Bible Strands

Deuteronomy 13:8

you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel regarding a close relative or friend who secretly entices the community to worship the gods of surrounding nations. The directive is given during the final plainside discourse before the conquest of Canaan.

The words — תָח֤וֹס (ta.Chos) literally means "it will look with pity," combined with עֵֽינְ/ךָ֙ ('ei.ne./Kha) "your eye" to form the idiom for showing mercy. תֹאבֶ֣ה (to.Veh) means "you will yield," denoting surrender to the enticement.

The thread — The command to show no pity recurs in Deuteronomy 7:16 and Deuteronomy 19:13 regarding the removal of idolatry and bloodguilt. The warning against yielding to enticement appears in Proverbs 1:10.

Why it lands — The text requires absolute refusal to entertain, spare, or protect the influencer, mandating immediate execution rather than compassionate restraint. A reader must apply this by rejecting any compromise with teachings that demand loyalty to entities other than the commanded authority.

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

לֹא־lo'-notתֹאבֶ֣הto.Vehyou will yieldל֔וֹl/oto/ himוְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ notתִשְׁמַ֖עtish.Ma'you will listenאֵלָ֑יו'e.La/vto/ himוְלֹא־ve./lo'-and/ notתָח֤וֹסta.Chosit will look with pityעֵֽינְךָ֙'ei.ne./Khaeye/ yourעָלָ֔יו'a.La/von/ himוְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ notתַחְמֹ֥לtach.Molyou will spare [him]וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ notתְכַסֶּ֖הte.kha.Sehyou will coverעָלָֽיו׃'a.La/vover/ him

King James Version

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:

Cross-references