Deuteronomy 13
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Summary
The Israelites are tested and challenged by the Lord to see if they will worship false gods. All those who encourage the worship of false gods and idols will be put to death. Cities of idolatry will be destroyed by the Lord.
Commentary
Bible Central Commentary
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Historical Commentaries
Many of the commentaries below are in the public domain and were authored over 100 years ago. In many cases, they do not reflect the findings of modern scholarship, but they may be helpful for understanding the history of biblical scholarship.
Videos
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Historical Settings
Time
*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.
See Biblical ChronologyFurther Reading
Book of Mormon Central, “Why Was the City of Ammonihah Destroyed and Left Desolate? (Alma 16:9-11),” KnoWhy 123 (June 16, 2016).
Book of Mormon Central, “Why Did Jacob Include the Case of Sherem? (Jacob 7:14),” KnoWhy 554 (March 17, 2020).
Book of Mormon Central, “Why Did Christ Perform Miracles? (Mosiah 3:5, 9),” KnoWhy 508 (March 28, 2019).
Neal Rappleye, “The Deuteronomist Reforms and Lehi’s Family Dynamics: A Social Context for the Rebellions of Laman and Lemuel,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 16 (2015): 87–99.
Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1706)
Commentary on the Bible
Adam Clarke (1831)
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable
Thomas Constable
Rashi’s Commentary
Rashi (Shlomo Yitzchaki)
Notes on the Bible
Albert Barnes (1834)
Exposition of the Entire Bible
John Gill (1746–63)
Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch (1857–78)
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible
John Wesley (1754–65)