Deuteronomy 18:13 kjv
Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Deuteronomy 18:13 nkjv
You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 18:13 niv
You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 18:13 esv
You shall be blameless before the LORD your God,
Deuteronomy 18:13 nlt
But you must be blameless before the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 18 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 6:9 | These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless... | Noah's blameless walk with God |
| Gen 17:1 | I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. | Abraham commanded to walk blameless |
| Lev 19:2 | Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy... | General call to holiness and separation |
| Num 15:39 | You shall not follow after your own heart and your own eyes... | Warning against going astray |
| Deut 6:5 | You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul... | Command for complete devotion |
| Deut 10:12 | what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD... walk in all His ways... | Requirements for walking with God |
| Deut 12:29-31 | take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them... | Avoidance of pagan customs |
| 1 Kin 8:61 | Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes... | Loyalty and obedience to God |
| Pss 15:2 | He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth... | Description of the one who dwells with God |
| Pss 18:23 | I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. | King David's commitment to blamelessness |
| Pss 101:2 | I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart. | Blameless heart in conduct and home |
| Prov 10:9 | He who walks with integrity walks securely... | Integrity leads to security |
| Prov 11:3 | The integrity of the upright will guide them... | Integrity provides guidance |
| Mic 6:8 | He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require...to walk humbly with your God. | God's requirement: justice, mercy, humble walk |
| Matt 5:48 | Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. | New Testament call to perfection/completeness |
| Luke 1:6 | And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances...blameless. | Zacharias and Elizabeth walking blameless |
| Eph 1:4 | He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame... | Predestined to be holy and blameless in Christ |
| Phil 2:15 | that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault... | Call to be blameless in a crooked generation |
| Col 1:22 | He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and irreproachable in His sight; | Presented blameless through Christ's sacrifice |
| 1 Thess 5:23 | Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless... | Sanctification leading to blamelessness |
| Tit 2:7-8 | in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech... | Blamelessness demonstrated through good works |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” | Call to holiness reflecting God's nature |
| Jude 1:24 | Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory... | God preserves and presents believers faultless |
Deuteronomy 18 verses
Deuteronomy 18 13 Meaning
Deuteronomy 18:13 commands the people of Israel to live a life of complete integrity, sincerity, and undivided devotion before the LORD their God. This call to blamelessness signifies an unwavering faithfulness and wholeness in their relationship with Yahweh, free from any of the corrupting, detestable practices of the surrounding nations that had just been prohibited. It's an exhortation to be spiritually pure, without defect, and singularly consecrated to the One true God, trusting solely in Him for guidance and revelation.
Deuteronomy 18 13 Context
Deuteronomy 18:13 appears within a section where Moses delivers final instructions to Israel before they enter the promised land. The preceding verses (Deut 18:9-12) vehemently prohibit a series of detestable occultic practices prevalent among the Canaanite nations, such as divination, sorcery, charming, mediums, and necromancy, all of which involve attempting to gain knowledge or power from sources other than God. This command for "blamelessness" (v. 13) serves as the positive counter-command to these prohibitions. Instead of turning to such forbidden means, Israel is to walk in complete devotion and trust toward Yahweh alone, finding all their needs, including guidance and revelation, in Him. The larger context of Deuteronomy emphasizes Israel's unique covenant relationship with the LORD, their distinctiveness from the nations, and their exclusive allegiance to Him as their only God. This verse therefore calls for total theological, moral, and spiritual purity as God's chosen people.
Deuteronomy 18 13 Word analysis
- You: This is the singular "you" (אֵת) referring to the individual Israelite, yet spoken collectively to the nation. It indicates a personal responsibility for each member of the covenant community.
- shall be: Implies an imperative command, not a suggestion. It signifies a required state of being or action.
- blameless: Hebrew: תָּמִים (tamim). This is the key term.
- Meaning: Complete, whole, sound, perfect, upright, innocent, undefiled, having integrity, faultless.
- Significance: It doesn't primarily mean sinless perfection, but rather refers to undivided loyalty and sincerity in one's devotion and obedience to God. It means being free from spiritual blemish or mixture, particularly from the defiling influences and practices of the pagan nations described in the preceding verses. It denotes an inner purity that translates into external consistent conduct, where one is fully committed to Yahweh. The term is also used for animals suitable for sacrifice (without blemish, perfect) and describes the character of figures like Noah and Job.
- before: Hebrew: עִם (im) meaning "with" or לִפְנֵי (li-fne) meaning "before the face of". Here, "before" suggests in the sight of God, emphasizing that this blamelessness is according to God's standard and visible to Him. It's about their standing in the divine presence, not just human judgment.
- the LORD: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH), the sacred, covenant name of God. This specifies the unique God to whom Israel owes its allegiance and before whom they must be blameless. It stresses His ultimate authority and the exclusivity of their relationship.
- your God: Hebrew: אֱלֹהֶיךָ (Eloheikha). This possessive form underscores the exclusive, personal, and intimate covenant relationship between Yahweh and His people, Israel. It emphasizes that He is their God, making their responsibility to Him distinct and absolute.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "You shall be blameless": This phrase functions as a direct command for personal and national integrity. It encapsulates the desired spiritual and moral condition, a call to wholeness of character and action.
- "before the LORD your God": This phrase establishes the divine standard and accountability for this blamelessness. It's not about being blameless in human eyes, but in the perfect sight of their covenant-keeping God. It also underscores the object of their complete devotion—only Yahweh, their personal and collective God, in opposition to foreign deities or occult practices.
Deuteronomy 18 13 Bonus section
The command to be "tamim" (blameless) is intimately linked to the unique role of the prophet that God would raise up, described immediately after this verse in Deuteronomy 18:15. Because God would provide a true prophet (ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ), there was absolutely no need for Israel to resort to the detestable diviners and mediums of other nations. Their "blamelessness" thus involves both the avoidance of evil practices and active faith in God's appointed means of revelation and guidance. This spiritual wholeness required separation from all that was spiritually unclean and an exclusive commitment to Yahweh, mirroring His own holiness (Lev 19:2). This call to blamelessness in the Old Testament anticipates the New Testament concept of believers being presented "blameless" and "without fault" before God through the finished work of Jesus Christ (Eph 1:4, Col 1:22, Jude 1:24). While humans cannot achieve perfect "tamim" on their own, God enables it through covenant faithfulness and ultimately provides it through His Son, who was perfectly "tamim" in every way.
Deuteronomy 18 13 Commentary
Deuteronomy 18:13 serves as the foundational positive injunction following the stern warnings against pagan abominations. While the preceding verses listed various detestable acts (such as child sacrifice, divination, sorcery), this verse distills the ultimate principle: Israel must live "tamim" before the LORD. This means their devotion, faith, and obedience must be complete and undivided. They are not to seek knowledge, guidance, or power through the forbidden means of the surrounding nations. Instead, their lives are to be characterized by wholehearted reliance on Yahweh alone, rejecting any spiritual admixture or syncretism. This "blamelessness" isn't sinless perfection in a strict sense for humanity, but rather a profound commitment to integrity, moral soundness, and spiritual purity, making them distinctive as God's chosen people. Their walk with God should be marked by absolute trustworthiness and a transparent relationship where nothing impure or pagan pollutes their allegiance to the One who is their sole source of truth and life.
- Example for practical usage: In contrast to seeking horoscopes, consulting psychics, or participating in New Age practices for guidance, a follower of God is called to find guidance through His Word, prayer, and the wisdom provided by the Holy Spirit. This is a practical demonstration of being "blameless before the LORD your God."