Bible Strands

Deuteronomy 13:14

then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the assembled Israelites on the plains of Moab, establishing judicial protocol for handling urban apostasy immediately after describing the crime in Deuteronomy 13:13.

The words — The paired verbs דָּרַשׁ (darash, "investigate"), חָקַר (chaqar, "search"), and שָׁאַל (sha'al, "enquire") are modified by הֵיטֵב (heitav, "thoroughly"), commanding exhaustive verification rather than casual inquiry.

The thread — This requirement for meticulous fact-finding before action appears in Deuteronomy 17:4, while the principle of looking past surface impressions aligns with Isaiah 11:3 and John 7:24.

Why it lands — The text mandates that leaders establish objective certainty through rigorous examination before enacting punishment, requiring readers to separate verified facts from unconfirmed accusations.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֧ve./da.rash.Taand/ you will investigateוְחָקַרְתָּ֧ve./cha.kar.Taand/ you will searchוְשָׁאַלְתָּ֖ve./sha.'al.Taand/ you will enquireהֵיטֵ֑בhei.Tevthoroughly <do well>וְהִנֵּ֤הve./hi.Nehand/ there!אֱמֶת֙'e.Mettruthנָכ֣וֹןna.Khon[is] certainהַדָּבָ֔רha./da.Varthe/ matterנֶעֶשְׂתָ֛הne.'es.Tahit has been doneהַתּוֹעֵבָ֥הha./to.'e.Vahthe/ abominationהַזֹּ֖אתha./Zot<the>/ thisבְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ׃be./kir.Be./chain/ midst/ your

King James Version

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;

Cross-references