Bible Strands
Psalms 106:36
They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the gathered Israelite community while recounting their historical rebellion. The narrative occurs during a corporate confession that traces the consequences of their post-exodus apostasy.
The words — The text records עֲצַבֵּי/הֶ֑ם ('etza.bei.Hem) as "their idols" and לְ/מוֹקֵֽשׁ (le.mo.Kesh) as "into a snare." These terms literally denote carved images that function as a physical trap.
The thread — This pattern of assimilation leading to entrapment recurs in Deuteronomy 7:16, Judges 2:3, and Exodus 23:33. These passages consistently warn that adopting foreign religious practices inevitably produces spiritual captivity.
Why it lands — The passage requires readers to recognize that adopting external religious customs creates a binding trap. It demands immediate separation from practices that compromise exclusive devotion to God.
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
And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
Cross-references
- 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.
- Judges 2:3 So now I tell you that I will not drive out these people before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.”
- Exodus 23:33 They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
- Judges 2:12 Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger,
- Psalms 78:58 They enraged Him with their high places and provoked His jealousy with their idols.
- Exodus 34:15 Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you, and you will eat their sacrifices.
- Joshua 23:13 know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.
- Judges 2:17 Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done.
- Judges 2:19 But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
- Judges 3:5 Thus the Israelites continued to live among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.