Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
Make sure there isn't anyone among you, whether a single person, a woman, a family, or an entire tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of these other nations. Make sure there isn't anyone among you who becomes like a root that produces bitter and poisonous fruit.
Moses is warning the Israelites to guard against anyone in their community who might turn away from God to worship false gods, because such spiritual unfaithfulness spreads like a poisonous root.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is delivering his final speeches to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt. He warns them about the ever-present danger of turning away from God to worship the gods of the Canaanite nations, which were deeply embedded in the local culture and could lead to spiritual and communal ruin. This verse uses the metaphor of a "root bearing gall and wormwood" to illustrate how hidden idolatry could poison the entire community from within.
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