Deuteronomy 13:6

If 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,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab, outlining the legal and communal response to religious apostasy. The passage immediately follows a decree to execute a prophet or dreamer who advocates rebellion against Yahweh.

The words — יְסִֽיתְ/ךָ֡ (ye.si.te./Kha) translates literally as "he will entice you," denoting a deliberate, persuasive pull toward idolatry. אָחִ֣י/ךָ ('a.Chi./kha) identifies "your brother," establishing the familial intimacy of the betrayer.

The thread — This pattern of hidden religious corruption appears in Deuteronomy 17:2, where a person secretly commits evil, and recurs in Ephesians 4:14 and 2 Peter 2:1, which describe false teachers and deceptive doctrines that infiltrate the community.

Why it lands — The text states that even the most trusted relationships must not override exclusive loyalty to Yahweh. It demands a reader to recognize that spiritual fidelity requires prioritizing divine command over human affection.

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

כִּ֣יkiif יְסִֽיתְךָ֡ye.si.te./Khahe will entice/ you אָחִ֣יךָ'a.Chi./khabrother/ your בֶן־ven-[the] son of אִ֠מֶּךָ'I.me./khamother/ your אֽוֹ־'ov-or בִנְךָ֨vin./Khason/ your אֽוֹ־'ov-or בִתְּךָ֜vi.te./Khadaughter/ your א֣וֹ׀'oor אֵ֣שֶׁת'E.shet[the] wife of חֵיקֶ֗ךָchei.Ke./chabosom/ your א֧וֹ'oor רֵֽעֲךָ֛re.'a./Khafriend/ your אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwho כְּנַפְשְׁךָ֖ke./naf.she./Kha[is] like/ self/ your בַּסֵּ֣תֶרba./Se.terin <the>/ secrecy לֵאמֹ֑רle./Mor<to>/ saying נֵֽלְכָ֗הne.le.Khahlet us go וְנַֽעַבְדָה֙ve./na.'av.Dahand/ let us serve אֱלֹהִ֣ים'E.lo.Himgods אֲחֵרִ֔ים'a.che.Rimother אֲשֶׁר֙'a.Sherwhich לֹ֣אlo'not יָדַ֔עְתָּya.Da'.tayou have known אַתָּ֖ה'a.Tahyou וַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃va./'a.vo.Tei./khaand/ ancestors/ your

King James Version

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;

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 17:2 If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant
Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
2 Peter 2:1 Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
1 John 2:26 I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
Proverbs 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
Micah 7:5 Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
Deuteronomy 28:54 The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived,
Deuteronomy 29:18 Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Make sure there is no root among you that bears such poisonous and bitter fruit,
1 Samuel 18:1 After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
1 Samuel 18:3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.