Deuteronomy 12:31

You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel on the plains of Moab, instructing them on covenant worship before they cross the Jordan. He warns them against adopting the religious practices of the nations God will drive out.

The words — The text uses לֹא־ תַעֲשֶׂה כֵן (lo'- ta.'a.Seh Khen), literally "you will not do thus," to forbid mimicking pagan rituals. It also cites תּוֹעֲבַת (to.'a.Vat), meaning "abomination," to describe practices detestable to Yahweh.

The thread — This warning against pagan imitation and child sacrifice echoes in Jeremiah 32:35, Deuteronomy 18:9, and 2 Kings 17:15. These passages collectively reinforce the prohibition against adopting foreign religious customs.

Why it lands — The verse demands strict adherence to Yahweh’s prescribed worship, rejecting syncretism and violent pagan rites. It requires readers to separate covenant practice from surrounding cultural religion.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 32:35 They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered My mind, that they should commit such an abomination and cause Judah to sin.
Deuteronomy 18:9 When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
2 Kings 17:15 They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.
2 Kings 21:2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
Jeremiah 7:31 They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.
Deuteronomy 9:5 It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Deuteronomy 12:4 You shall not worship the LORD your God in this way.
Exodus 23:2 You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.
Leviticus 18:3 You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you. You must not walk in their customs.
Leviticus 18:21 You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.