Idolaters to Be Put to Death
A prophet may give a sign that proves true, yet if the message leads toward other gods, Israel must refuse him. His words expose whether the people will cling to the LORD, and his rebellion brings a death sentence.
I1f 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.
Verse 1The case begins with a prophet or dreamer who arises among Israel and announces a sign or wonder.
It opens the scenario by introducing a potentially persuasive religious figure.
Verse 2If the sign comes to pass but the prophet urges the people to follow unknown gods, the true issue is his summons to false worship.
It sharpens the test by contrasting fulfilled signs with corrupt teaching.
Verse 3Israel must not listen, because the LORD is using this moment to reveal whether they love Him wholly.
It interprets the event as a test of covenant love rather than a reason to believe the prophet.
Verse 4The people are told to fear the LORD, keep His commands, listen to His voice, serve Him, and hold fast to Him.
It states the positive pattern of loyalty that answers the false appeal.
Verse 5The prophet must die because he has urged rebellion against the LORD who redeemed Israel from Egypt and tried to turn them from His way.
It gives the legal judgment and grounds it in Israel's redemption and covenant path.
Even the most intimate bonds cannot soften the command when a family member or close friend secretly urges other worship. Israel must reject pity, carry out judgment, and let the punishment stand as a warning to the whole people.
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.
Verse 6The law turns to a brother, child, wife, or closest friend who secretly invites someone to worship other gods.
It shifts the danger from public prophets to intimate relationships.
Verse 7These gods are identified as the gods of surrounding peoples, whether near or far.
It widens the scope of temptation and names it as foreign worship.
Verse 8The hearer must not yield, listen, pity, spare, or shield the one who entices.
It forbids every instinct that would protect the offender.
Verse 9The enticer must be killed, with the tempted person taking the first part in the execution before the community joins in.
It places direct responsibility on the one who was targeted.
Verse 10The offender is to be stoned for trying to turn Israel away from the LORD who brought them out of slavery in Egypt.
It restates the crime and ties the sentence to Israel's redemption story.
Verse 11The punishment is meant to make all Israel hear, fear, and never repeat such wickedness.
It closes the case by naming the judgment's communal effect.
A quiet block diagram: each row is one authored paragraph movement, with verse numbers kept visible for scanning and deeper work.
- vv. 1-5
A prophet may give a sign that proves true, yet if the message leads toward other gods, Israel must refuse him. His words expose whether the people will cling to the LORD, and his rebellion brings a death sentence.
This paragraph sets the test of loyalty and names false prophecy as treachery against the LORD. - vv. 6-11
Even the most intimate bonds cannot soften the command when a family member or close friend secretly urges other worship. Israel must reject pity, carry out judgment, and let the punishment stand as a warning to the whole people.
It intensifies the section by moving from public deceivers to private enticers and demanding the same covenant severity.