Judges 6:10

And I said to you: ‘I am the LORD your God. You must not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.’ But you did not obey Me.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — A prophet addresses the Israelites, recounting Yahweh’s past deliverance from Egypt and their oppressors immediately prior to the angel of the LORD’s arrival with Gideon. The speaker states the command given and records the people’s failure to comply.

The words — תִֽירְאוּ (ti.re.'U) renders literally as “you must fear,” paired with אֱלֹהֵי (e.lo.Hei) for “gods of,” forming the direct prohibition against fearing the Amorites’ deities.

The thread — Exodus 20:2 establishes Yahweh’s identity as the one who brought Israel out of Egypt, 2 Kings 17:35 records the covenant command to cease worship and sacrifice to foreign gods, and Jeremiah 10:2 forbids adopting pagan customs or fearing heavenly signs. These passages trace a recurring pattern of covenantal reminders anchored in divine rescue.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that past deliverance grounds present allegiance, explicitly forbidding fear of local deities while confronting the reader with the reality of repeated disobedience to clear commands.

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

וָאֹמְרָ֣הva./'o.me.Ra/hand/ I said/ !לָכֶ֗םla./Khemto <the>/ youאֲנִי֙'a.NiI יְהוָ֣הYah.weh[am] Yahweh אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם'e.lo.hei./KhemGod/ your לֹ֤אlo'not תִֽירְאוּ֙ti.re.'Uyou must fear אֶת־'et-<obj.>אֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.Hei[the] gods of הָאֱמֹרִ֔יha./'e.mo.Rithe/ Amorite[s]אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhom אַתֶּ֖ם'a.Temyou יוֹשְׁבִ֣יםyo.she.Vim[are] dwelling בְּאַרְצָ֑םbe./'ar.Tza/min/ land/ their וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖םshe.ma'.Temyou have listened בְּקוֹלִֽי׃ פbe./ko.L/ito/ voice/ my

King James Version

And I said unto you, I am the Lord your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 10:2 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
Exodus 20:2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
2 Kings 17:35 For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.
Jeremiah 9:13 And the LORD answered, “It is because they have forsaken My law, which I set before them; they have not walked in it or obeyed My voice.
Judges 2:2 and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?
Jeremiah 3:13 Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 3:25 Let us lie down in our shame; let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth even to this day we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”
Jeremiah 42:21 For I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God in all He has sent me to tell you.
Jeremiah 43:4 So Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces disobeyed the command of the LORD to stay in the land of Judah.
Jeremiah 43:7 So they entered the land of Egypt because they did not obey the voice of the LORD, and they went as far as Tahpanhes.