Deuteronomy 13:6

False Prophets in the Family

13:6 Suppose your own full brother, ¹  your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend should seduce you secretly and encourage you to go and serve other gods ²  that neither you nor your ancestors ³  have previously known, ⁴ 

Deuteronomy 27:15

27:15 ‘Cursed is the one ⁵  who makes a carved or metal image – something abhorrent ⁶  to the Lord, the work of the craftsman ⁷  – and sets it up in a secret place.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ ⁸ 

Job 31:27

31:27 so that my heart was secretly enticed,

and my hand threw them a kiss from my mouth, ⁹ 

Ezekiel 8:12

8:12 He said to me, “Do you see, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in the chamber of his idolatrous images? ¹⁰  For they think, ‘The Lord does not see us! The Lord has abandoned the land!’”

[13:6]  ¹ tn Heb “your brother, the son of your mother.” In a polygamous society it was not rare to have half brothers and sisters by way of a common father and different mothers.

[13:6]  ² tn In the Hebrew text these words are in the form of a brief quotation: “entice you secretly saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods.’”

[13:6]  ³ tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 17).

[13:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “which you have not known, you or your fathers.” (cf. KJV, ASV; on “fathers” cf. v. 18).

[27:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “man,” but in a generic sense here.

[27:15]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew term translated here “abhorrent” (תּוֹעֵבָה, to’evah) speaks of attitudes and/or behaviors so vile as to be reprehensible to a holy God. See note on the word “abhorrent” in Deut 7:25.

[27:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “craftsman’s hands.”

[27:15]  ⁸ tn Or “So be it!” The term is an affirmation expressing agreement with the words of the Levites.

[31:27]  ⁹ tn Heb “and my hand kissed my mouth.” The idea should be that of “my mouth kissed my hand.” H. H. Rowley suggests that the hand was important in waving or throwing the kisses of homage to the sun and the moon, and so it receives the focus. This is the only place in the OT that refers to such a custom. Outside the Bible it was known, however.

[8:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “the room of his images.” The adjective “idolatrous” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.