Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7
Christian Standard Bible
Forbidden Worship
21 “Do not set up an Asherah of any kind of wood next to the altar you will build for the Lord your God, 22 and do not set up a sacred pillar; the Lord your God hates them.(A)
17 “Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or sheep with a defect or any serious flaw, for that is detestable to the Lord your God.(B)
The Judicial Procedure for Idolatry
2 “If a man or woman among you in one of your towns that the Lord your God will give you is discovered doing evil in the sight of the Lord your God and violating his covenant(C) 3 and has gone to serve other gods(D) by bowing in worship to the sun, moon, or all the stars in the sky(E)—which I have forbidden(F)— 4 and if you are told or hear about it, then investigate it thoroughly. If the report turns out to be true that this detestable act has been done in Israel, 5 you are to bring out to your city gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing and stone them to death.(G) 6 The one condemned to die is to be executed on the testimony of two or three witnesses.(H) No one is to be executed on the testimony of a single witness. 7 The witnesses’ hands are to be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people.(I) You must purge the evil from you.(J)
Deuteronomy 16:21-17:7
English Standard Version
Forbidden Forms of Worship
21 “You shall not plant any tree as (A)an Asherah beside the altar of the Lord your God that you shall make. 22 And you shall not set up a pillar, which the Lord your God hates.
17 (B)“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.
2 (C)“If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, (D)in transgressing his covenant, 3 and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or (E)the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, (F)which I have forbidden, 4 and it is told you and you hear of it, then you shall inquire (G)diligently, and if it is true and certain that such an abomination has been done in Israel, 5 then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you (H)shall stone that man or woman to death with stones. 6 (I)On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. 7 (J)The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So (K)you shall purge[a] the evil[b] from your midst.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 17:7 Septuagint drive out; also verse 12
- Deuteronomy 17:7 Or evil person; also verse 12
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
