The Meaning of Deuteronomy 13:17 Explained

Deuteronomy 13:17

KJV: And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;

YLT: and there doth not cleave to thy hand any of the devoted thing, so that Jehovah doth turn back from the fierceness of His anger, and hath given to thee mercies, and loved thee, and multiplied thee, as He hath sworn to thy fathers,

Darby: And thou shalt not let anything cleave to thy hand of the devoted thing; that Jehovah may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;

ASV: And there shall cleave nought of the devoted thing to thy hand; that Jehovah may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And there shall cleave  nought  of the cursed thing  to thine hand:  that the LORD  may turn  from the fierceness  of his anger,  and shew  thee mercy,  and have compassion  upon thee, and multiply  thee, as he hath sworn  unto thy fathers; 

What does Deuteronomy 13:17 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 13:17 mean?

So not shall remain in your hand any of the accursed things so that will turn Yahweh from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you just as He swore to your fathers
וְלֹֽא־ יִדְבַּ֧ק בְּיָדְךָ֛ מְא֖וּמָה מִן־ הַחֵ֑רֶם לְמַעַן֩ יָשׁ֨וּב יְהוָ֜ה מֵחֲר֣וֹן אַפּ֗וֹ וְנָֽתַן־ לְךָ֤ רַחֲמִים֙ וְרִֽחַמְךָ֣ וְהִרְבֶּ֔ךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ

וְלֹֽא־  So  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִדְבַּ֧ק  shall  remain 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַק  
Sense: to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch.
בְּיָדְךָ֛  in  your  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מְא֖וּמָה  any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְאוּמָה  
Sense: anything.
הַחֵ֑רֶם  the  accursed  things 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵרֶם 
Sense: a thing devoted, thing dedicated, ban, devotion.
לְמַעַן֩  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יָשׁ֨וּב  will  turn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֵחֲר֣וֹן  from  the  fierceness 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חָרֹון  
Sense: anger, heat, burning (of anger).
אַפּ֗וֹ  of  His  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
וְנָֽתַן־  and  show 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
רַחֲמִים֙  mercy 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: רַחַם 
Sense: womb.
וְרִֽחַמְךָ֣  and  have  compassion  on  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: רָחַם  
Sense: to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion.
וְהִרְבֶּ֔ךָ  and  multiply  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר  just  as 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נִשְׁבַּ֖ע  He  swore 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ  to  your  fathers 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.