Deuteronomy 13 - Introduction
_INTICERS TO IDOLATRY, HOWEVER NEARLY RELATED, ARE NOT TO BE HEARKENED UNTO, BUT TO BE CAPITALLY PUNISHED; AND CITIES, BECOME IDOLATROUS, ARE TO BE WHOLLY DESTROYED._ _Before Christ 1451._... [ Continue Reading ]
_INTICERS TO IDOLATRY, HOWEVER NEARLY RELATED, ARE NOT TO BE HEARKENED UNTO, BUT TO BE CAPITALLY PUNISHED; AND CITIES, BECOME IDOLATROUS, ARE TO BE WHOLLY DESTROYED._ _Before Christ 1451._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 1-4. _IF THERE ARISE AMONG YOU A PROPHET,_ &C.— The divinity of their religion, and its peculiar opposition to idolatry, having been fully shewn, Moses now proceeds to put the strongest case possible; acquainting them, that if any _prophet or dreamer of dreams,_ any person pretending to super... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 5. _BECAUSE HE HATH SPOKEN TO TURN YOU AWAY_— Margin, _spoken revolt against the Lord;_ in which words we read the reason of the law. The crime of the false prophet was a crime of _lese majeste_ and high treason: in preaching apostacy, he preached revolt; and that which makes his crime most o... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 6. _IF THY BROTHER,_ &C.— To convince them of the high duty they owed to God, and to shew them that this law ought to be executed in its utmost rigour against a sin which struck at the very foundation of their religion and government, Moses puts the case in the strongest manner; that if the n... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 9. _THINE HAND SHALL BE FIRST UPON HIM TO PUT HIM TO DEATH_— The person was to be stoned, and the accuser was to throw the first stone at him, together with the witnesses; see chap. Deuteronomy 17:7. To this our Saviour alludes, John 8:7. This law at first sight may appear too great a trial t... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 12-15. _IF THOU SHALT HEAR SAY IN ONE OF THY CITIES_— From the case of particular persons, Moses proceeds to that of whole cities; by which must be meant Israelitish cities, professing the true religion. _Children of Belial_ signify the most profligate and worthless: _Belial_ signifies, prope... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 17. _THERE SHALL CLEAVE NOUGHT OF THE CURSED THING TO THINE HAND_— Nothing could be more wisely appointed than this law, which served at once to create in them the greatest abhorrence of idolatry, and at the same time prevented any temptations to destroy an innocent city for the sake of plund... [ Continue Reading ]