Worshiping Other Gods
In Hebrew texts 13:1-18 is numbered 13:2-19. 1If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 5That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
6If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, 7gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), 8do not yield to them or listen to them. Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them. 9You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people. 10Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 11Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.
12If you hear it said about one of the towns the Lord your God is giving you to live in 13that troublemakers have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known), 14then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, 15you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely,13:15 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them. both its people and its livestock. 16You are to gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. That town is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt, 17and none of the condemned things13:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them. are to be found in your hands. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger, will show you mercy, and will have compassion on you. He will increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your ancestors— 18because you obey the Lord your God by keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.
Kuabudu Miungu Mingine
113:1 Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22; 2The 2:9; Mwa 20:3; Yer 23:25; 27:9; 29:8Kama nabii, au yule anayetabiri kwa njia ya ndoto, akijitokeza miongoni mwenu na akawatangazia ishara ya miujiza na ajabu, 213:2 Kum 11:28; 18:22; 1Sam 2:34; 10:9; 2Fal 19:29; 20:9; Isa 7:11; Kum 11:28ikiwa ishara au ajabu ya aliyozungumza ikatokea, naye akasema, “Na tufuate miungu mingine” (miungu ambayo hamjaifahamu) “na tuiabudu,” 313:3 2Pet 2:1; 1Sam 28:6; Mwa 22:1; 1Fal 13:18; 22:23; Yer 29:31; 43:2; Eze 13:9; 1Kor 11:19; Kum 6:5kamwe msiyasikilize maneno ya nabii wala mwota ndoto huyo. Bwana Mungu wenu anawajaribu kuangalia kama mnampenda kwa moyo wenu wote na kwa roho yenu yote. 413:4 2Fal 23:8; 2Nya 34:31; 2Yn 6; Kum 6:13; 10:20; Za 5:7Ni Bwana Mungu wenu ambaye mnapaswa kumfuata tena ni yeye mnapaswa kumheshimu. Shikeni maagizo yake na kumtii, mtumikieni na kushikamana naye. 513:5 Kut 21:12; 22:20; Kum 4:19; 17:7-12; 19:19; 24:7; Amu 20:13; 1Kor 5:13Huyo nabii au mwota ndoto lazima auawe, kwa sababu amehubiri uasi dhidi ya Bwana Mungu wenu, ambaye aliwatoa kutoka nchi ya Misri na kuwakomboa kutoka nchi ya utumwa; amejaribu kuwageuza kutoka njia ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu aliwaagiza mfuate. Ni lazima mwondoe uovu miongoni mwenu.
613:6 Kum 17:2-7; 29:18; 11:28Kama ndugu yako hasa, au mwanao au binti yako, au mke umpendaye, au rafiki yako wa karibu sana akikushawishi kwa siri, akisema, “Na twende tukaabudu miungu mingine” (miungu ambayo ninyi wala baba zenu hamkuifahamu, 7miungu ya watu wanaowazunguka, ikiwa karibu au mbali, kutoka mwisho mmoja wa nchi mpaka mwingine), 813:8 Mit 1:10; Kum 7:2; Kut 20:3; Gal 1:8-9; 1Yn 5:21usikubali wala usimsikilize. Usimhurumie! Usimwache wala usimkinge. 913:9 Law 24:14; Kum 17:5-7; Mdo 7:58Hakika ni lazima auawe. Ni lazima mkono wako uwe wa kwanza katika kumuua kisha mikono ya watu wengine wote. 1013:10 Kut 20:3Mpigeni kwa mawe mpaka afe, kwa sababu alijaribu kuwageuza mtoke kwa Bwana Mungu wenu ambaye aliwatoa Misri, kutoka nchi ya utumwa. 1113:11 Kum 17:13; 19:20; 21:21; 1Tim 5:20Kisha Israeli wote watasikia na kuogopa, wala hakuna mmoja miongoni mwenu atakayefanya uovu tena.
1213:12 Yos 22:11; Amu 20:1Kama mkisikia ikisemwa kwamba moja ya miji ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu anawapa mkae ndani yake 1313:13 Amu 19:22; 20:13; 1Sam 2:12; 10:27; 25:17; 1Fal 21:10; 1Yn 2:19kuna wanaume waovu wameinuka miongoni mwenu na wamewapotosha watu wa mji, wakisema, “Twendeni tukaabudu miungu mingine” (miungu ambayo hamkuifahamu), 1413:14 Amu 20:12; Kum 17:4ndipo itakubidi kuuliza, kupima na kuchunguza kwa makini. Kama ni kweli, tena ikihakikishwa kwamba jambo hili lichukizalo limefanyika miongoni mwenu, 1513:15 Isa 24:6; 34:5; 43:28; 47:6; Mao 2:6; Dan 9:11; Zek 8:13; Mal 4:6; Kut 22:20kwa hakika ni lazima mwaue kwa upanga wale wote wanaoishi katika mji ule. Uharibuni kabisa, pamoja na watu wake na mifugo yake. 1613:16 2Fal 25:9; Yer 39:9; 52:13; Eze 16:41; Kum 7:25-26; Yos 6:24; 8:28; Isa 7:16; 17:1; 24:10; 25:2; 27:10; 32:14-19; 37:26; Yer 49:2; Mik 1:6Kusanyeni nyara zote za mji katika uwanja wa wazi na kuuchoma mji kabisa pamoja na nyara zake zote kama sadaka ya kuteketezwa kwa Bwana Mungu wenu. Utabaki kuwa magofu milele na hautajengwa tena. 1713:17 Kut 30:12; Mwa 12:2; 13:14; 26:24; 28:14; 43:14; Hes 25:4; Kum 30:3; 7:13Hakuna kimoja kati ya vitu vilivyolaaniwa kitakachokutwa mikononi mwenu, ili Bwana ageuze hasira yake kali. Atawahurumia na kuwa na rehema kwenu pia kuongeza idadi yenu, kama alivyowaahidi baba zenu, 1813:18 Kum 12:25-28; 12:25-28; Mt 6:33; 7:21-24kwa sababu mnamtii Bwana Mungu wenu, mkizishika amri zake zote zile ninazowapa leo na kufanya lile lililo jema machoni pake.
