Deuteronomy 32:17
in Deuteronomy 32They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They sacrificed unto demons, which were no God, To gods that they knew not, To new gods that came up of late, Which your fathers dreaded not.
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.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 32
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThey 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 εθυσαν δαιμονιοις, they sacrificed to demons: the Vulgate copies the Septuagint: the Arabic has sheeateen, the plural of Sheetan, Satan, by which the rebellious angels appear to be intended, as the word comes from the root shatana, he was obstinate, proud, refractory, went far away.
This site's exposition
They sacrificed to demons, not to God
on Deuteronomy 32:17-18
The Hebrew word behind “demons” stands twice in the Old Testament, here and at Psalm 106:37, where sons and daughters are sacrificed. Paul carries this clause into 1 Corinthians 10:20, where the Gentiles sacrifice to demons and not to God.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
They knew not - Or, who never knew them, that is, never shewed any kindness to them, or did them any good: New gods - Not simply or absolutely, for some of these had been worshipped for many generations, but comparatively to the true God, who is the ancient of days, chap. vii, 9, and who was worshipped from the beginning of the world. Feared not - Served not, worshipped not.
They sacrificed to devils, not to God,....
A prediction of the wasting destroying judgments which God would bring upon them for their sins, in which God is here justified by the many aggravations of their impieties,
If there were any spirits or invisible powers that possessed their idol-temples and images, they were evil spirits and malignant powers, whom yet they did not need to worship for fear they should hurt them, as they say the Indians do; for those that faithfully worship God are out of the devil's reach: nay, the devil can destroy those only that sacrifice to him.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִזְבְּח֗וּ | yizbechu | they sacrificed | H2076 → | 134 times |
| לַשֵּׁדִים֙ | lashedim | to the demons | H7700 → | |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | [which] not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אֱלֹ֔הַ | ʾeloha | [are] God | H433 → | |
| אֱלֹהִ֖ים | ʾelohim | gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | [which] not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יְדָע֑וּם | yedaum | they had known them | H3045 → | 945 times |
| חֲדָשִׁים֙ | chadashim | new [gods] | H2319 → | 53 times |
| מִקָּרֹ֣ב | mikaro | [which] from near | H7138 → | 77 times |
| בָּ֔אוּ | bau | they had come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | [which] not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שְׂעָר֖וּם | searum | they had known about them | H8175 → | |
| אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ | ʾavoteikhem | ancestors your | H1 → | 1212 times |
יִזְבְּח֗וּthey sacrificed
yizbechuH2076 →134 times
לַשֵּׁדִים֙to the demons
lashedimH7700 →
לֹ֣א[which] not
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אֱלֹ֔הַ[are] God
ʾelohaH433 →
אֱלֹהִ֖יםgods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
לֹ֣א[which] not
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יְדָע֑וּםthey had known them
yedaumH3045 →945 times
חֲדָשִׁים֙new [gods]
chadashimH2319 →53 times
מִקָּרֹ֣ב[which] from near
mikaroH7138 →77 times
בָּ֔אוּthey had come
bauH935 →2568 times
לֹ֥א[which] not
lo'H3808 →5168 times
שְׂעָר֖וּםthey had known about them
searumH8175 →
אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ancestors your
ʾavoteikhemH1 →1212 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Timothy 4:1Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 3:1–9
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
- 2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
- Jude 1:18
when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3–12
Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.
- 2 Timothy 3:1–9
Through
Deuteronomy 28:64Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 4:27–28
Then the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
- Leviticus 26:33
But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.
- Deuteronomy 4:27–28
Through
Leviticus 17:7They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat demons to which they have prostituted themselves. This will be a permanent statute for them for the generations to come.’
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:20
No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.
- 1 Corinthians 10:20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies17
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.