Deuteronomy 13:2
in Deuteronomy 13and 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,”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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;
KJV
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;
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This verse in Deuteronomy 13
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The Lord had said, “Thou shalt have none other gods but Me.” A prophet is here supposed who invites the people “to go after other gods.” To such a one no credit is under any circumstances to be given, even should he show signs and wonders to authenticate his doctrine. The standing rule of faith and practice had been laid down once for all - that the people were to hold fast. The prophet who propounded another rule could only be an impostor. A different case is considered in Deu 18:18, etc.
This site's exposition
If there arise among you a prophet
on Deuteronomy 13:1-2
The test given here runs opposite to the one at 18:22, where a word that fails to come to pass marks a prophet the Lord did not send. Here the sign or the wonder does come to pass and the prophet is still refused, on the ground of what he says next, let us go after other gods. Barnes sets the two cases beside each other and states the rule that follows, that the revelation already given judges the sign rather than the sign judging the revelation. A dreamer of dreams is a separate claim from a prophet's, since Numbers 12:6 has God speaking by vision and by dream, and the phrase falls three times in this chapter.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
8 , If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you --which does not prove it possible that an angel should preach another gospel, but strongly expresses the certainty and perpetuity of that which we have received. So here, (2.) It is to fortify them against the danger of impostures and lying wonders ( 2 Thess. ii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And the sign and wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Everything that I am commanding you—be careful to fulfill it; do not add to it and do not subtract from it.
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
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבָ֤א | uva' | and it will come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הָאוֹת֙ | haot | the sign | H226 → | 80 times |
| וְהַמּוֹפֵ֔ת | vehamofet | and the wonder | H4159 → | 36 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֥ר | diber | he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלֶ֖יךָ | ʾeleikha | to you | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| נֵֽלְכָ֞ה | nelekhah | let us walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֨י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֧ים | ʾelohim | gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲחֵרִ֛ים | ʾacherim | other | H312 → | 166 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יְדַעְתָּ֖ם | yeda'tam | you have known them | H3045 → | 945 times |
| וְנָֽעָבְדֵֽם׃ | venaavedem | and let us be enticed to serve them | H5647 → | 288 times |
וּבָ֤אand it will come
uva'H935 →2568 times
הָאוֹת֙the sign
haotH226 →80 times
וְהַמּוֹפֵ֔תand the wonder
vehamofetH4159 →36 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֥רhe spoke
diberH1696 →1141 times
אֵלֶ֖יךָto you
ʾeleikhaH413 →5510 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
נֵֽלְכָ֞הlet us walk
nelekhahH1980 →1546 times
אַחֲרֵ֨יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
אֱלֹהִ֧יםgods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אֲחֵרִ֛יםother
ʾacherimH312 →166 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יְדַעְתָּ֖םyou have known them
yeda'tamH3045 →945 times
וְנָֽעָבְדֵֽם׃and let us be enticed to serve them
venaavedemH5647 →288 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
Matthew 24:24For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,
- Mark 13:22
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
- Revelation 13:13–14
And the second beast performed great signs to cause even fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people.
- Matthew 24:11
and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.
- 2 Peter 2:1–3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11
Through
Deuteronomy 18:22When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 18:20
But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put…
- 2 Kings 20:1
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to…
- Deuteronomy 18:20
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
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.