Deuteronomy 13:13
in Deuteronomy 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),
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Certain base fellows are gone out from the midst of thee, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
KJV
Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
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This verse in Deuteronomy 13
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In Deu 15:9 and in Nah 1:11 the word “Belial” is rendered in our translation by the adjective “wicked.” The word means “worthlessness.” (from Barnes’ Notes)
This site's exposition
If thou shalt hear say
on Deuteronomy 13:12-14
The third case is a whole city, and the men who move it are called the children of Belial, the one place the King James keeps that word in this book. Belial means worthlessness, as Barnes notes, and it returns of the men of Gibeah at Judges 19:22 and of Eli's sons at 1 Samuel 2:12 before Paul uses it as a name for the adversary at 2 Corinthians 6:15. Verse 14 puts three acts before any action is taken, enquire, and make search, and ask diligently, and the report then has to be found true and the thing certain. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the enquiry as the magistrate's duty, and Jewish writers assigned the trial of an apostate city to the great sanhedrin.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
From among you - That is, from your church and religion. It notes a separation from them, not in place (as appears by their partnership with their fellow citizens both in the sin and punishment) but in heart, doctrine and worship.
Certain men, the children of Belial,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Certain men, the children of Belial--lawless, designing demagogues (Jud 19:22; 25:25), who abused their influence to withdraw the inhabitants of the city to idol-worship.
Children of Belial - בליעל, from בל bal, not, and יעל yaal, profit; - Sept. ανδρες παρανομοι, lawless men; - persons good for nothing to themselves or others, and capable of nothing but mischief.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
לשבת שם [IF THOU SHALT HEAR SAY IN THE CITIES WHICH THE LORD THY GOD HATH GIVEN THEE] TO ABIDE THERE — The words “to abide there” are added to exclude Jerusalem which city was not intended as a dwelling-place (Sifrei Devarim:5; cf. Bava Kamma 82b).
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יָצְא֞וּ | yatzeu | they have gone out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֲנָשִׁ֤ים | ʾanashim | men | H582 → | 566 times |
| בְּנֵֽי־ | benei- | sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בְלִיַּ֙עַל֙ | veliyaal | worthlessness | H1100 → | |
| מִקִּרְבֶּ֔ךָ | mikirbecha | from midst your | H7130 → | 227 times |
| וַיַּדִּ֛יחוּ | vaiyadichu | and they have thrust aside | H5080 → | 55 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יֹשְׁבֵ֥י | yoshevei | [the] inhabitants of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| עִירָ֖ם | ʾiram | city their | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| נֵלְכָ֗ה | nelekhah | let us go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וְנַעַבְדָ֛ה | venaavdah | and let us serve | H5647 → | 288 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֥ים | ʾelohim | gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲחֵרִ֖ים | ʾacherim | other | H312 → | 166 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃ | yeda'tem | you have known | H3045 → | 945 times |
יָצְא֞וּthey have gone out
yatzeuH3318 →1067 times
אֲנָשִׁ֤יםmen
ʾanashimH582 →566 times
בְּנֵֽי־sons of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
בְלִיַּ֙עַל֙worthlessness
veliyaalH1100 →
מִקִּרְבֶּ֔ךָfrom midst your
mikirbechaH7130 →227 times
וַיַּדִּ֛יחוּand they have thrust aside
vaiyadichuH5080 →55 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יֹשְׁבֵ֥י[the] inhabitants of
yosheveiH3427 →1079 times
עִירָ֖םcity their
ʾiramH5892 →1090 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
נֵלְכָ֗הlet us go
nelekhahH1980 →1546 times
וְנַעַבְדָ֛הand let us serve
venaavdahH5647 →288 times
אֱלֹהִ֥יםgods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אֲחֵרִ֖יםother
ʾacherimH312 →166 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃you have known
yeda'temH3045 →945 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 2:19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of…
it leads to
- Acts 20:30
Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.
- 1 Corinthians 11:19
And indeed, there must be differences among you to show which of you are approved.
- Jude 1:19
These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.
- Luke 8:13
The seeds on rocky ground are those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but they have no root. They believe for a season, but in the time of testing, they fall…
- 2 Peter 2:20–21
If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse…
- Acts 20:30
Through
Deuteronomy 13:6If 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…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 17:2–7
If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His…
- Deuteronomy 17:2–7
Through
2 Corinthians 6:15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:20–21
No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.
- 1 Corinthians 10:20–21
Through
Judges 20:13Hand over the wicked men of Gibeah so we can put them to death and purge Israel of this evil.” But the Benjamites refused to heed the voice of their fellow Israelites.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 17:12
But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge…
- Deuteronomy 17:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.