Deuteronomy 32:17

Deuteronomy 32:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
• New International Version (NIV)They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.
• New King James Version (NKJV)They sacrificed to demons, not to God, To gods they did not know, To new gods, new arrivals That your fathers did not fear.

Context of Deuteronomy 32:17

15“But Jeshurun (Israel) became fat and kicked [at God]. You became fat, thick, sleek, and obstinate! Then he abandoned God who had made him, And scorned the Rock of his salvation. 16They provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods [by denying Him the honor and loyalty that is rightfully and uniquely His]; And with repulsive acts they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons, not to God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers never feared. 18You were unmindful of the Rock who bore you, And you forgot the God who gave you birth. 19“The Lord saw it, and rejected them, Out of indignation with His sons and His daughters.

Deuteronomy 32:17 word by word

יִזְבְּח֗וּ לַשֵּׁדִים֙ לֹ֣א אֱלֹ֔הַ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְדָע֑וּם חֲדָשִׁים֙ מִקָּרֹ֣ב בָּ֔אוּ לֹ֥א שְׂעָר֖וּם אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They sacrificedזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• unto devilsשֵׁדshêd · demonH7700
• not to Godאֱלֹהַּ'ĕlôahh 'ĕlôahh · godH433
• to godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• whom they knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not, to newחָדָשׁchâdâsh · newH2319
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• newlyקָרֹבqârôb qârôb · nearH7138
• upבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• whom your fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• fearedשָׂעַרώâ‛ar · to knowH8175

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 32:17

• Leviticus 17:7So they shall no longer offer their sacrifices to goat-idols or demons or field spirits with which they have played the prostitute. This shall be a permanent statute for them throughout their generations.” ’
• Psalms 106:37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons
• 1 Corinthians 10:20On the contrary, the things which the Gentiles (pagans) sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons [in effect], and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons [by eating at feasts in pagan temples].
• 1 Timothy 4:1But the [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons,
• Revelation 9:20The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent even then of the works of their hands, so as to cease worshiping and paying homage to the demons and the idols of gold and of silver and of bronze and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;
• Deuteronomy 32:21They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
• Jeremiah 10:15They are worthless and devoid of promise, a work of delusion and mockery; In their time of [trial and] punishment they will perish [without hope].
• 1 Corinthians 8:4In this matter, then, of eating food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world [it has no real existence], and that there is no God but one.
• 1 Corinthians 10:19What do I mean then? That a thing offered to idols is anything [special or changed simply because it is offered], or that an idol is anything?
• Deuteronomy 28:64And the Lord will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other; and there you will [be forced to] serve other gods, [lifeless gods of] wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.
• Isaiah 44:8Do not tremble nor be afraid [of the violent upheavals to come]; Have I not long ago proclaimed it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? There is no other Rock; I know of none.’ ”
• Judges 5:8They chose new gods; Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen Among forty thousand in Israel?

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 32:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17They sacrificed unto devils - The original word שדים shedim has been variously understood. The Syriac, Chaldee, Targums of Jerusalem and Jonathan, and the Samaritan, retain the original word: the Vulgate, Septuagint, Arabic, Persic, Coptic, and Anglo-Saxon, have devils or demons. The Septuagint has , they sacrificed to demons: the Vulgate copies the Septuagint: the Arabic has sheeateen, the plural of Sheetan, Satan, by which the rebellious angels appear…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-42Verses 1-42 Song of Moses If Deuteronomy 32:1-3 be regarded as the introduction, and Deuteronomy 32:43 as the conclusion, the main contents of the song may be grouped under three heads, namely, (1) Deuteronomy 32:4-18, the faithfulness of God, the faithlessness of Israel; (2) Deuteronomy 32:19-33, the chastisement and the need of its infliction by God; (3) Deuteronomy 32:34-42, God‘s compassion upon the low and humbled state of His people. The Song…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 Here are two instances of the wickedness of Israel, each was apostacy from God. These people were called Jeshurun, "an upright people," so some; "a seeing people," so others: but they soon lost the reputation both of their knowledge and of their righteousness. They indulged their appetites, as if they had nothing to do but to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it. Those who make a god of themselves, and a god of their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17demons: In the ancient Near East, people believed gods protected individuals and places from harm. But, worshiping these pagan gods was actually worshiping evil spirits (compare 1 Corinthians 10:20–21; Revelation 9:20). newly arrived gods: These were false gods that Israel had never before encountered.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. They sacrificed unto devils--(See on Le 17:7).Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 32:17

• Backsliders
• Death
• Demons
• Idolatry
• Instruction
• Psalms
• Quotations and Allusions
• Reproof

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Cease
• Crooked
• Devil
• Drunk
• Esteem
• Faith
• Froward
• Kick

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings