Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 7:25
You must burn up the images of their gods; do not covet the silver and gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it; for it is detestable to the LORD your God.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses commands Israel to annihilate the conquered nations and purge their idolatry as they prepare to occupy the promised land. This directive follows God’s promise to hand over the enemy kings and precedes the warning against retaining any devoted-to-destruction items.
The words — The Hebrew verbs תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּ (tis.re.Fu/n) and תַחְמֹד֩ (tach.Mod) command the Israelites to burn the idols and explicitly forbid coveting their precious metals. The noun פְּסִילֵ֥י (pe.si.Lei) identifies these objects as carved images of foreign deities.
The thread — This prohibition against retaining idolatrous wealth appears alongside the burning of the golden calf in Exodus 32:20 and David’s destruction of the Philistine gods in 1 Chronicles 14:12. The concept of detestable items that bring destruction connects to the ban on defective sacrifices in Deuteronomy 17:1.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate destruction of pagan worship objects and prohibits retaining their material value to prevent spiritual compromise. Readers must recognize that retaining items devoted to destruction invites the same judgment reserved for the idols themselves.
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
The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.
Cross-references
- Exodus 32:20 Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.
- Deuteronomy 17:1 You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep with any defect or serious flaw, for that is detestable to the LORD your God.
- 1 Chronicles 14:12 There the Philistines abandoned their gods, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire.
- Deuteronomy 12:3 Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place.
- Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
- Deuteronomy 7:5 Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.
- Deuteronomy 7:16 You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God will deliver to you. Do not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
- Deuteronomy 23:18 You must not bring the wages of a prostitute, whether female or male, into the house of the LORD your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God.
- Joshua 7:1 The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.
- Judges 8:24 Then he added, “Let me make a request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his plunder.” (For the enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)