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

18Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. 19Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto Yhwh only, he shall be utterly destroyed. 21Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

Exodus 22:20 word by word

זֹבֵ֥חַ לָאֱלֹהִ֖ים יָֽחֳרָ֑ם בִּלְתִּ֥י לַיהוָ֖ה לְבַדּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

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

Cross-references for Exodus 22:20

• Numbers 21:3And Yhwh hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.
• Joshua 23:15Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which Yhwh your God promised you; so shall Yhwh bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which Yhwh your God hath 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