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Deuteronomy 13-16

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Deuteronomy 13

¹If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you,

²and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,”

³you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

⁴You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him.

⁵Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way in which the LORD your God has commanded you to walk. So you must purge the evil from among you.

⁶If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,

⁷the gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, whether from one end of the earth or the other),

⁸you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him.

⁹Instead, you must surely kill him. Your hand must be the first against him to put him to death, and then the hands of all the people.

¹⁰Stone him to death for trying to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

¹¹Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.

¹²If, regarding one of the cities the LORD your God is giving you to inhabit, you hear it said

¹³that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),

¹⁴then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you,

¹⁵you must surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword. Devote to destruction all its people and livestock.

¹⁶And you are to gather all its plunder in the middle of the public square, and completely burn the city and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. The city must remain a mound of ruins forever, never to be rebuilt.

¹⁷Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hands, so that the LORD will turn from His fierce anger, grant you mercy, show you compassion, and multiply you as He swore to your fathers,

¹⁸because you obey the LORD your God, keeping all His commandments I am giving you today and doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 14

¹You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead,

²for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.

³You must not eat any detestable thing.

⁴These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat,

⁵the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.

⁶You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud.

⁷But of those that chew the cud or have a completely divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: the camel, the rabbit, or the rock badger. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof. They are unclean for you,

⁸as well as the pig; though it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat or touch its carcass.

⁹Of all the creatures that live in the water, you may eat anything with fins and scales,

¹⁰but you may not eat anything that does not have fins and scales; it is unclean for you.

¹¹You may eat any clean bird,

¹²but these you may not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,

¹³the red kite, the falcon, any kind of kite,

¹⁴any kind of raven,

¹⁵the ostrich, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk,

¹⁶the little owl, the great owl, the white owl,

¹⁷the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant,

¹⁸the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, or the bat.

¹⁹All flying insects are unclean for you; they may not be eaten.

²⁰But you may eat any clean bird.

²¹You are not to eat any carcass; you may give it to the foreigner residing within your gates, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a holy people belonging to the LORD your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

²²You must be sure to set aside a tenth of all the produce brought forth each year from your fields.

²³And you are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks, in the presence of the LORD your God at the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.

²⁴But if the distance is too great for you to carry that with which the LORD your God has blessed you, because the place where the LORD your God will choose to put His Name is too far away,

²⁵then exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place the LORD your God will choose.

²⁶Then you may spend the money on anything you desire: cattle, sheep, wine, strong drink, or anything you wish. You are to feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice with your household.

²⁷And do not neglect the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.

²⁸At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and lay it up within your gates.

²⁹Then the Levite (because he has no portion or inheritance among you), the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come and eat and be satisfied. And the LORD your God will bless you in all the work of your hands.

Deuteronomy 15

¹At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.

²This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed.

³You may collect something from a foreigner, but you must forgive whatever your brother owes you.

⁴There will be no poor among you, however, because the LORD will surely bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance,

⁵if only you obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commandments I am giving you today.

⁶When the LORD your God blesses you as He has promised, you will lend to many nations but borrow from none; you will rule over many nations but be ruled by none.

⁷If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.

⁸Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs.

⁹Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

¹⁰Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.

¹¹For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land.

¹²If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free.

¹³And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.

¹⁴You are to furnish him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.

¹⁵Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.

¹⁶But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household and is well off with you,

¹⁷then take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he will become your servant for life. And treat your maidservant the same way.

¹⁸Do not regard it as a hardship to set your servant free, because his six years of service were worth twice the wages of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in all you do.

¹⁹You must set apart to the LORD your God every firstborn male produced by your herds and flocks. You are not to put the firstborn of your oxen to work, nor are you to shear the firstborn of your flock.

²⁰Each year you and your household are to eat it before the LORD your God in the place the LORD will choose.

²¹But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.

²²Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer.

²³But you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 16

¹Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.

²You are to offer to the LORD your God the Passover sacrifice from the herd or flock in the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for His Name.

³You must not eat leavened bread with it; for seven days you are to eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left the land of Egypt in haste—so that you may remember for the rest of your life the day you left the land of Egypt.

⁴No leaven is to be found in all your land for seven days, and none of the meat you sacrifice in the evening of the first day shall remain until morning.

⁵You are not to sacrifice the Passover animal in any of the towns that the LORD your God is giving you.

⁶You must only offer the Passover sacrifice at the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for His Name. Do this in the evening as the sun sets, at the same time you departed from Egypt.

⁷And you shall roast it and eat it in the place the LORD your God will choose, and in the morning you shall return to your tents.

⁸For six days you must eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day you shall hold a solemn assembly to the LORD your God, and you must not do any work.

⁹You are to count off seven weeks from the time you first put the sickle to the standing grain.

¹⁰And you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a freewill offering that you give in proportion to how the LORD your God has blessed you,

¹¹and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in the place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you.

¹²Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and carefully follow these statutes.

¹³You are to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress.

¹⁴And you shall rejoice in your feast—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite, as well as the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widows among you.

¹⁵For seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place He will choose, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that your joy will be complete.

¹⁶Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.

¹⁷Everyone must appear with a gift as he is able, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you.

¹⁸You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

¹⁹Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

²⁰Pursue justice, and justice alone, so that you may live, and you may possess the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

²¹Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God,

²²and do not set up for yourselves a sacred pillar, which the LORD your God hates.

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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

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Deuteronomy 13:1-5 Verses 1-5

Moses had cautioned against the peril that might arise from the Canaanites. Here he cautions against the rise of idolatry among themselves. It is needful for us to be well acquainted with the truths and precepts of the Bible; for we may expect to be proved by temptations of evil under the appearance of good, of error in the guise of truth; nor can any thing rightly oppose such temptations, but the plain, express testimony of God's word to the contrary. And it would be a proof of sincere affection for God, that, notwithstanding specious pretences, they should not be wrought upon the forsake God, and follow other gods to serve them.

Deuteronomy 13:6-11 Verses 6-11

It is the policy of Satan to try to lead us to evil by those whom we love, whom we least suspect of any ill design, and whom we are desirous to please, and apt to conform to. The enticement here is supposed to come from a brother or child, who are near by nature; from a wife or friend, who are near by choice, and are to us as our souls. But it is our duty to prefer God and religion, before the nearest and dearest friends we have in the world. We must not, to please our friends, break God's law. Thou shalt not consent to him, nor go with him, not for company, or curiosity, not to gain his affections. It is a general rule, If sinners entice thee, consent thou not, Pr 1:10. And we must not hinder the course of God's justice.

Deuteronomy 13:12-18 Verses 12-18

Here is the case of a city revolting from the God of Israel, and serving other gods. The crime is supposed to be committed by one of the cities of Israel. Even when they were ordered to preserve their religion by force, yet they were not allowed to bring others to it by fire and sword. Spiritual judgments under the Christian dispensation are more terrible than the execution of criminals; we have not less cause than the Israelites had, to fear the Divine wrath. Let us then fear the spiritual idolatry of covetousness, and the love of worldly pleasure; and be careful not to countenance them in our families, by our example or by the education of our children. May the Lord write his law and truth in our hearts, there set up his throne, and shed abroad his love!

Deuteronomy 14:1-21 Verses 1-21

Moses tells the people of Israel how God had given them three distinguishing privileges, which were their honour, and figures of those spiritual blessings in heavenly things, with which God has in Christ blessed us. Here is election; "The Lord hath chosen thee." He did not choose them because they were by their own acts a peculiar people to him above other nations, but he chose them that they might be so by his grace; and thus were believers chosen, Eph 1:4. Here is adoption; "Ye are the children of the Lord your God;" not because God needed children, but because they were orphans, and needed a father. Every spiritual Israelite is indeed a child of God, a partaker of his nature and favour. Here is sanctification; "Thou art a holy people." God's people are required to be holy, and if they are holy, they are indebted to the grace God which makes them so. Those whom God chooses to be his children, he will form to be a holy people, and zealous of good works. They must be careful to avoid every thing which might disgrace their profession, in the sight of those who watch for their halting. Our heavenly Father forbids nothing but for our welfare. Do thyself no harm; do not ruin thy health, thy reputation, thy domestic comforts, thy peace of mind. Especially do not murder thy soul. Do not be the vile slave of thy appetites and passions. Do not render all around thee miserable, and thyself wretched; but aim at that which is most excellent and useful. The laws which regarded many sorts of flesh as unclean, were to keep them from mingling with their idolatrous neighbours. It is plain in the gospel, that these laws are now done away. But let us ask our own hearts, Are we of the children of the Lord our God? Are we separate from the ungodly world, in being set apart to God's glory, the purchase of Christ's blood? Are we subjects of the work of the Holy Ghost? Lord, teach us from these precepts how pure and holy all thy people ought to live!

Deuteronomy 14:22-29 Verses 22-29

A second portion from the produce of their land was required. The whole appointment evidently was against the covetousness, distrust, and selfishness of the human heart. It promoted friendliness, liberality, and cheerfulness, and raised a fund for the relief of the poor. They were taught that their worldly portion was most comfortably enjoyed, when shared with their brethren who were in want. If we thus serve God, and do good with what we have, it is promised that the Lord our God will bless us in all the works of our land. The blessing of God is all to our outward prosperity; and without that blessing, the work of our hands will bring nothing to pass. The blessing descends upon the working hand. Expect not that God should bless thee in thy idleness and love of ease. And it descends upon the giving hand. He who thus scatters, certainly increases; and to be free and generous in the support of religion, and any good work, is the surest and safest way of thriving.

Deuteronomy 15:1-11 Verses 1-11

This year of release typified the grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord; and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our sins. The law is spiritual, and lays restraints upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake, if we think thoughts are free from God's knowledge and check. That is a wicked heart indeed, which raises evil thoughts from the good law of God, as theirs did, who, because God had obliged them to the charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. Those who would keep from the act of sin, must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor justly against us. Grudge not a kindness to thy brother; distrust not the providence of God. What thou doest, do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2Co 9:7.

Deuteronomy 15:12-18 Verses 12-18

Here the law concerning Hebrew servants is repeated. There is an addition, requiring the masters to put some small stock into their servants' hands to set up with for themselves, when sent out of their servitude, wherein they had received no wages. We may expect family blessings, the springs of family prosperity, when we make conscience of our duty to our family relations. We are to remember that we are debtors to Divine justice, and have nothing to pay with. That we are slaves, poor, and perishing. But the Lord Jesus Christ, by becoming poor, and by shedding his blood, has made a full and free provision for the payment of our debts, the ransom of our souls, and the supply of all our wants. When the gospel is clearly preached, the acceptable year of the Lord is proclaimed; the year of release of our debts, of the deliverance of our souls, and of obtaining rest in him. And as faith in Christ and love to him prevail, they will triumph over the selfishness of the heart, and over the unkindness of the world, doing away the excuses that rise from unbelief, distrust, and covetousness.

Deuteronomy 15:19-23 Verses 19-23

Here is a direction what to do with the firstlings. We are not now limited as the Israelites were; we make no difference between a first calf, or lamb, and the rest. Let us then look to the gospel meaning of this law, devoting ourselves and the first of our time and strength to God; and using all our comforts and enjoyments to his praise, and under the direction of his law, as we have them all by his gift.

Deuteronomy 16:1-17 Verses 1-17

The laws for the three yearly feasts are here repeated; that of the Passover, that of the Pentecost, that of Tabernacles; and the general law concerning the people's attendance. Never should a believer forget his low estate of guilt and misery, his deliverance, and the price it cost the Redeemer; that gratitude and joy in the Lord may be mingled with sorrow for sin, and patience under the tribulations in his way to the kingdom of heaven. They must rejoice in their receivings from God, and in their returns of service and sacrifice to him; our duty must be our delight, as well as our enjoyment. If those who were under the law must rejoice before God, much more we that are under the grace of the gospel; which makes it our duty to rejoice evermore, to rejoice in the Lord always. When we rejoice in God ourselves, we should do what we can to assist others also to rejoice in him, by comforting the mourners, and supplying those who are in want. All who make God their joy, may rejoice in hope, for He is faithful that has promised.

Deuteronomy 16:18-22 Verses 18-22

Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a better dispensation, established upon better promises, there is a tendency to set up idols, under one form or another, in the human heart.

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Key Words in This Passage

Lord 55 in this passage God 48 in this passage Must 24 in this passage Eat 22 in this passage May 19 in this passage Any 14 in this passage Because 12 in this passage Among 11 in this passage Land 11 in this passage Choose 10 in this passage Place 10 in this passage Giving 9 in this passage Egypt 8 in this passage Feast 8 in this passage Gates 7 in this passage Hand 7 in this passage People 7 in this passage Put 7 in this passage Within 7 in this passage Year 7 in this passage Brother 6 in this passage Foreigner 6 in this passage Poor 6 in this passage Set 6 in this passage

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Burnt offering Hebrew olah; i.e., "ascending," the whole being consumed by fire,… Abomination This word is used, (1.) To express the idea that… Destruction In Job 26:6, 28:22 (Heb. abaddon) is sheol, the realm… Threshing See [633]AGRICULTURE. Foreigner A Gentile. Such as resided among the Hebrews were required… Sacrifice The offering up of sacrifices is to be regarded as… Cormorant (Lev. 11:17; Deut. 14:17), Heb. shalak, "plunging," or "darting down,"… Passover The name given to the chief of the three great… Offering An oblation, dedicated to God. Thus Cain consecrated to God… Daughter This word, besides its natural and proper sense, is used… Asherah And pl. Asherim in Revised Version, instead of "grove" and… Justice Is rendering to every one that which is his due.… Brother (1.) In the natural and common sense (Matt. 1:2; Luke… Prophet (Heb. nabi, from a root meaning "to bubble forth, as… Vulture (1.) Heb. da'ah (Lev. 11:14). In the parallel passage (Deut.… Ostrich (Lam. 4:3), the rendering of Hebrew pl. enim; so called… Worship Homage rendered to God which it is sinful (idolatry) to… Evening The period following sunset with which the Jewish day began…

Deuteronomy 13-16

Deuteronomy 13

Deuteronomy 14

Deuteronomy 15

Deuteronomy 16

Study and Reflection

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

Key Words and Topics

Key Words in This Passage

Related Topics

Abib: Passover Instituted, and Israelites Depart from Egypt In Deuteronomy 16:1

Adoption: Spiritual Deuteronomy 14:1

Agriculture or Farming: Implements of The Sickle Deuteronomy 16:9

Aliens: Jews Authorized to Take Usury From Deuteronomy 15:3

Aliens: Partially Exempt from Jewish Law Deuteronomy 14:21

Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God are Ensnaring Deuteronomy 13:6

Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God: Forbidden Deuteronomy 13:6, 8

Alms: Commandments and Practices Concerning Deuteronomy 14:28, 29

Altars: The Jews not to Plant Groves Near Deuteronomy 16:21

Animals: Clean and Unclean Deuteronomy 14:3–20

Animals: Ordained As Food for Man Deuteronomy 14:4–6, 9, 11, 20

Apostasy: Described Deuteronomy 13:13

Apostates: Described Deuteronomy 13:13

Awl: A Tool Deuteronomy 15:17

Baldness: Artificial, As an Idolatrous Practice, Forbidden Deuteronomy 14:1

Bankruptcy Deuteronomy 15:1, 2

Bat: General Scriptures Concerning Deuteronomy 14:18

Beasts: Clean: Chamois Deuteronomy 14:5

Beasts: Clean: Fallow Deer Deuteronomy 14:5

Beasts: Clean: Goat Deuteronomy 14:4

Beasts: Clean: Hart Deuteronomy 14:5

Beasts: Clean: How Distinguished Deuteronomy 14:6

Beasts: Clean: Ox Deuteronomy 14:4

Beasts: Clean: Pygarg Deuteronomy 14:5

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