Deuteronomy 18:13 — Word Study
WLCתָּמִ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה עִ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ ס
BSAYou must behâyâh▸ [perfect, upright] ◂blamelesstâmîym [unblemished, without defects] beforeʻim the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the supreme God, Elohim] your Godʼĕlôhîym [personal, covenant, the one supreme God, Elohim]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| תָּמִ֣ים | blameless | Adj |
| תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה | you will be | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
| עִ֖ם | with | Preposition |
| יְהוָ֥ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ ס | God your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You must be blameless before the LORD your God. |
| KJV | Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. |
| ASV | Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God. |
| YLT | Perfect thou art with Jehovah thy God, |
| WEB | You shall be blameless with Yahweh your God. |
| BBE | You are to be upright in heart before the Lord your God. |
Where they part company is תָּמִים — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with a prepositional phrase indicating the relationship to God.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Deuteronomy 18:13
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Laws for the Israelitesgenerated
Deuteronomy 18:13 is part of a series of laws given to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. This verse emphasizes the importance of being blameless before God, contrasting the behavior expected of them with that of the nations they are to dispossess. It calls for a commitment to integrity and faithfulness in their covenant relationship with Yahweh.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 6:9 | This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. |
| 2 | Genesis 17:1 | When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless. |
| 3 | Job 1:1–8 | There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. |
| 4 | Psalm 37:37 | Consider the blameless and observe the upright, for posterity awaits the man of peace. |
| 5 | Matthew 5:48 | Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תָּמִ֣ים, ta.Mimgenerated
The Hebrew word תָּמִים (*tamiym*) means complete, sound, or whole. It encompasses notions of integrity, truth, and being unblemished or innocent. This word is often used to describe sacrifices in Leviticus, indicating that they must be without defects, and it reflects a state of moral and spiritual wholeness.
In this verse, it signifies that the Israelites are to be blameless in their conduct before Yahweh. The requirement of being תָּמִים underscores the seriousness of their covenant relationship with God, demanding a life that is upright and without moral blemish.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in this verse is תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה, you will be, which governs the adjective תָּמִ֣ים, blameless. The structure is straightforward, emphasizing the state of being that God requires of His people.
The prepositional phrase עִ֖ם (with) indicates the relationship between the Israelites and their God, Yahweh, reinforcing the idea that their blamelessness is in relation to their covenant with Him.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תָּמִים with τέλειος, which also means 'perfect' or 'complete.' This choice reflects a similar emphasis on moral integrity and wholeness, aligning with the expectations set forth in the Hebrew text.
The use of ἔσῃ for תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה indicates a direct correspondence in the concept of being or existence, maintaining the imperative nature of the command.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Deuteronomy 18:13 instructs the Israelites to be blameless before Yahweh, their God. This command highlights the importance of integrity in their relationship with God as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Being blameless means living a life of integrity and moral uprightness, fulfilling the expectations of the covenant relationship with God.
This command is significant because it sets the standard for how the Israelites are to conduct themselves in the Promised Land, distinguishing them from the nations they will encounter.
While the context is specific to the Israelites, the principle of integrity and uprightness in our relationship with God remains relevant for believers today.
Examples include Noah, who was described as blameless in his generation (Genesis 6:9), and Job, who was upright and feared God (Job 1:1).
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some areas in my life where I can strive for greater integrity and blamelessness?
- How can I ensure that my actions reflect a commitment to my relationship with God?
- In what ways can I support others in their pursuit of living blamelessly before God?
- What does it mean for me to be 'with' God in my daily life?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 18:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. Sincerely serve and worship him, faithfully adhere to his word, laws, statutes, and ordinances, and walk uprightly before him.
Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 18 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryFor all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 18 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSincerely and wholly his, seeking him and cleaving to him and to his word alone, and therefore abhorring all commerce and conversations with devils or their agents, such as were now mentioned.
Read Matthew Poole on Deuteronomy 18 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsDeuteronomy 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.Ver. 13. Thou shalt be perfect.] In the original there is a bigger tau than ordinary in the word Tamim, rendered perfect, to show, say Hebricians, that we must keep the whole law of God from the first letter thereof to the last - tau is the last letter of the alphabet - and this we must do constantly to the very last, and with the whole man. But how can this be done otherwise than by running to Christ, and in an evangelical way? In sincerity and integrity we must hate such wicked persons, even as God also hateth them.
Read John Trapp on Deuteronomy 18 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13) Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.—Rashi’s note on this is worth preserving: “Thou shalt walk with Him in sincerity, and wait for Him. And thou shalt not pry into the future. But whatsoever cometh upon thee, take it with simplicity, and then thou shalt be with Him, and be His portion.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Deuteronomy 18 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13. perfect] blameless; not elsewhere in D, but twice in P in this moral sense (Genesis 6:9 of Noah, Deuteronomy 17:1 required of Abraham as the condition of God granting him His covenant) and frequent in a physical sense, Leviticus 1:3; Leviticus 1:10; Leviticus 3:1, etc. The sense of the incompatibility of magic and necromancy with loyalty to the God of Israel is traceable from at least Saul’s time onward, and is very articulate in the great prophets. The instinct was sound. That such practices divert men from the rational and ethical elements of religion and weaken both the judgement and will of those who resort to them is notorious in the history of modern spiritualism. Cp. Luke 16:31…
Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 18 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BiblePerfect - As in Genesis 17:1; Job 1:1; Matthew 5:48. The sense is that Israel was to keep the worship of the true God wholly uncontaminated by idolatrous pollutions.
Read Albert Barnes on Deuteronomy 18 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God — Blameless with Jehovah, wholly devoted to him. The people of Israel are not to be like these nations; they are to be blameless in seeking intercourse with their God.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Deuteronomy 18 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
You shall be blameless with Yahweh your God.
You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
You must be blameless before the Lord your God.
Tyndale line
Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God.
Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Thou shalt be vpright therefore with the Lord thy God.
Strictly literal
Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God.
Perfect thou art with Jehovah thy God,
You must be perfect with your God YHWH,
Perfect shalt thou be with the Lord thy God.
You must be blameless before Yahweh your God.
From the Latin
Thou shalt be perfect, and without spot before the Lord thy God.
Simplified
You are to be innocent of such things in the presence of the Lord your God.
You are to be upright in heart before the Lord your God.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads "תָּמִ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה עִ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ ס", which translates to "You must be blameless before the LORD your God." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching all five words, although its word order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek syntax. The Samaritan Pentateuch also agrees with the Masoretic Text, presenting the same phrase as "תמים תהיה עם יהוה אלהיך". Therefore, both the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch confirm the wording and meaning found in the Masoretic Text.
תָּמִ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה עִ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ ס
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
תמים תהיה עם יהוה אלהיך
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 18:13
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word תָּמִים (*tamiym*) means complete, sound, or whole. It encompasses notions of integrity, truth, and being unblemished or innocent. The word can function as both an adjective and a noun, referring to what is entire or in accord with truth. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of being entire or perfect.
תָּמִים 91 adj. complete, sound
complete, whole, entire
whole, sound, healthful
complete, entire, of time
sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity
as neuter adj. = subst. what is complete, entirely in accord with truth and fact
base
H8549 תָּמִים complete, sound . complete, whole, entire
. whole, sound, healthful
. complete, entire, of time
. sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity
. as neuter adj. = subst. what is complete, entirely in accord with truth and fact
8549 tamiym taw-meem'
from 8552; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also
(as noun) integrity, truth:--without blemish, complete, full,
perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled,
upright(-ly), whole.
see HEBREW for 08552
תָּמִים (ta.mim) — unblemished.
: unblemished/perfect
1) complete, whole, entire, sound
1a) complete, whole, entire
1b) whole, sound, healthful
1c) complete, entire (of time)
1d) sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity
1e) what is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact (neuter adj/subst)
תָּמִים (ta.mim) — unblemished: blameless.
: blameless
1) complete, whole, entire, sound
1a) complete, whole, entire
1b) whole, sound, healthful
1c) complete, entire (of time)
1d) sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity
1e) what is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact (neuter adj/subst)
תָּמִים (ta.mim) — unblemished: complete.
: complete
1) complete, whole, entire, sound
1a) complete, whole, entire
1b) whole, sound, healthful
1c) complete, entire (of time)
1d) sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity
Adj — AdjHAamsa
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms
עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.
עִם prep. with
of fellowship and companionship
of aid
Of actions done jointly with another
If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against
Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another
Of a common lot together with the wicked
Of equality or resemblance generally aid
Of time, as long as
Of a locality, close to, beside
Of persons, עִם is spec.
in the house or family or service of
In possession of
In the custody or care of
Beside = except
With = friendly with
Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
base
מֵעִם 72 from with or beside
base
H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship
. Of a locality, close to, beside
. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of
. In possession of
. In the custody or care of
. Beside = except
. With = friendly with
. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside
5973 `im eem
from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction
with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;
often with prepositional prefix (and then usually
unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X
long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from
(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,
with(-al).
see HEBREW for 06004
עִם (im) — with.
1) with
1a) with
1b) against
1c) toward
1d) as long as
מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.
1a) beside, except
1b) in spite of
Prep — PrepositionHR
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
pl. in number.
rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
angels
gods
pl. intensive
god or goddess
godlike one
works of God, or things belongng to him
God
הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
אֱלֹהִים = God
base
H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
. angels
. gods
. pl. intensive . god or goddess
. godlike one
. works of God, or things belongng to him
. God
. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
. אֱלֹהִים = God
430 'elohiym el-o-heem'
plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically
used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the
supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to
magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X
exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X
mighty.
see HEBREW for 0433
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.
This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.
Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.
Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2ms
