Deuteronomy 13

Chap. XIII. Ver. 1-18. Enticers to idolatry to be put to death.—By this law, every Israelite was bound in conscience to inform against, to prosecute, and to assist at the execution of any one, even the nearest relation or friend, who attempted to persuade him to idolatry. Yet it is observable that parents and husbands are not expressly mentioned, in the list of those who were to be thus accused; perhaps out of deference to the divine appointment of authority and subordination in families.—This singular institution would powerfully operate to produce an abhorrence of idolatry, and to render every one afraid of harbouring a thought in his heart, which he could not disclose to his nearest relations without risking his life—Israel was under a peculiar covenant, of which idolatry was the grand forfeiture; and this could not be suffered to become a national sin, unless individuals, and even cities, that were guilty of it, were punished by public authority.

They were in a special manner under the government of God as a nation, and this crime was, as it were, high treason. They were also a single nation surrounded by idolaters, and prone to idolatry themselves in a surprising degree.—These reasons for punishing this crime by death do not now exist: and there is no command or precedent in the New Testament, commanding or authorizing magistrates to use the sword of public justice, in punishing their subjects for matters merely of conscience towards God; nor does it seem at all to accord with the spirit of Christianity: much less can this law authorize persecution in general. Even the Israelites were not commanded nor allowed to punish idolaters as such; but merely apostates from the worship of the true God to idolatry, within the limits of their own nation: nor were they required or allowed thus to propagate the worship of Jehovah.—T. Scott.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 15. Eat flesh.—That is, the flesh of clean animals. As the wild animals here named were generally killed in the chase, and never sacrificed, their blood, of course, could not be poured out before the altar; so those who lived at a distance from Jerusalem were to be allowed to kill their meat in their own gates, as it was impossible for them to carry it to the capital. For the roebuck, see (Deuteronomy 14:5). and note. Ver. 17. The tithe of thy corn, &c.—This means the second tithe, (ch. xvi. 22—29; xxvi. 12—15.) for the Levites received the whole of the other. ((Numbers 17:20-32).) In like manner every male firstling was the portion of the priests alone; ((Numbers 18:17-18).) so that either the female firstling, or some other of their young cattle, being presented as peace-offerings, were thus to be feasted on before the Lord.

—Scott. Ver. 19. Forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest.—Hebrew, ‘All thy days.’ The Levites having no inheritance of their own, were quartered upon the other tribes; and being constantly employed either in the service of God or the instruction of the people, it was but reasonable they should be supported by them. See (1 Corinthians 9:7-14). Ver. 22. The unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.—All animals slain for food in the wilderness, were ordered to be brought as peace-offerings to the door of the tabernacle; so that the unclean were, in fact, at that time forbidden to eat any flesh at all: but this restriction was taken off when they entered the promised land.—Scott. Ver. 23. The blood is the life.—See note on (Genesis 9:4). Ver. 31. For even their sons and their daughters they have burned in the fire to their gods.—This was notoriously practised by the Carthaginians, who, it is certain, derived it from the Phenicians, the ancient inhabitants of this country. Plato mentions it in Protagoras, where he says, “The Athenian laws did not permit them to sacrifice men, but among the Carthaginians it was a holy rite; so that some of them permitted their sons to be offered to Saturn. This wicked custom at last overspread all nations, even the Greeks themselves.” Our forefathers did the same; and to such an extreme was this carried in South America, that Bullock assures us, in his description of ancient Mexico, that the coronation of their last emperor was celebrated by the sacrifice of 30,000 human beings.

The great altar on which they were offered, and the horrid idol to which they were devoted, are still to be seen in his exhibition at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, London. Chap. XIII. Ver. 1. If there arise among you a prophet.—The unity of God was so much a settled principle among the Hebrews, that neither prophecy nor miracles were to be admitted in favour of idolatry. Nothing could be more certain than that God is one; the denial of this on of itself is sufficient refutation of all pretences to inspiration. The fulfilment of a prediction, therefore, like those of Nostrodamus, or the immortal Moore, if inclining to idolatry, was to be at once rejected, though by possibility it might come true.

By a sign, Dr. Clarke understands some miracle, or portentous sign, as an eclipse, which before the laws of astronomy were known, was considered as a miraculous event; and by a wonder, some typical or emblematical representation to entice them to idolatry, as the image of the great goddess Diana, who, as was pretended, “fell down from Jupiter.” (Acts 19:35). Ver. 5. That prophet (that is, that pretender to prophetic powers) shall be put to death.—It must be remembered, that the religion of the children of Israel was founded upon miracles, by which the unity of God, being once established, as well as by the principles of common sense, opposite evidence was utterly inadmissible. Farther, Jehovah was the King of Israel, and every attempt to introduce an idol was high treason, which in all countries is a capital offence.

It is here considered, for in ver. 3, where we read, “He hath spoken to turn you away,” the Heb. reads, (as in our margin,) “He hath spoken revolt against the Lord:” thus every temptation to idolatry was an incitement to revolt. Ver. 6. If thy brother, &c.—This is a law unquestionably of great strictness and severity; see exposition. Ver. 9. Thou shalt surely kill him.—Not tumultuously, nor by assassination; but by a regular enforcement of the law. The LXX. say, “Thou shalt certainly inform against him;” and as the principal witness was to cast the first stone, he was, in fact, the executioner, though not till the sentence of the magistrate had been pronounced. Ver. 13. Children of Belial.—What is, of wickedness, or of the wicked one.

(2 Corinthians 6:15). Compare (John 8:44).—Margin, “Naughty men.”