The Meaning of Deuteronomy 13:13 Explained

Deuteronomy 13:13

KJV: Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;

YLT: Men, sons of worthlessness, have gone out of thy midst, and they force away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known --

Darby: There are men, children of Belial, gone out from among you, and they have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, whom ye have not known;

ASV: Certain base fellows are gone out from the midst of thee, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Certain] men,  the children  of Belial,  are gone out  from among  you, and have withdrawn  the inhabitants  of their city,  saying,  Let us go  and serve  other  gods,  which ye have not known; 

What does Deuteronomy 13:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 13:1-18 - Cut Out The Plague Spot
How to exterminate sources of disease is a main question with the modern world; but the stamping-out of possible sources of temptation must not less energetically be pursued by each religious soul. The prophet, the beloved associate, the community, that endeavored to turn Israel aside from God, might have no mercy shown. There was no room for those liberal views, in vogue today, that smile on the greatest divergencies of belief, if only their advocates are sincere.
For ourselves the lesson is clear enough. We must dissociate ourselves from companionships, however affectionate, which exert a deleterious effect on our characters, and draw us away from God. There is only one alternative-that we should overcome evil with good and lift them to our own ideals. If that be impossible, our course is clear. Our eye must not pity, nor our hand spare. And Jesus left no other alternative. See Mark 9:42-43. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 13

1  Enticers to idolatry
6  however near to oneself
9  are to be stoned to death
12  Idolatrous cities are not to be spared

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 13:13 mean?

have gone out men the sons of worthlessness from among you and enticed - the inhabitants of their city saying let us go and serve gods other which not you have known
יָצְא֞וּ אֲנָשִׁ֤ים בְּנֵֽי־ בְלִיַּ֙עַל֙ מִקִּרְבֶּ֔ךָ וַיַּדִּ֛יחוּ אֶת־ יֹשְׁבֵ֥י עִירָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר נֵלְכָ֗ה וְנַעַבְדָ֛ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ יְדַעְתֶּֽם

יָצְא֞וּ  have  gone  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֲנָשִׁ֤ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בְּנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְלִיַּ֙עַל֙  of  worthlessness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּלִיַּעַל  
Sense: worthlessness.
מִקִּרְבֶּ֔ךָ  from  among  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
וַיַּדִּ֛יחוּ  and  enticed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָדַח 
Sense: to impel, thrust, drive away, banish.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יֹשְׁבֵ֥י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
עִירָ֖ם  of  their  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נֵלְכָ֗ה  let  us  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְנַעַבְדָ֛ה  and  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲחֵרִ֖ים  other 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
יְדַעְתֶּֽם  you  have  known 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.