Deuteronomy 13:3

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

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; No JFB commentary on these verses.

Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet; not receive his doctrine, though the sign come to pass. For although when such a sign or wonder foretold did not follow or come to pass, it was a sign of a false prophet, as is said, , yet when it did come to pass, it was no sufficient or infallible sign of a true one, especially in such a case when he brings in new gods. The reason of the difference is, because many causes must concur to make a thing good and true, but any one failure is sufficient to make a thing bad or false. And particularly there are many signs, yea, such as men may think to be wonders, which may be wrought by evil spirits, God so permitting it for divers wise and just reasons, not only for the trial of the good, as it here follows, but also for the punishment of ungodly men, who would not receive Divine truths, though attested by many evident and unquestionable miracles, and therefore are most justly exposed to these temptations to believe lies. Proveth you, i.e. trieth your faith, and love, and obedience, examineth your sincerity by your constancy. See . See Poole on ""; See Poole on ",7". To know; that he may know it, to wit, judicially, or in a public manner, so as both you and others may know and see it, that so the justice of his judgments upon you may be more evident and glorious.

Deuteronomy 13:3 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.Ver. 3. Thou shalt not hearken.] Heretics have their pythanology, their good words and fair speeches, wherein they can vent a spittle of diseased opinions, and whereby they deceive the hearts of the simple. It is not safe, therefore, to hear them, or hold discourse with such, lest they insinuate and infect us, as the Montanists did Tertullian; as the Valentinians did various well-affected Christians; as Acacius the heretic did Anastasius, second Bishop of Rome, A.D., 497, who sought to rectify him. It is reported of Placilla the good Empress, that when Theodosius, senior, desired to confer with Eunomius, she dissuaded her husband very earnestly, lest being perverted by his speeches he might fall into heresy "Keep thee far from an evil matter," saith Solomon. "Mark those that make divisions, and avoid them," saith Paul. And again, "There are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, … , whose mouths must be stopped," &c. Sozomen, lib. vii. cap. 7.

Verse 3. The Lord your God proveth you] God permits such impostors to arise to try the faith of his followers, and to put their religious experience to the test; for he who experimentally knows God cannot be drawn away after idols. He who has no experimental knowledge of God, may believe any thing. Experience of the truths contained in the word of God can alone preserve any man from Deism, or a false religion. They who have not this are a prey to the pretended prophet, and to the dreamer of dreams.

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 thee Deuteronomy 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 dreamer of a false prophet, and opposes to his dreams the 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, them as 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.

3. The Lord your God proveth you — These false prophets with their lying wonders would test the sincerity of the obedience of the people. Comp. Deuteronomy 8:2.