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Warning against Idolatry

29 “When the Lord your God has cut off before you the nations whom you are about to enter to dispossess them, when you have dispossessed them and live in their land, 30 take care that you are not snared into imitating them, after they have been destroyed before you; do not inquire concerning their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also want to do the same.’ 31 You must not do the same for the Lord your God, because every abhorrent thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods. They would even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.(A) 32 [a]You must diligently observe everything that I command you; do not add to it or take anything from it.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.32 13.1 in Heb

29 “When Yahweh your God has cut off the nations whom you are about to go to,[a] to dispossess them before you,[b] and you have dispossessed them, and you live in their land, 30 take care[c] so that you are not ensnared into imitating them[d] after their being destroyed from before you,[e] and so that you not enquire concerning their gods, saying,[f] ‘How did these nations serve their gods, and thus I myself[g] want to do also.’ 31 You must not do so toward Yahweh your God, because of every detestable thing they have done for their gods Yahweh hates, for even their sons and their daughters they would burn in the fire to their gods. 32 [h] All of the things[i] that I am commanding you, you must diligently observe;[j] you shall not add to it, and you shall not take away from it.”

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 12:29 Literally “about to go to there”
  2. Deuteronomy 12:29 Literally “from the face of you”
  3. Deuteronomy 12:30 Literally “Watch for yourself”
  4. Deuteronomy 12:30 Literally “after them”
  5. Deuteronomy 12:30 Literally “from the face of you”
  6. Deuteronomy 12:30 Literally “to say”
  7. Deuteronomy 12:30 Emphatic use of the pronoun
  8. Deuteronomy 12:32 Deuteronomy 12:32–13:18 in the English Bible is 13:1–19 in the Hebrew Bible
  9. Deuteronomy 12:32 Hebrew “thing”
  10. Deuteronomy 12:32 Literally “you must observe to do it