Deuteronomy 13:7

 Deuteronomy 13:7

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;

a. NASB 1995: Of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end),  [New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.]

b. YLT: Of the gods of the peoples who are round about you, who are near unto thee, or who are far off from thee, from the end of the earth even unto the end of the earth) --  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified:  Of the gods of the peoples who are round about you, near you or far away from you, from one end of the earth to the other—  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary [Deuteronomy 13:7 in our Bible is Deuteronomy 13:8 in the Jewish Bible]: From the gods, of the peoples that are all around you, those near to you or those far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

e. ESV: Some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all Greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “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;”

a. [Namely of the] gods [Strong: 430  ʼĕlôhîym, el-o-heem'; plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:—angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.]

b. [of the] people [Strong: 5971 ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.]

c. which [are] [Strong: 834 ʼăsher, ash-er'; a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:—× after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

d. round about you [Strong: 5439 çâbîyb, saw-beeb'; or (feminine) סְבִיבָה çᵉbîybâh; from H5437; (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around:—(place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.]

e. nigh [Strong: 7138 qârôwb, kaw-robe'; or קָרֹב qârôb; from H7126; near (in place, kindred or time):—allied, approach, at hand, any of kin, kinsfold(-sman), (that is) near (of kin), neighbour, (that is) next, (them that come) nigh (at hand), more ready, short(-ly).]

f. unto [thee] [Strong: 413 ʼêl, ale; (but used only in the shortened constructive form אֶל ʼel, el); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:—about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because (-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in (-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to (-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with (-in).]

g. or [Strong: 176 ʼôw, o; presumed to be the 'constructive' or genitival form of אַו ʼav ; short for H185; desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if:—also, and, either, if, at the least, × nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.]

h. far off [Strong: 7350 râchôwq, raw-khoke'; or רָחֹק râchôq; from H7368; remote, literally or figuratively, of place or time; specifically, precious; often used adverbially (with preposition):—(a-) far (abroad, off), long ago, of old, space, great while to come.]

i. from [thee] [Strong: 4480 min, min; or מִנִּי minnîy; or מִנֵּי minnêy; (constructive plural) (Isaiah 30:11); for H4482; properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses:—above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, × neither, × nor, (out) of, over, since, × then, through, × whether, with.]

j. [from] the one end [Strong: 7097 qâtseh, kaw-tseh'; or (negative only) קֵצֶה qêtseh; from H7096; (used in a great variety of applications and idioms; compare H7093) an extremity:—× after, border, brim, brink, edge, end, (in-) finite, frontier, outmost coast, quarter, shore, (out-) side, × some, ut(-ter-) most (part).]

k. [of the] earth [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × nations, way, + wilderness, world.]

l. even unto [Strong: 5704 ʻad, ad; properly, the same as H5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with):—against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.]

m. [the] other end [Strong: 7097 qâtseh, kaw-tseh'; or (negative only) קֵצֶה qêtseh; from H7096; (used in a great variety of applications and idioms; compare H7093) an extremity:—× after, border, brim, brink, edge, end, (in-) finite, frontier, outmost coast, quarter, shore, (out-) side, × some, ut(-ter-) most (part).]

n. [of the] earth [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × nations, way, + wilderness, world.]

1). There are two points I want to make concerning these verses. This continues the Biblical doctrine that our relationship with God comes before my relationship with my family. Jesus clearly taught this.

a) Matthew 10:34-37 “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

2). This includes even the circumstances of the death of a loved one. Our relationship with God must come first.

a). Exodus 32:25-29 “And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

32:27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

32:28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

32:29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.”

b). Deuteronomy 13:9-11 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

13:10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

13:11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.

3). Death was the punishment for idolatry under the Old Covenant, where you had a national faith united with a nation. Under the New Covenant where it was an international “whosoever” invitation, the crime or sin of idolatry was punishable within a local church body to excommunication.

a). Deuteronomy 13:11 “And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.”

b). The death penalty was a deterrent.