Exodus 23:24

Exodus 23:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces.
• English Standard Version (ESV)you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.

Context of Exodus 23:24

22But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you. 23For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them completely. You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars. 25“You must serve only the Lord your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness. 26There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land, and I will give you long, full lives.

Exodus 23:24 word by word

לֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֤ה לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א תָֽעָבְדֵ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תַעֲשֶׂ֖ה כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כִּ֤י הָרֵס֙ תְּהָ֣רְסֵ֔ם וְשַׁבֵּ֥ר תְּשַׁבֵּ֖ר מַצֵּבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thou shalt not bow downשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
• to their godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• nor serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• them, nor doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• after their worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• but thou shalt utterlyהָרַסhâras · to overthrowH2040
• them, and quiteשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
• their imagesמַצֵּבָהmatstsêbâh · pillarH4676

Cross-references for Exodus 23:24

• Exodus 20:5You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
• Leviticus 18:3So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life.
• Deuteronomy 12:30do not fall into the trap of following their customs and worshiping their gods. Do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations worship their gods? I want to follow their example.’
• 2 Chronicles 33:2He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, following the detestable practices of the pagan nations that the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.
• Psalms 101:3I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.
• Psalms 106:35Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs.
• Ezekiel 16:47But you have not merely sinned as they did. You quickly surpassed them in corruption.
• Exodus 32:20He took the calf they had made and burned it. Then he ground it into powder, threw it into the water, and forced the people to drink it.
• Exodus 34:13Instead, you must break down their pagan altars, smash their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherah poles.
• Numbers 33:52you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines.
• Deuteronomy 7:5This is what you must do. You must break down their pagan altars and shatter their sacred pillars. Cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols.
• Deuteronomy 12:3Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods!
• 2 Chronicles 34:3During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images.

Commentaries on Exodus 23:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Break down their images - מצבתיהם matstsebotheyhem, from נצב natsab, to stand up; pillars, anointed stones, etc., such as the baitulia. See Clarke on Genesis 28:18; (note).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-33Verses 20-33 It is here promised that they should be guided and kept in their way through the wilderness to the land of promise, Behold, I send an angel before thee, mine angel. The precept joined with this promise is, that they be obedient to this angel whom God would send before them. Christ is the Angel of Jehovah; this is plainly taught by St. Paul, 1Co 10:9. They should have a comfortable settlement in the land of Canaan. How reasonable are the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24In Canaanite worship, people built holy pillars to represent the gods. Sometimes, they carved them to look like humans.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2520-25. Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way--The communication of these laws, made to Moses and by him rehearsed to the people, was concluded by the addition of many animating promises, intermingled with several solemn warnings that lapses into sin and idolatry would not be tolerated or passed with impunity.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 23:24

• Amorites
• Canaanites
• Iconoclasm
• Jebusites
• War

In the dictionaries

• Beware
• Book
• Countenance
• Idolatry
• Ingathering
• Refresh
• Seethe
• Turn
• Wrest
• Bible, the

Commentaries on Exodus 23

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings