Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 18:13
You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses addresses Israel on the plains of Moab, concluding the covenant statutes before they cross the Jordan. He places this command immediately after condemning detestable practices and immediately before reiterating that prohibition.
The words — The verse centers on תָּמִים (tamim), meaning "blameless" or "complete," paired with the verb תִּהְיֶה (tihyeh), "you will be." The preposition עִם (im) literally means "with," rendered here as "before" to denote standing in God's direct presence.
The thread — The text links to Genesis 6:9 where Noah is described as blameless and walking with God, Genesis 17:1 where God commands Abram to walk before Him and be blameless, and Matthew 5:48 where Jesus commands perfection as the Father is perfect.
Why it lands — The text explicitly commands Israel to maintain moral and ritual integrity in direct contrast to the occult practices of the surrounding nations. It requires a reader to reject divination and conjuration and to pursue consistent, undivided obedience before God.
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
Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
Cross-references
- Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
- Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
- Genesis 6:9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.
- Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
- Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.”
- Psalms 37:37 Consider the blameless and observe the upright, for posterity awaits the man of peace.
- Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
- Philippians 3:15 All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.
- Revelation 3:2 Wake up and strengthen what remains, which is about to die; for I have found your deeds incomplete in the sight of My God.