Deuteronomy 13:17Nothing of the devoted thing shall cling to your hand; that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as he has sworn to your fathers;
The setting
Plains of Moab, Jordan Valley, ~1400 BC. Moses addresses Israel before entering Canaan, modern-day Israel/Palestine...
The emotion here: urgent concern for their survival as a holy nation
The original word
charam (חֵרֶם) — things devoted to destruction, under divine ban
Why it matters
Devoted things were completely destroyed to prevent spiritual contamination from pagan worship practices
Read with care
What most readers miss in Deuteronomy 13:17
This wasn't just about objects — it was about preventing spiritual compromise that would destroy the nation
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about physical possessions, but 'devoted things' were items from conquered pagan cities that carried spiritual contamination. This was about preventing idolatry, not materialism.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Deuteronomy 13:17
Bible Genome reading
Deuteronomy 13:17 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Deuteronomy 13:17 comes from the book of Deuteronomy, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to Moses. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the law genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine mercy, obedience brings blessing, avoiding contamination. Notable phrases: devoted thing shall not cling; turn from fierceness of anger. This verse contains a promise of God. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does Deuteronomy 13:17 mean to you, today?
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