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英文原文
Moses is still upon that necessary subject concerning the peril of idolatry. In the close of the foregoing chapter he had cautioned them against the peril that might arise from their predecessors the Canaanites. In this chapter he cautions them against the rise of idolatry from among themselves; they must take heed lest any should draw them to idolatry, I. By the pretence of prophecy, De 13:1-5. II. By the pretence of friendship and relation, De 13:6-11. III. By the pretence of numbers, De 13:12-18. But in all these cases the temptation must be resolutely resisted and the tempters punished and cut off.
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Cautions Against Idolatry (1451 BC)
防备偶像崇拜的警戒（主前1451年）
¹ 你们中间若有先知或是作梦的起来，向你显个神迹奇事， ² 他所告诉你那神迹奇事应验了，对你说：『我们去随从你素来不认识的别神，事奉他吧』； ³ 你不可听那先知或是那作梦之人的话；因为这是耶和华你们的神试验你们，要知道你们是尽心尽性爱耶和华你们的神不是。 ⁴ 你们要顺从耶和华你们的神，敬畏他，谨守他的诫命，听从他的话，事奉他，专靠他。 ⁵ 那先知或是那作梦的，应当被治死；因为他说话叛逆耶和华你们的神——那曾领你们出埃及地、救赎你脱离为奴之家的主——要勾引你离开耶和华你神所吩咐你行的道。你便要将那恶从你们中间除掉。
此处有，I. 一个非常奇怪的假设，申13:1,2。1. 奇怪的是在他们中间，竟然会有自称有异象和预言的人起来，煽动他们『去事奉别神』。一个对神启示的方式如此熟稔、竟能假冒先知的人，竟对神的本性与旨意如此无知，乃至自己要去并引诱邻舍去『随从别神』？一个以色列人怎能犯下如此的不敬？一个有理智的人怎能犯下如此的荒谬？今日在我们中间也可见到这种事，因此不必觉得太奇怪：许多自称博学且虔诚的人，竟激发自己并他人不仅借着偶像来敬拜神，还将当归于神的敬拜归于圣徒和天使——这与『随从别神去事奉他们』毫无二致；强蒙骗的力量就是如此之大。2. 更奇怪的是，为证实这虚假教训而给出的神迹奇事竟然应验了。难道可以设想神亲自给如此卑鄙的行径以任何鼓励吗？假先知岂曾行过真正的神迹？此处之所以这样假设，只是为两个缘故：——（1）为要加强此处所给不可听从这等人的警戒。『即使他真能行出真神迹来，但倘若他告诉你们必须事奉别神，你们也不可信他，因为禁戒此事的神圣律法显然是永远而不更改的。』这一假设正如加1:8 所说：『无论是我们，是天上来的使者，若传福音给你们，与我们所传给你们的不同，他就应当被咒诅』——这并非证明天使可能传别的福音，而是有力地表达了我们所领受之道的确定与恒久。此处亦然。（2）为要使他们防备假冒与谎言的奇事（帖后2:9）：『假设他所出示的凭证仿冒得如此精巧，以致你们既看不出其欺诈，也无法证伪，但倘若这些凭证的目的是要引诱你们去事奉别神，仅此一点便足以将其推翻；无论怎样的证据，都不能用来反对如此明显的真理——神的独一性，也不能用来反对如此清楚的律法——敬拜那独一永活又真神。』我们不能设想那位真实无妄的神，竟会以神迹之印加印于谎言之上——何况是如此明目张胆的谎言，正如那试探中所假设的：『我们去随从别神。』但若有人问：为何神容许这假先知仿冒这大印呢？此处回答说（申13:3）：『耶和华你们的神试验你们。祂容许你们受这样试探的攻击，为要试炼你们的坚定，使那些完全的人和那些虚假败坏的人都一同显明出来。这是为要试炼你们；所以你们当谨慎，在试炼中显出美好的见证，坚守阵地。』
II. 此处又有一个在此情形下极其必要的命令，
1\. 不可屈服于试探：『你不可听那先知的话』，申13:3。你不仅不可作他所诱惑你去作的事，甚至连耐心听这诱惑都不可，而当以最大的轻蔑与厌恶加以拒绝。这样的提议根本不容谈判，耳朵必须向它塞住。『撒但，退我后边去吧。』有些试探极其污秽，根本不能容许辩论，我们甚至不能给它以听闻。下面的话（申13:4）『你们要顺从耶和华』，可以视为：（1）预防试探的良方：『紧紧守住本分，你们就脱离了危险。神从不离开我们，直到我们先离开祂。』或者，（2）为我们对试探的回答预备：你当说，『经上记着说：你当顺从耶和华，专靠祂；那么我与偶像有什么相干？』
2\. 不可放过那试探人的，申13:5。那先知当被『治死』，一方面是为惩罚他所图谋的（诱惑人的当死，即便无人被他诱惑——图谋王冠便是叛逆）；另一方面是为防止他再行更大的祸害。这被称为『除掉那恶』。除去罪咎别无他法，除非除去犯罪的人；这样的罪犯若不受刑，那些当刑罚他的人便自己担了罪责。如此『那恶』必须被除掉；要防止疫症蔓延，必须砍去已坏死的肢体，将作恶者除掉。这样危险之病必须及时处理。
⁶ 你的同胞兄弟，或是你的儿女，或是你怀中的妻，或是如同你性命的朋友，若暗中引诱你，说：『我们不如去事奉你和你列祖素来所不认识的别神』—— ⁷ 是你四围各族、或近或远、从地这边到地那边的神—— ⁸ 你不可依从他，也不可听从他；你的眼不可顾惜他；你不可可怜他，也不可遮庇他； ⁹ 总要杀他；你先下手，然后众民也下手，将他治死。 ¹⁰ 要用石头打死他，因为他想要勾引你离开那领你出埃及地为奴之家的耶和华你的神。 ¹¹ 以色列众人都要听见害怕，就不敢在你们中间再行这样的恶了。
这一条律例的分支又作了进一步的预防，防备他们从至亲至爱的人感染拜偶像的瘟疫。
I\. 试探者的策略，是借着我们爱的人的手送来他的引诱——那些我们最不怀疑有任何恶意的人，那些我们渴望取悦、易于效法的人。此处所设的引诱来自同胞兄弟或儿女——这是天性上的至亲；来自妻子或朋友——这是选择上的至亲，对我们来说『如同我们自己的性命』，申13:6。撒但借夏娃试探亚当，借彼得试探基督。所以当有人向我们提出不良的提议，而那人又能假装与我们亲密时，我们更当警惕，免得我们为迁就世上最好的朋友而得罪神。这试探被假定为私下进行：他要『暗中引诱你』，这意味着拜偶像是黑暗之工，畏惧光明，贪图隐藏，其中罪人向自己应许、试探者也向他应许隐秘与安稳。至于所提议要事奉的假神，1. 试探者暗示，敬拜这些神是天下通行的做法；倘若他们只将敬拜限于一位看不见的神，他们就与众不同，与谁都不相像，因为这些神是『他们四围各族的神』，也是地上万民的神，申13:7。这种暗示吸引许多人离开信仰与敬虔，因为这是不合潮流的事；他们迎合世俗与肉体，因为这些就是『他们四围之民的神』。2. 摩西为反对这一点而暗示，这并非他们祖先的通行做法；这些神是『你和你列祖素来不认识的』。凡生于敬虔之家、在敬虔操练中受教的人，当被引诱去过虚浮、放荡、疏忽的生活时，当记念这些是他们和他们祖先『素来不认识的』道路。他们竟要如此堕落吗？
II\. 我们的本分是将神与信仰置于世上最好的朋友之上。1. 我们不可为迁就朋友而违背神的律法（申13:8）：『你不可依从他，也不可去随他拜偶像，就是为作伴、为好奇、或为博取他的好感也不可。』这是一条通则：『恶人若引诱你，你不可随从』，箴1:10。2. 我们不可因怜悯朋友而阻挡神公义的进行。图谋这样事的人，不仅当视为仇敌或危险人物——人所惧怕、要起誓防御的——更当视为罪犯或叛逆——我们因热心于我们至尊的君王、祂的冠冕与尊荣，就有义务告发，而不能隐瞒，否则便犯了严重的包庇之罪（申13:9）：『你总要杀他。』按这律法，受诱惑的人有义务首先下手对付那诱惑者，并在有权的官长面前作见证告发他，使他照律法受刑，且不可耽延——犹太人说希伯来原文那句话『杀死，你要杀死他』正是此意。起诉和处决都不可迟延；那在起诉中领先的，也当在处决中领先，以表明他坚守自己的见证：『你的手要先在他身上』，将他标明为当灭之物，『然后是众民的手』，将他当作可咒诅之物除掉。他所当受之死，在犹太人看为最严酷之死。他当被石头打死；对他控告的罪名，记在纸上，是他企图以暴力将你『从耶和华你神那里推开』，申13:10。那些要『将我们从神面前推开』的人，无疑是我们最坏的仇敌——神是我们最好的朋友；凡引诱我们犯罪的，就是使我们与神之间产生隔阂，也就是图谋我们的性命，我们当如此愤慨对待。最后，这必要的处决也有美好的效果（申13:11）：『以色列众人都要听见害怕。』他们『应当听见害怕』；因为刑罚犯罪的目的就是『in terrorem——为威吓』，从而防止再犯。也可盼望他们听见而惧怕，因刑罚的严厉——尤其是当起诉的人是父亲、兄弟或朋友时——必使他们对此罪生出厌恶，觉得这罪极其可恶，并惧怕自己遭受同样的刑罚。『责打亵慢人——就是放胆犯罪的——蒙昧人就会谨慎』，就是那有疏忽犯罪之险的。
¹² 耶和华你神所赐你居住的各城中，你若听人说， ¹³ 有些匪类从你中间出来，勾引了本城的居民，说：『我们不如去事奉你们素来不认识的别神』； ¹⁴ 你就要探听、查究、细细地访问；果然是真，确有这可憎恶的事行在你中间， ¹⁵ 你必要用刀击杀那城的居民，把城里的牲畜都用刀杀尽，将城全然毁灭。 ¹⁶ 你要把那城一切财物堆在市中，用火将那城和其中一切财物全然烧在耶和华你神面前；那城就永为荒堆，不可再建造。 ¹⁷ 那当灭的物连一点都不可粘你的手，好使耶和华转意不发烈怒，恩待你，怜恤你，照他向你列祖所起的誓使你人数增多； ¹⁸ 因为你听从耶和华你神的话，遵守我今日所吩咐你的一切诫命，行耶和华你神眼中看为正的事。
此处所设的情形，是一座城叛离了对以色列神的效忠，去『事奉别神』。
I. 这罪被假设为：1. 由以色列的一座城所犯——该城在他们的法庭管辖之内。当时的教会只『审判圈内的人』，林前5:12,13。即便当他们受命以火与刀维护信仰根本原则时，也只为内部治理而已。凡生在效忠于一位君王之下的，若举兵反抗他，便按叛逆处理；但外来入侵者则不然。此处所假设成为拜偶像之城，乃是先前敬拜真神的城，如今却转向了别神；这表明那些『既然认识了义路，却又转离』的人（彼后2:21）罪何等大，刑罚也必何等重。2. 这罪被假设为城中大多数居民所犯；因为我们可以推论，若有相当数目的人仍持守正道，就只毁灭那些有罪的，那城要因其中义人的缘故而得免——『审判全地的主岂不行公义吗？』祂无疑必行公义。3. 他们被假设是受了『一些匪类』的引诱而拜偶像——所谓『匪类』原文意为不能忍受轭的人，他们既不敬畏神，也不顾念人，反而摆脱一切法律与良心的约束，完全丧失了一切德行；这些就是那些说『我们去事奉别神吧』的人，他们不仅宽容，更是纵容鼓励人的不道德。彼列在林后6:15 中被用来指魔鬼，匪类就是他的儿女。这些人勾引了城中的居民；因为一点旧酵一旦容留，很快就会使全团都发起来。
II. 这案子被吩咐要极其仔细地审理（申13:14）：『你要探听、查究、细细地访问。』他们不可凭风闻定案，也不可仅凭传闻的告发，而要审查证据，除非证据确凿、控罪完全成立，否则不可定罪。神自己毁灭所多玛之前，也据说亲自下来查看其罪状是否如所喊叫的，创18:21。在司法程序中，必须花时间、用心力、付辛苦来查明真相，并须毫无偏见、成见、偏私地进行查究。犹太作者的看法是：拜偶像的个人可由下级法庭审判，但一城的叛离须经大公会审理；若查明他们确被引诱去拜偶像，便派两位有学问的人去劝戒他们、挽回他们。他们若悔改，万事皆好；若不悔改，则全以色列都要上来攻打他们，以表明他们对偶像崇拜的愤慨，并遏止瘟疫的蔓延。
III\. 若罪状确凿，罪犯又执迷不悟，那城就当全然毁灭。城中若有少数义人，他们无疑会把自己和家人迁出这样危险之地，然后所有居民——男女老幼——都要被刀杀尽（申13:15），城中一切财物，无论是店中的货物还是家中的器具，都要堆在市中用火焚烧，那城本身要化为灰烬，永不再建造，申13:16。士兵被禁止将任何掠物据为己有，违者处死，申13:17。这是当灭之物，沾染极其危险，正如我们在亚干的案件中所见。如今，1. 神命定这种严厉，为要显明在敬拜之事上祂是何等忌邪的神，事奉别神是何等大的罪。当叫人知道：神必不将祂的荣耀归给假神，也不将祂的赞美归给雕刻的偶像。2. 神盼望那些从祂得着尊荣与权柄的官长，也顾念祂的尊荣，并用他们的权柄作『作恶者的畏惧』，否则便是徒然佩剑。3. 真神的忠实敬拜者当趁一切机会表明他们对偶像崇拜的义愤——更当对无神论、不信、不敬虔之事如此。4. 此处暗示，要使神的怒气从一国转离，最好的办法就是刑罚那国的『恶人』（申13:17），好叫耶和华『转意不发烈怒』——那怒气原要因那一座叛教之城的恶而发作于全国。此处应许：他们若这样从本国根除罪恶，神必使他们增多。他们或以为毁掉一整座城为纯属宗教性质的罪，是有损国政、不合国利的，应当爱惜以色列人的性命：『不要惧怕』（摩西说），『神必越发使你们增多；你们国家的整体决不会因放掉这败坏之血而受损。』最后，虽然我们在犹太教会全部历史中不见这律法被执行（基比亚被灭不是因为拜偶像，而是因为道德败坏），那些次等下级各城拜偶像而未受刑，神便亲自借着迦勒底军队，将这律法执行在耶路撒冷这为首之城上——它因背叛神而被全然毁坏荒凉，荒废了七十年。拜偶像的人或可逃脱人的刑罚（这律法的字句如今在福音之下也不再有效），但耶和华我们的神必不容他们逃脱祂公义的审判。新约圣经论及与拜偶像者相交，称之为一种罪，比任何别的罪更『惹动主的妒忌』，仿佛我们向祂夸口说我们『比祂更强』，林前10:21,22。
英文原文
Cautions Against Idolatry (1451 BC)
¹ If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
² 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;
³ Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
⁴ Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
⁵ And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
Here is, I. A very strange supposition, De 13:1,2. 1. It is strange that there should arise any among themselves, especially any pretending to vision and prophecy, who should instigate them to go and serve other gods. Was it possible that any who had so much knowledge of the methods of divine revelation as to be able to personate a prophet should yet have so little knowledge of the divine nature and will as to go himself and entice his neighbours after other gods? Could an Israelite ever be guilty of such impiety? Could a man of sense ever be guilty of such absurdity? We see it in our own day, and therefore may think it the less strange; multitudes that profess both learning and religion yet exciting both themselves and others, not only to worship God by images, but to give divine honour to saints and angels, which is no better than going after other gods to serve them; such is the power of strong delusions. 2. It is yet more strange that the sign or wonder given for the confirmation of this false doctrine should come to pass. Can it be thought that God himself should give any countenance to such a vile proceeding? Did ever a false prophet work a true miracle? It is only supposed here for two reasons:— (1.) To strengthen the caution here given against hearkening to such a one. "Though it were possible that he should work a true miracle, yet you must not believe him if he tell you that you must serve other gods, for the divine law against that is certainly perpetual and unalterable." The supposition is like that in Ga 1:8, 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 (2Th 2:9): "Suppose the credentials he produces be so artfully counterfeited that you cannot discern the cheat, nor disprove them, yet, if they are intended to draw you to the service of other gods, that alone is sufficient to disprove them; no evidence can be admitted against so clear a truth as that of the unity of the Godhead, and so plain a law as that of worshipping the one only living and true God." We cannot suppose that the God of truth should set his seal of miracles to a lie, to so gross a lie as is supposed in that temptation, Let us go after other gods. But if it be asked, Why is this false prophet permitted to counterfeit this broad seal? It is answered here (De 13:3): "The Lord your God proveth you. He suffers you to be set upon by such a temptation to try your constancy, that both those that are perfect and those that are false and corrupt may be made manifest. It is to prove you; therefore see that you acquit yourselves well in the trial, and stand your ground."
II. Here is a very necessary charge given in this case,
1. Not to yield to the temptation: "Thou shalt not hearken to the worlds of that prophet, De 13:3. Not only thou shalt not do the thing he tempts thee to, but thou shalt not so much as patiently hear the temptation, but reject it with the utmost disdain and detestation. Such a suggestion as this is not to be so much as parleyed with, but the ear must be stopped against it. Get thee behind me, Satan." Some temptations are so grossly vile that they will not bear a debate, nor may we so much as give them the hearing. What follows (De 13:4), You shall walk after the Lord, may be looked upon, (1.) As prescribing a preservative from the temptation: "Keep close to your duty, and you keep out of harm's way. God never leaves us till we leave him." Or, (2.) As furnishing us with an answer to the temptation; say, "It is written, Thou shalt walk after the Lord, and cleave unto him; and therefore what have I to do with idols?"
2. Not to spare the tempter, De 13:5. That prophet shall be put to death, both to punish him for the attempt he has made (the seducer must die, though none were seduced by him—a design upon the crown is treason) and to prevent his doing further mischief. This is called putting away the evil. There is no way of removing the guilt but by removing the guilty; if such a criminal be not punished, those that should punish him make themselves responsible. And thus the mischief must be put away; the infection must be kept from spreading by cutting off the gangrened limb, and putting away the mischief-makers. such Dangerous diseases as these must be taken in time.
⁶ If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
⁷ Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;
⁸ Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:
⁹ But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
¹⁰ And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
¹¹ And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.
Further provision is made by this branch of the statute against receiving the infection of idolatry from those that are near and dear to us.
I. It is the policy of the tempter to send his solicitations by the hand of those whom we love, whom we least suspect of any ill design upon us, and whom we are desirous to please and apt to conform ourselves to. The enticement here is supposed to come from a brother or child that are near by nature, from a wife or friend that are near by choice, and are to us as our own souls, De 13:6. Satan tempted Adam by Eve and Christ by Peter. We are therefore concerned to stand upon our guard against a bad proposal when the person that makes it can pretend to an interest in us, that we many never sin against God in compliment to the best friend we have in the world. The temptation is supposed to be private: he will entice thee secretly, implying that idolatry is a work of darkness, which dreads the light and covets to be concealed, and in which the sinner promises himself, and the tempter promises him, secrecy and security. Concerning the false gods proposed to be served, 1. The tempter suggests that the worshipping of these gods was the common practice of the world; and, if they limited their adorations to an invisible Deity, they were singular, and like nobody, for these gods were the gods of the people round about them, and indeed of all the nations of the earth, De 13:7. This suggestion draws many away from religion and godliness, that it is an unfashionable thing; and they make their court to the world and the flesh because these are the gods of the people that are round about them. 2. Moses suggests, in opposition to this, that it had not been the practice of their ancestors; they are gods which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers. Those that are born of godly parents, and have been educated in pious exercises, when they are enticed to a vain, loose, careless way of living should remember that those are ways which they have not known, they nor their fathers. And will they thus degenerate?
II. It is our duty to prefer God and religion before the best friends we have in the world. 1. We must not, in complaisance to our friends, break God's law (De 13:8): "Thou shalt not consent to him. nor go with him to his idolatrous worship, no, not for company, or curiosity, or to gain a better interest in is affections." It is a general rule, If sinners entice thee, consent thou not, Pr 1:10. 2. We must not, in compassion to our friends, obstruct the course of God's justice. He that attempts such a thing must not only be looked upon as an enemy, or dangerous person, whom one should be afraid of, and swear the peace against, but as a criminal or traitor, whom, in zeal for our sovereign Lord, his crown and dignity, we are bound to inform against, and cannot conceal without incurring the guilt of a great misprision (De 13:9): Thou shalt surely kill him. By this law the persons enticed were bound to the seducer, and to give evidence against him before the proper judges, that he might suffer the penalty of the law, and that without delay, which the Jews say is here intended in that phrase, as it is in the Hebrew, killing thou shalt kill him. Neither the prosecution nor the execution must be deferred; and he that was first in the former must be first in the latter, to show that he stood to his testimony: "Thy hand shall be first upon him, to mark him out as an anathema, and then the hands of all the people, to put him away as an accursed thing." The death he must die was that which was looked upon among the Jews as the severest of all deaths. He must be stoned: and his accusation written is that he has sought to thrust thee away, by a kind of violence, from the Lord thy God, De 13:10. Those are certainly our worst enemies that would thrust us from God, our best friend; and whatever draws us to sin, separates between us and God, is a design upon our life, and to be resented accordingly, And, lastly, here is the good effect of this necessary execution (De 13:11): All Israel shall hear and fear. They ought to hear and fear; for the punishment of crimes committed is designed in terrorem—to terrify, and so to prevent their repetition. And it is to be hoped they will hear and fear, and by the severity of the punishment, especially when it is at the prosecution of a father, a brother, or a friend, will be made to conceive a horror of the sin, as exceedingly sinful, and to be afraid of incurring the like punishment themselves. Smite the scorner that sins presumptuously, and the simple, that is in danger of sinning carelessly, will beware.
¹² If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying,
¹³ 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;
¹⁴ Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you;
¹⁵ Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
¹⁶ And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
¹⁷ And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;
¹⁸ When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.
Here the case is put of a city revolting from its allegiance to the God of Israel, and serving other gods.
I. The crime is supposed to be committed, 1. By one of the cities of Israel, that lay within the jurisdiction of their courts. The church then judged those only that were within, 1Co 5:12,13. And, even when they were ordered to preserve their religion in the first principles of it by fire and sword to propagate it. Those that are born within the allegiance of a prince, if they take up arms against him, are dealt with as traitors, but foreign invaders are not so. The city that is here supposed to have become idolatrous is one that formerly worshipped the true God, but had now withdrawn to other gods, which intimates how great the crime is, and how sore the punishment will be, of those that, after they have known the way of righteousness, turn aside from it, 2Pe 2:21. 2. It is supposed to be committed by the generality of the inhabitants of the city, for we may conclude that, if a considerable number did retain their integrity, those only that were guilty were to be destroyed, and the city was to be spared for the sake of the righteous in it; for will not the Judge of all the earth do right? No doubt he will. 3. They are supposed to be drawn to idolatry by certain men, the children of Belial, men that would endure no yoke (so it signifies), that neither fear God nor regard man, but shake off all restraints of law and conscience, and are perfectly lost to all manner of virtue; these are those that say, "Let us serve other gods," that will not only allow, but will countenance and encourage, our immoralities. Belial is put for the devil (2Co 6:15), and the children of Belial are his children. These withdraw the inhabitants of the city; for a little of this old leaven, when it is entertained, soon leavens the whole lump.
II. The cause is ordered to be tried with a great deal of care (De 13:14): Thou shalt enquire and make search. They must not proceed upon common fame, or take the information by hearsay, but must examine the proofs, and not give judgment against them unless the evidence was clear and the charge fully made out. God himself, before he destroyed Sodom, is said to have come down to see whether its crimes were according to the clamour, Ge 18:21. In judicial processes it is requisite that time, and care, and pains, be taken to find out the truth, and that search be made without any passion, prejudice, or partiality. The Jewish writers say that, though particular persons who were idolaters might be judged by the inferior courts, the defection of a city was to be tried by the great Sanhedrim; and, if it appeared that they were thrust away to idolatry, two learned men were sent to them to admonish and reclaim them. If they repented, all would be well; if not, then all Israel must go up to war against them, to testify their indignation against idolatry and to stop the spreading of the contagion.
III. If the crime were proved, and the criminals were incorrigible, the city was to be wholly destroyed. If there were a few righteous men in it, no doubt they would remove themselves and their families out of such a dangerous place, and then all the inhabitants, men, women, and children, must be put to the sword (De 13:15), all the spoil of the city, both shop-goods and the furniture of houses, must be brought into the marketplace and burned, and the city itself must be laid in ashes and never built again, De 13:16. The soldiers are forbidden, upon pain of death, to convert any of the plunder to their own use, De 13:17. It was a devoted thing, and dangerous to meddle with, as we find in the case of Achan. Now, 1. God enjoins this severity of show what a jealous God he is in the matters of his worship, and how great a crime it is to serve other gods. Let men know that God will not give his glory to another, nor his praise to graven images. 2. He expects that magistrates, having their honour and power from him, should be concerned for his honour, and use their power for terror to evil doers, else they bear the sword in vain. 3. The faithful worshippers of the true God must take all occasions to show their just indignation against idolatry, much more against atheism, infidelity, and irreligion. 4. It is here intimated that the best expedient for the turning away of God's anger from a land is to execute justice upon the wicked of the land (De 13:17), that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger, which was ready to break out against the whole nation, for the wickedness of that one apostate city. It is promised that, if they would thus root wickedness out of their land, God would multiply them. They might think it impolitic, and against the interest of their nation, to ruin a whole city for a crime relating purely to religion, and that they should be more sparing of the blood of Israelites: "Fear not that" (says Moses), "God will multiply you the more; the body of your nation will lose nothing by the letting out of this corrupt blood." Lastly, Though we do not find this law put in execution in all the history of the Jewish church (Gibeah was destroyed, not for idolatry, but immorality), yet for the neglect of the execution of it upon the inferior cities that served idols God himself, by the army of the Chaldeans, put it in execution upon Jerusalem, the head city, which, for is apostasy from God, was utterly destroyed and laid waste, and lay in ruins seventy years. Though idolaters may escape punishment from men (nor is this law in the letter of it binding now, under the gospel), yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgements. The New Testament speaks of communion with idolaters as a sin which, above any other, provokes the Lord to jealousy, and dares him as if we were stronger than he, 1Co 10:21,22.
摩西仍继续讲述偶像崇拜之危险这一必要主题。在前章末了，他曾警告他们要防备从前住在那地的迦南人所可能带来的危险。在本章，他警告他们要防备偶像崇拜在他们自己中间兴起；他们当谨慎，免得有人勾引他们陷入偶像崇拜：I. 借着假托预言之名，申13:1-5。II. 借着假托友情与亲情之名，申13:6-11。III. 借着假托人多势众之名，申13:12-18。但在这一切情形中，他们都必须坚决抵挡试探，并将那引诱人者加以刑罚并剪除。