New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 32:17
17They offered sacrifices to demons, which are not God, to gods they had not known before, to new gods only recently arrived, to gods their ancestors had never feared.
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 Israel soon became fat and unruly; the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed! Then they abandoned the God who had made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation. 16They stirred up his jealousy by worshiping foreign gods; they provoked his fury with detestable deeds. They offered sacrifices to demons, which are not God, to gods they had not known before, to new gods only recently arrived, to gods their ancestors had never feared. 18You neglected the Rock who had fathered you; you forgot the God who had given you birth. 19“The Lord saw this and drew back, provoked to anger by his own sons and daughters.
Read all of Deuteronomy 32Deuteronomy 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 17:7The people must no longer be unfaithful to the Lord by offering sacrifices to the goat idols. This is a permanent law for them, to be observed from generation to generation.
- Psalms 106:37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons.
- 1 Corinthians 10:20No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons.
- 1 Timothy 4:1Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.
- Revelation 9:20But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk!
- Deuteronomy 32:21They have roused my jealousy by worshiping things that are not God; they have provoked my anger with their useless idols. Now I will rouse their jealousy through people who are not even a people; I will provoke their anger through the foolish Gentiles.
- Jeremiah 10:15Idols are worthless; they are ridiculous lies! On the day of reckoning they will all be destroyed.
- 1 Corinthians 8:4So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.
- 1 Corinthians 10:19What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods?
- Deuteronomy 28:64For the Lord will scatter you among all the nations from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship foreign gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods made of wood and stone!
- Isaiah 44:8Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses—is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock—not one!”
- Judges 5:8When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors 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
In the dictionaries
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
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