Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 13:7
the gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, whether from one end of the earth or the other),
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab as he concludes the covenant stipulations before they enter Canaan. He speaks at the moment when close relatives or foreign neighbors attempt to lure the community into abandoning Yahweh.
The words — The text highlights סְבִיבֹתֵיכֶם (se.vivo.tei.khem) as "around you" and הָרְחֹקִים (ha.re.cho.kim) as "the distant." These terms establish the geographic scope of the surrounding peoples whose deities are offered as alternatives.
The thread — This geographic framing of surrounding nations recurs in the covenant blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28:64. It also appears in the warning against following the gods of the peoples who will displace Israel in Joshua 23:13.
Why it lands — The passage demands a clear boundary between the covenant community and every surrounding group, regardless of proximity. It requires the reader to reject any external enticement to idolatry without negotiation or emotional compromise.
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
King James Version
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;