Exodus 22:20

Exodus 22:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
• New International Version (NIV)“Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“He who sacrifices to any god, except to the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

Context of Exodus 22:20

18“You shall not allow a woman who practices sorcery to live. 19“Whoever lies with an animal must be put to death. “He who sacrifices to any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be put under a ban (designated) for destruction (execution). 21“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22You shall not harm or oppress any widow or fatherless child.

Exodus 22:20 word by word

זֹבֵ֥חַ לָאֱלֹהִ֖ים יָֽחֳרָ֑ם בִּלְתִּ֥י לַיהוָ֖ה לְבַדּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that sacrificethזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• saveבִּלְתִּיbiltîy · lestH1115
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• only, he shall be utterly destroyedחָרַםchâram · to devote/destroyH2763

Cross-references for Exodus 22:20

• Numbers 21:3The Lord heard the voice of Israel and handed over the Canaanites; then they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of the place was called Hormah (dedicate to destruction).
• Joshua 23:15It shall come about that just as every good word which the Lord your God spoke and promised to you has been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you every bad thing [about which He warned you], until He has destroyed and eliminated you from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

Commentaries on Exodus 22:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Utterly destroyed - The word חרם cherem denotes a thing utterly and finally separated from God and devoted to destruction, without the possibility of redemption.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20This was probably an old formula, the sense of which, on its ethical side, is comprised in the first and second commandments. Shall be utterly destroyed - The Hebrew word here used is חרם châram (i. e. devoted). See Leviticus 27:28.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20he must be set apart for destruction: See the “Complete Dedication” Theme Note.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311-4. If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep--The law respects the theft of cattle which constituted the chief part of their property. The penalty for the theft of a sheep which was slain or sold, was fourfold; for an ox fivefold, because of its greater utility in labor; but, should the stolen animal have been recovered alive, a double compensation was all that was required, because it was presumable he (the thief) was not a practised adept in dishonesty…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 22:20

• Coercion
• Intolerance, Religious
• Punishment

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Book
• Cause
• Curse
• Feed
• Idolatry
• Put
• Restore
• Revile

Commentaries on Exodus 22

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings