English Standard Version
Deuteronomy 17:1
1"You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 17:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Never sacrifice sick or defective cattle, sheep, or goats to the Lord your God, for he detests such gifts.
Context of Deuteronomy 17:1
"You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God. 2"If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, 3and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden,
Read all of Deuteronomy 17Deuteronomy 17:1 word by word
לֹא־תִזְבַּח֩ לַיהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ שׁ֣וֹר וָשֶׂ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בוֹ֙ מ֔וּם כֹּ֖ל דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֧י תוֹעֲבַ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ הֽוּא׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thou shalt not sacrificeזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- bullockשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
- or sheepשֶׂהώeh ώêy · sheepH7716
- wherein is blemishמוּםm'ûm mûm · blemishH3971
- any evilfavourednessדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- any evilfavourednessרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
- an abominationתּוֹעֵבַהtô‛êbah tô‛êbah · abominationH8441
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 17:1
- Deuteronomy 15:21But if it has any blemish, if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.
- Exodus 12:5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats,
- Leviticus 22:20You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable for you.
- Malachi 1:8When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.
- Hebrews 9:14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
- 1 Peter 1:19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
- Genesis 41:3And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.
- Deuteronomy 23:18You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the Lord your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God.
- Deuteronomy 24:4then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
- Deuteronomy 25:16For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the Lord your God.
- Proverbs 6:16There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
- Proverbs 11:1A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.
- Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
- Proverbs 20:10Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 17:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Wherein is blemish - God must not have that offered to him which thou wouldst not use thyself. This not only refers to the perfect sacrifice offered by Christ Jesus, but to that sincerity and uprightness of heart which God requires in all those who approach him in the way of worship.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1This verse belongs in subject to the last chapter. It prohibits once more (compare Deuteronomy 15:21) that form of insult to God which consists in offering to Him a blemished sacrifice. Any evil-favoredness - Render any evil thing. The reference is to the faults or maims enumerated in Leviticus 22:22-24.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1All sacrifices to be perfect, Idolaters must be slain. (1-7) Difficult controversies. (8-13) The choice of a king, His duties. (14-20) Verses 1-7 No creature which had any blemish was to be offered in sacrifice to God. We are thus called to remember the perfect, pure, and spotless sacrifice of Christ, and reminded to serve God with the best of our abilities, time, and possession, or our pretended obedience will be hateful to him. So great a punishment as…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1defect or serious flaw: A sick or defective animal was worth very little money. Because of this, offering such an animal to the Lord was not a true sacrifice (compare 15:21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11. Thou shalt not sacrifice ... any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish--Under the name of bullock were comprehended bulls, cows, and calves; under that of sheep, rams, lambs, kids, he- and she-goats. An ox, from mutilation, was inadmissible. The qualifications required in animals destined for sacrifice are described (Ex 12:5; Le 1:3).Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 17:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 17
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries