9 You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people.
9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
9 But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.
9 Kill him. That's right, kill him. You throw the first stone. Take action at once and swiftly with everybody in the community getting in on it at the end.
9 but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.
9 You must put them to death! Strike the first blow yourself, and then all the people must join in.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 13:9
Commentary on Deuteronomy 13:6-11
(Read Deuteronomy 13:6-11)
It is the policy of Satan to try to lead us to evil by those whom we love, whom we least suspect of any ill design, and whom we are desirous to please, and apt to conform to. The enticement here is supposed to come from a brother or child, who are near by nature; from a wife or friend, who are near by choice, and are to us as our souls. But it is our duty to prefer God and religion, before the nearest and dearest friends we have in the world. We must not, to please our friends, break God's law. Thou shalt not consent to him, nor go with him, not for company, or curiosity, not to gain his affections. It is a general rule, If sinners entice thee, consent thou not, Proverbs 1:10. And we must not hinder the course of God's justice.