False Prophets
Study note
If a prophet performed a sign or wonder but then said, 'Let us follow other gods,' the people must not listen. God was testing them to see if they truly loved him. The false prophet was to be put to death.
1 "Suppose a prophet or someone who claims to have visions shows up among you. And suppose they predict a miraculous sign or wonder. If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
2 The sign or wonder might truly happen. But then that person says, 'Let us follow gods you never knew before.' 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 do not listen to a single word that prophet or dreamer says. The Lord your God is putting you through a test to see whether you truly love him with your whole heart and soul. 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.
4 Stick with the Lord your God. Honor him, obey his commands, listen to what he says, serve him, and stay close to him. 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 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death. They were trying to turn you against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and freed you from slavery. They were trying to drag you off the path the Lord your God told you to follow. You must get rid of this evil from your community. 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.
When a Loved One Tempts You
Study note
Even if a close family member or dear friend secretly tried to lead someone to worship other gods, they must not give in. Loyalty to God came before any human relationship. This stern law was meant to keep the whole nation from being led astray.
6 "What if someone very close to you quietly whispers, 'Come on, let us worship other gods'? It could be your own sibling, your child, the spouse you love deeply, or your best friend. These are gods that neither you nor your ancestors have ever known. 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 gods worshipped by the peoples around you, near or far, anywhere on earth -- 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;
8 do not cave in. Do not listen. Show no sympathy. Do not protect them or cover for them. 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 They must be put to death. You must be the first to act against them, followed by everyone else. 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.
10 Stone them to death, because they tried to lure you away from the Lord your God, the one who pulled you out of slavery in Egypt. 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 When the rest of Israel hears about it, they will be afraid. No one will ever dare do something that wicked again. And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.
When a Whole City Turns Away
Study note
If the people of an Israelite city were led astray to worship other gods, a thorough investigation was required. If the report was confirmed, the entire city was to be destroyed and never rebuilt. This extreme measure showed how seriously God took the sin of idolatry.
12 "If you hear rumors that in one of the towns the Lord your God has given you, If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying,
13 Some worthless people have talked their town into false worship. They led people to worship unknown foreign gods. 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;
14 you must look into it thoroughly. If the report checks out and something that horrible truly happened among you, Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you;
15 you must destroy everyone in that town with the sword. Wipe out everything in it, including the animals. 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 Pile all the town's goods in the center of the public square. Then burn the entire town and everything in it as a total offering to the Lord your God. It must stay in ruins permanently and never be rebuilt. 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 Do not keep a single thing that was marked for destruction. If you obey, the Lord will turn away from his burning anger and treat you with mercy and kindness. He will multiply your numbers, just as he promised your ancestors. 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 This will happen when you obey the Lord your God. Keep all his commands that I am giving you today, and do what he considers right." 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.