Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 6:14
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses Israel regarding covenant loyalty as the generation preparing to enter the land receives final instructions. The words — The verse opens with לֹא (loʾ) meaning "not" paired with תֵּלֵכוּ (tēlēḵû), "you will walk," forming a direct prohibition against walking after אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים (ʾĕlōhîm ʾăḥērîm), "other gods." The thread — This warning against idolatry appears in Jeremiah 25:6, Deuteronomy 13:7, and 1 John 5:21, which collectively reinforce the prohibition against serving foreign deities. Why it lands — The text commands exclusive allegiance to Yahweh by explicitly forbidding pursuit of surrounding nations' deities, establishing that covenant faithfulness requires rejecting competing spiritual authorities.
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
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 25:6 Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’
- Deuteronomy 13:7 the gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, whether from one end of the earth or the other),
- 1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
- Deuteronomy 8:19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish.
- Deuteronomy 11:28 but a curse if you disobey the commandments of the LORD your God and turn aside from the path I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.
- Exodus 34:14 For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.