Deuteronomy 13 — Case Law Against an Apostate City

Introduction: Harsh Law, Greater Mercy Deuteronomy 13 confronts a hard truth: idolatry is not a private matter. When a whole city turns from Yahweh, the problem is systemic. The law Moses gives for that circumstance—utter destruction—sounds brutal until we see its purpose. It is designed to stop treason in its tracks and to prevent the…