INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 13 In this chapter the Israelites are taught how to discern a false prophet, shun and punish him, Deuteronomy 13:1, what to do with enticers to idolatry, not only not to consent to them, but, without favour and affection to them, endeavour to bring them to just punishmen... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THERE ARISE AMONG YOU A PROPHET,.... A false prophet, a lying prophet, as the Targum of Jonathan; one that pretends to be a true prophet, and to be sent of God, and to come from him with a message from him, a new revelation or doctrine, or in his name, to foretell things to come; the former is ch... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SIGN AND WONDER COME TO PASS WHEREOF HE SPAKE UNTO THEE,.... The sign he promised to give, or the miracle he proposed to do, to show the reality of his mission, and the truth of his doctrine, which is performed, or seemingly performed, by legerdemain, by magic art, or by the help of the devi... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL NOT HEARKEN TO THE WORDS OF THAT PROPHET, OR THAT DREAMER OF DREAMS,.... Even though he does give the sign, and work the wonder; for it might be reasonably concluded there must be fallacy in him, and that neither he nor his miraculous sign could come from God, who would never send a perso... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL WALK AFTER THE LORD YOUR GOD,.... As he has directed, according to the laws and rules which he has given, both with respect to their moral and civil conduct, and their religious worship of him; and so the Targum of Jonathan, "ye shall walk after the worship of the Lord your God:'' AND FEA... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT PROPHET, OR THAT DREAMER OF DREAMS, SHALL BE PUT TO DEATH,.... Which death, according to the Targum of Jonathan, was to be killed with the sword: BECAUSE HE HATH SPOKEN TO TURN YOU AWAY FROM THE LORD YOUR GOD; or "spoken revolt against the Lord" l, high treason against him, delivering out... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THY BROTHER, THE SON OF THY MOTHER,.... A brother by mother's side, which is generally supposed to be the nearest relation, at least most out of question, so more liable to be regarded as being beloved: OR THY SON, OR THY DAUGHTER, OR THE WIFE OF THY BOSOM; most dearly beloved by him, as indeed... [ Continue Reading ]
NAMELY, OF THE GODS OF THE PEOPLE WHICH ARE ROUND ABOUT YOU,.... As of the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Phoenicians: NIGH UNTO THEE; as the above were, being on the borders of their land: the Targum of Jonathan interprets this of the idols of the seven nations, that is, of the land of Canaan:... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALL NOT CONSENT UNTO HIM,.... To commit the idolatry enticed unto, or join with him in it: NOR HEARKEN TO HIM; not so much as patiently to hear him, but at once express an abhorrence of and indignation at what he recommends: NEITHER SHALL THINE EYE PITY HIM; pitied he might be for his ignor... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU SHALT SURELY KILL HIM,.... Not privately and secretly, when and where he entices, nor the enticed himself by his own authority, but after being examined, judged, and condemned by the civil magistrate; and none might judge a false prophet but the sanhedrim at Jerusalem, the sanhedrim of seve... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT STONE HIM WITH STONES, THAT HE DIE,.... It was not sufficient to answer the end of the law to cast a few stones at him, but he was to be stoned to death: BECAUSE HE HATH SOUGHT TO THRUST THEE AWAY FROM THE LORD THY GOD; to compel by force of argument, or the dint of persuasion, to re... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL ISRAEL SHALL HEAR, AND FEAR,.... Shall hear of the death the enticer was put unto, and shall fear to act such a part he did, and be upon their guard against any such person, and be cautious that they are not drawn into sin by him: AND SHALL DO NO MORE ANY SUCH WICKEDNESS AS THIS IS AMONG YO... [ Continue Reading ]
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; otherwi... [ Continue Reading ]
CERTAIN MEN, THE CHILDREN OF BELIAL,.... Which signify either persons without a yoke, who have thrown off the yoke of God's law, and will not submit to it, or unprofitable ones, as wicked men be, both to God, themselves, and others: ARE GONE OUT FROM AMONG YOU; not locally, but with respect to thei... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALT THOU INQUIRE, MAKE SEARCH, AND ASK DILIGENTLY,.... That is, of the witnesses, as the Targum of Jonathan; and this is a case that is only taken into consideration and judged of by the great sanhedrim, or that of seventy one, at Jerusalem o; and the method they took was this, when it fell u... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT SURELY SMITE THE INHABITANTS OF THAT CITY WITH THE EDGE OF THE SWORD,.... This could not be the work of a single person, nor of the whole sanhedrim, but was what the whole nation was to join in, according to the above note: DESTROYING IT UTTERLY; pulling down the houses, and demolishing... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALL GATHER ALL THE SPOIL OF IT INTO THE MIDST OF THE STREET THEREOF,.... All the wealth and substance of the inhabitants, their household goods, shop goods, merchandise, utensils in trade and business, and everything that can be named. The Jews say p, if there is no street, they make one... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE SHALL CLEAVE NOUGHT OF THE CURSED THING TO THINE HAND,.... That is, they might not take anything whatever to their own use; for all being devoted to destruction, was cursed, and brought a curse upon the man that should make it his own property, as Achan did, when Jericho was destroyed: TH... [ Continue Reading ]
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 T... [ Continue Reading ]