and the oracle quoted in E, Numbers 12:6: if there be a prophet among you … I will speak to him through dreams. In later times the dream was discarded by the prophets as a professional delusion, Jeremiah 23:25; Jeremiah 23:27 and sharply distinguished from the true word of God: the prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? (id.Jeremiah 23:28); that prophesy lying dreams(Jeremiah 23:32); cp. Deuteronomy 27:9; Deuteronomy 29:8 f., prophets, soothsayers, sorcerers, diviners, your dreams that ye dream, they prophesy lies in my name, I have not sent them; Zechariah 10:2. These dreams of the false prophets appear to have been optimistic and unethical in contrast to the true prophet's word that convinced of sin and predicted disaster. D also uses dreamerof a false prophet, and opposes to his dreamsthe commandments of Jehovah(Deuteronomy 13:4).

and he give thee a sign or a wonder or portent (see on Deuteronomy 4:34), not necessarily what we narrowly call miracle (Israel making no distinction between natural and supernatural). Nor here are they wonders wrought on the spot such as Moses received as his credentials, Exodus 4:2-9, J, and Aaron wrought before Pharaoh, Deuteronomy 7:9, P, nor like the Plagues brought upon Egypt; but (as is clear from the next verse) predictions of something that shall happen in the future like the signs foretold by Samuel to Saul (1 Samuel 10:1-9).

Deuteronomy 13:2. come to pass Hebrew come in, arrive(1 Samuel 10:7; 1 Samuel 10:9). Such a fulfilment of the sign is not to be any credential of the prophet's teaching, if he say

Let us go after other gods Deuteronomy 6:14 (q.v.), Deuteronomy 11:28; Deuteronomy 28:14, all Pl.; Deuteronomy 8:19, Sg.; with or without the addition and serve, i.e. worship, themas here. Cp. Jeremiah 25:6 (deuteron.?).

which thou hast not known Deuteronomy 13:6; Deuteronomy 13:13, Deuteronomy 11:28; Deuteronomy 28:64, cp. Deuteronomy 8:3.

Deuteronomy 13:3. This refusal to recognise miracle as necessarily a proof of the truth of a prophet's doctrine is very striking. It is not in harmony with the earlier belief in Israel, expressed in JE and so characteristic of the Semitic genius (cp. the unwillingness of the heathen Arabs to receive a kâhin'sor prophet's judgement on an ethical question except on the performance of some wonder, Wellhausen, Reste des Arab. Heidentums; and the readiness with which modern Arabs and Syrians accept the Biblical miracles) that it governed both the official and the popular mind in Jewry to the very end: the Jews require a sign, 1 Corinthians 1:22; cp. John 6:30 and our Lord's words Matthew 12:38 f.; Mark 8:11 f.; Luke 11:29 f. But it is in harmony with the teaching of the prophets, who, except in the case of Isaiah, condescending to the superstitious Ahaz (Deuteronomy 7:10), commend their truth to Israel solely upon its spiritual strength, or if they add proofs, find these in natural phenomena (the success or failure of harvests, plagues and the like) or in the events of history. But see further on Deuteronomy 18:21 f.

proveth you putteth to the proofor test. See on Deuteronomy 4:34: cp. Deuteronomy 8:2; Deuteronomy 8:16.

to know See on Deuteronomy 7:9; Deuteronomy 8:2.

whether ye love Stronger! whether it be that ye love.

Deuteronomy 13:4. An accumulation of the frequent deuteron. phrases (walk after= walk in his wayswith fearor obey: Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 11:22; Deuteronomy 19:9; Deuteronomy 26:17; Deuteronomy 30:16; keep commandments: Deuteronomy 4:2 + 12 times in Deut. both in Sg. and Pl., either alone or with love, keepand fear; obey his voice: Deuteronomy 27:10; Deuteronomy 30:2; Deuteronomy 30:8; Deuteronomy 30:20; worship and cleave: see on Deuteronomy 10:20, which adds swear by his name, Deuteronomy 11:22; Deuteronomy 30:20). But they are arranged with an emphasis lost in the Eng. transl. Read: After Jehovah your God shall ye go, and Him shall ye fear, and His commandments shall ye keep, and His voice shall ye obey, and Him shall ye worship and to Him shall ye cleave. It is a difficult question whether Deuteronomy 13:4 breaking in with the Pl. address is editorial; the accumulated phrases point to that, and Deuteronomy 13:5 connects with 3, yet the emphatic order is original and is continued into Deuteronomy 13:5.

Deuteronomy 13:5. And that prophet, etc.] Again emphatic, the usual Hebrew syntax being changed: but as for that prophet, etc. he

shall be put to death The formal sentence, so Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 24:16 (cp. Deuteronomy 21:22) and in E, Exodus 21:12; Exodus 21:15; Exodus 21:17; Exodus 22:19. The manner of death is not enjoined as in the next two laws.

because he hath spoken rebellion against, etc.] Turning aside, perversionor apostasy; also Deuteronomy 19:16. The corresponding verb is frequent in Deuteronomy 7:4; Deuteronomy 9:12; Deuteronomy 9:16; Deuteronomy 11:16; Deuteronomy 11:28; Deuteronomy 21:13; Deuteronomy 31:29; with the addition, neither to the right hand nor to the left, Deuteronomy 5:29; Deuteronomy 17:11; Deuteronomy 17:20; Deuteronomy 28:14; cp. Deuteronomy 2:27; Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 17:17.

the Lord thy God which brought thee] So Sam. and LXX. The Hebrew yourand youare due to the attraction of the Pl. of Deuteronomy 13:4.

redeemed thee out of the house of bondmen] See Deuteronomy 5:6; Deuteronomy 6:12; Deuteronomy 7:8.

to draw thee aside See on Deuteronomy 4:19.

So shalt thou put away the evil Too weak! Rather burn out or consume, as dung is burned, 1 Kings 14:10. The phrase either with from thy midst, here, Deuteronomy 17:7; Deuteronomy 19:19; Deuteronomy 21:9 (innocent blood), 21, Deuteronomy 22:21; Deuteronomy 22:24; Deuteronomy 24:7, or with from IsraelDeuteronomy 17:12; Deuteronomy 19:13 (innocent blood), Deuteronomy 22:22, occurs only with the Sg. address. It is always at the end of a law and refers to the punishment of the law-breaker (but see for another application of it Deuteronomy 26:13-14), and except in Deuteronomy 19:19 always of capital punishment.

This verse -shows how the people is already invested with a spiritual character. It has to act as a spiritual community (cp. Deuteronomy 17:4 ff.) which sits in judgement upon religious seducers, and the means of judgement is as radical as possible. Israel ought to be a community of saints" (Bertholet).