Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:8

There are five verbs in this verse to emphasize the need to reject any such inducement to idol worship.

Yield to him: that is, agree to do what he wants.

Listen to him: pay attention to what he says.

Your eye pity him: show no mercy, be pitiless (see also 7.16). In many languages there will be suitable figurative expressions; for example, “Do not have warm insides towards him” or “Don’t let your heart [or, liver] feel towards him.”

Spare him: this means the same as the previous verb; the two can be combined: “show him no pity or mercy.”

Conceal: this means to cover up what was done, not to tell others about it. New Jerusalem Bible renders it “conceal his guilt.” It does not mean to physically hide the person, but to keep secret what he has done. This is wrong; that person’s evil deed must be exposed and punished.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:9

You shall kill him: the Hebrew uses a compound verbal phrase, “killing you shall kill him.” This is a way of being emphatic: “You must certainly kill him.” How this is to be done follows.

Your hand shall be first: this is to be a public execution, with the person who was enticed taking the lead. He will be the first to throw the stones, and then the others will do the same. It may be necessary to make it clear in verse 9 itself that public execution by stoning is meant, as Good News Translation does with “Kill him! Be the first to stone him, and then let everyone else stone him too.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:10

You shall stone him to death: the verb is still the second person singular (as in verse 9). Stone him to death may also be rendered as “You shall take stones and throw them at him till he dies.”

He sought to draw you away from the LORD your God: this is the worst of all sins, apostasy, faithlessness, rebellion against Yahweh. Draw you away means “lead you away,” or even “cause you to rebel against.”

Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: see verse 5.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:11

This verse describes the result of the execution of a would-be traitor.

All Israel: that is, all the people of Israel, all the Israelites.

Such wickedness: a most evil thing.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• When the rest of the people of Israel hear what happened to the prophet [or, that person], they will be afraid, and no one else will ever do such an evil thing again.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:12 - 13:13

Verses 12-18 deal with another possibility, this one involving the attempt to lead astray a whole community (city or town). The punishment will fit the crime.

The section begins with a long sentence (verses 12-15), which must be broken up into smaller sentences. Here it is quite difficult to make verse 12 a complete sentence. The most logical way to begin is the way Good News Translation restructures the sentence: “When you are living in the towns….”

You hear in one of your cities is wrongly placed by Revised Standard Version. One of your cities is the scene of the attempted revolt against God, not the place where it becomes known. New Revised Standard Version has got it right: “If you hear it said about one of your towns…” (see also Revised English Bible). Contemporary English Version has “You may hear a rumor about one of the towns.” However, we may also say “People may tell you about one of the towns.”

One of your cities, which the LORD your God gives you to dwell there: in most languages “towns” or its equivalent will be better than cities (see 1.22). The point is that the Israelites, after conquering the land of Canaan, will be living in cities or towns already built by the Canaanites.

Base fellows is literally “sons of Belial”—worthless people, of no account. A modern equivalent in some dialects of English would be “bums.” Most languages will have a good equivalent to describe such people, as they normally exist in every society.

Have drawn away the inhabitants of the city: as in verse 10, this is apostasy.

‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known: see verses 2, 6.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:14

Again, a group of verbs of similar meaning is used in order to emphasize the importance of the investigation that is to take place.

You shall inquire and make search and ask diligently: this is a complete and thorough investigation of the matter (see Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

Such an abominable thing: see 7.25; 12.31.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:15

The punishment is severe: the towns are to be put under a ban, that is, completely destroyed. (See in 2.33-36 how the towns ruled by Sihon were dealt with; see also 7.26.)

Put … to the sword … with the edge of the sword: if possible the translation should keep the word sword; for example, “you must take your swords and kill every one” (Contemporary English Version). But if the word that is used means a dagger, or hatchet, or bolo, or knife, it will probably be better to use the general verb “to kill” (so Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, and others).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:16

Spoil: this means the people’s possessions, their valuables, which would normally be kept by the victors as a prize of war. Revised English Bible has “goods,” New Jerusalem Bible “loot,” New International Version “plunder.” An alternative translation model for this first sentence may be “Bring [or, Gather] all the possessions of the people who live there and pile them up….”

The midst of its open square: this is the public square or large flat open area, near the town gate. If such a feature is not part of a given culture, something like “the main street” or “a large flat open area in the center of town” can be used.

A whole burnt offering: this is the sacrifice that is completely burned (see Exo 29.18; Lev 6.22-23; 8.21; 1 Sam 7.9).

It shall be a heap for ever … not be built again: never again will a town or city be built on that place; never again will people live there. It will be a desolate ruin forever. An alternative translation model for this sentence is “It must be left in ruins forever and never again rebuilt.” However, it shall not be built again contains the idea that it must be left in ruins. So we may translate simply as “Don’t ever rebuild that town.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .