Deuteronomy

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Deuteronomy 13 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Deuteronomy 13 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,

(13:1-5) "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder ... that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death."
If someone teaches a new and different religious belief with signs and wonders, then that person must be put to death. (Then it was right to kill Jesus?)
These verses address what to do if a prophet arises who preaches something different than what was said by Moses, and of course claims that God has told him that, and moreover claims that God will do some kind a miracle. If that “miracle” happens, it might be seen as God's blessing upon these words. I personally do not belief that such miracles are true miracles, they are either tricks, or things that can be explained scientifically. But of course the laws of science were not known at that time. But regardless, what should the response be to claims with a supposed supernatural event blessing it? Moses clearly states one should not listen. God will never contradict himself.
On if Jesus taught something new, that is clearly not true, see Matthew 5:17-19 and Moses wrote that another prophet would come chapter 18:18 and Scripture gives many identifications of that prophet that was to come, John 5:39.

2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;

3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

(13:3) "For the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul."
Does God know what is in everyone's heart?
Does God know everything?

4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;

7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;


(13:7) "From one end of the earth to the other"
Yes, saying ends of the earth is scientific. I'm waiting for the author of the SAB to write to Science and Nature every time they use that description.

8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:

9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

(13:6-10) "If thy brother ... or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods ... Thou shalt not consent unto him ... neither shall thine eye pity him ... But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people."
If your brother, son, daughter, wife, or friend tries to get you to worship another god, "thou shalt surely kill him, thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death." If Bible-believers followed this one, they would have to kill many of their own family and friends.
How should nonbelievers be treated?
What the Bible says about non-Christians, stoning, and religious tolerance
This law was applicable only for a specific location and a specific time: Old Testament Israel, see Old Testament laws.
The Israelites had to kill a murderer of the body. Surely, if someone who kills the body is punishable by death, how should someone be punished who wants to murder someone's eternal soul? To lead a person from the good path unto the path that leads to eternal damnation. So serious is this sin that it was punishable by death in old Israel.

10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.

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

13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;

(13:12-17) "If thou shalt hear ... men ... saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known ... Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword."
If you hear of a city where another god is worshiped, then destroy everyone in the city (even the cattle) and burn it down. (Watch out Salt Lake!)
Martin Luther used these verses to justify burning the synagogues and homes of the Jews.
On the Jews and Their Lies (Part 11)
Clearly this verse was given to for a specific country Canaan, as the Israelites were not given permission to do so to any city outside their given boundaries.

14 Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you;

15 Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.

16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.

17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;

18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.