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 must not allow a sorceress to live. 19“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must certainly be put to death. “Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed. 21“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. 22“You must not exploit a widow or an orphan.

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 Israelites’ request and gave them victory over the Canaanites. The Israelites completely destroyed them and their towns, and the place has been called Hormah ever since.
• Joshua 23:15But as surely as the Lord your God has given you the good things he promised, he will also bring disaster on you if you disobey him. He will completely destroy you from this good land he 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