### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term maddûwach (`{{H4065}}`) is a noun derived from the verb nādach (`{{H5080}}`), which carries the primary meaning of "to push, thrust, impel, banish, drive away, scatter, expel." As a noun, maddûwach specifically denotes the *act*, *instrument*, or *cause* of being pushed away, led astray, or banished. Its semantic range encompasses "seduction," "enticement," and "that which causes one to be driven away" or "a cause of banishment." The underlying sense is one of a forceful or deceptive leading away from a right path, from faithfulness, or from a state of divine favor. In its biblical context, this "pushing" or "leading astray" is invariably towards idolatry or apostasy.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word maddûwach (`{{H4065}}`) appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in the book of Deuteronomy, within a passage concerning the severe consequences of spiritual apostasy:
* **[[Deuteronomy 13:11]] (MT 13:12):** "And you shall hear and fear, and shall no more commit any such wickedness among you."
* The full context of [[Deuteronomy 13]] (MT 13:1-19) outlines strict laws concerning false prophets and cities that turn to idolatry. Verse 13:11 (MT 13:12) specifically warns: "If you hear in one of your cities, which the LORD your God is giving you to dwell there, that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ whom you have not known..." The maddûwach (`{{H4065}}`) here refers to the *cause* or *instrument* of this drawing away, namely the actions and words of these "worthless fellows" (בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל, benê vĕliyya‘al). These individuals act as agents of "seduction" or "enticement" (the maddûwach), leading the community to depart from YHWH and serve foreign deities. The gravity of such an act is underscored by the prescribed punishment: the utter destruction of the city and its inhabitants, effectively a "banishment" from the covenant community and the land. The word therefore highlights the profound danger of internal spiritual corruption that can lead an entire community to apostasy, necessitating extreme measures to preserve the purity of the covenant.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **Root nādach (`{{H5080}}`):** As the verbal root, nādach is intrinsically linked to maddûwach. It describes the action of "driving away, thrusting out, banishing, scattering, enticing, or misleading." Maddûwach thus encapsulates the *effect* or *instrument* of this driving away or misleading, particularly in a spiritual sense.
* **tā‘ah (תעה, `{{H8582}}`):** Meaning "to wander, go astray, err," this verb describes the state of being misled, which is the direct outcome of maddûwach.
* **sāṭah (שטה, `{{H7847}}`):** "To turn aside, deviate, go astray." Similar to tā‘ah, this word describes the deviation from the righteous path caused by seduction.
* **Idolatry and Apostasy:** Maddûwach is inextricably linked to the concepts of idolatry (serving other gods) and apostasy (turning away from YHWH). It represents the insidious means by which a person or community is led into these grave sins.
* **False Prophets/Teachers:** The "worthless fellows" in [[Deuteronomy 13]] are archetypes of false teachers or prophets whose deceptive words and influence constitute the maddûwach, leading God's people away from covenant faithfulness.
### Theological Significance
The singular yet potent appearance of maddûwach (`{{H4065}}`) in [[Deuteronomy 13:11]] carries immense theological weight within the Deuteronomic framework of covenant faithfulness and the perils of apostasy.
* **Gravity of Seduction:** The word underscores the extreme seriousness with which God views any attempt to lead His people away from Him. Such "seduction" is not merely a minor transgression but an act that threatens the very foundation of the covenant relationship between YHWH and Israel.
* **Internal Threat:** Maddûwach speaks to an *internal* threat – "worthless fellows" arising from *within* the community. This highlights the insidious nature of spiritual corruption that can emerge from within, often more dangerous and destructive than external pressures.
* **Consequences of Apostasy:** The maddûwach is the catalyst for actions that warrant the most severe divine judgment, including complete destruction and banishment from the land. This emphasizes that turning away from YHWH, especially through enticement to idolatry, constitutes a profound breach of the covenant, incurring divine wrath.
* **Divine Jealousy and Holiness:** The severity of the prescribed punishment reflects God's holy jealousy for His people and His absolute demand for exclusive worship. Maddûwach is an affront to His unique status as the one true God and a violation of the first commandment.
* **Purity of the Covenant Community:** The command to utterly destroy a city infected by maddûwach illustrates the imperative to maintain the spiritual purity of the Israelite community, preventing the "leaven" of idolatry from spreading and corrupting the entire nation. It serves as a stark warning against spiritual compromise and the need for radical excision of evil to preserve holiness.
### Summary
The Hebrew term maddûwach (`{{H4065}}`), derived from the root nādach (`{{H5080}}`) meaning "to drive away" or "mislead," denotes "seduction" or "that which causes banishment." Its sole biblical occurrence in [[Deuteronomy 13:11]] powerfully illustrates the theological gravity of spiritual enticement. In this context, maddûwach refers to the deceptive influence of "worthless fellows" who lead the people of God astray into idolatry, thereby causing them to be driven away from YHWH and incurring severe divine judgment, including the potential for utter destruction and banishment from the covenant land. The word underscores the profound danger of internal spiritual corruption, God's uncompromising demand for exclusive worship, and the imperative to maintain the purity of the covenant community against any form of apostasy. It serves as a potent warning against any act or influence that would lead God's people away from Him.
TRV