The Meaning of Deuteronomy 13:3 Explained

Deuteronomy 13:3

KJV: Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

YLT: thou dost not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of the dream, for Jehovah your God is trying you, to know whether ye are loving Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul;

Darby: thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

ASV: thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt not hearken  unto the words  of that prophet,  or that dreamer  of dreams:  for the LORD  your God  proveth  you, to know  whether ye  love  the LORD  your God  with all your heart  and with all your soul. 

What does Deuteronomy 13:3 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 13:3 mean?

Not you shall listen to the words of prophet that or dreamer of dreams that for is testing Yahweh your God you to know whether you love - your God with all your heart and with all your soul
לֹ֣א תִשְׁמַ֗ע אֶל־ דִּבְרֵי֙ הַנָּבִ֣יא הַה֔וּא א֛וֹ חוֹלֵ֥ם הַחֲל֖וֹם הַה֑וּא כִּ֣י מְנַסֶּ֞ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם לָדַ֗עַת הֲיִשְׁכֶ֤ם אֹֽהֲבִים֙ אֶת־ אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם בְּכָל־ לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכָל־ נַפְשְׁכֶֽם

תִשְׁמַ֗ע  you  shall  listen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
דִּבְרֵי֙  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַנָּבִ֣יא  of  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הַה֔וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
חוֹלֵ֥ם  dreamer 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: חָלַם 
Sense: to dream.
הַחֲל֖וֹם  of  dreams 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲלֹום  
Sense: dream.
הַה֑וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מְנַסֶּ֞ה  is  testing 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָסָה  
Sense: to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לָדַ֗עַת  to  know 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
הֲיִשְׁכֶ֤ם  whether  you 
Parse: Adverb, second person masculine plural
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
אֹֽהֲבִים֙  love 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
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.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּכָל־  with  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
לְבַבְכֶ֖ם  your  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
וּבְכָל־  and  with  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
נַפְשְׁכֶֽם  your  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.