Verse Mapping of Deuteronomy 12:29-32
Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God. When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 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. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Difficult Words:
- Snared: Strong’s H5367 – nāqaš
- שׁ nâqash, naw-kash’; a primitive root; to entrap (with a noose), literally or figuratively:—catch (lay a) snare.
- thou enquire: Strong’s H1875 – dāraš
- דָּרַשׁ dârash, daw-rash’; a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship:—ask, × at all, care for, × diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), × surely.
- Add: Strong’s H3254 – yāsap̄
- to add, increase, do again
- Diminish: Strong’s H1639 – gāraʿ
- to diminish, restrain, withdraw, abate, keep back, do away, take from, clip
Other Translations:
- Amplified Bible
- “When the Lord your God cuts off and destroys before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and settle in their land, 30 beware that you are not lured (ensnared) into following them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods, so that I too may do likewise?’ 31 You shall not behave this way toward the Lord your God, for they have done for their gods every repulsive thing which the Lord hates; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire [as sacrifices] to their gods. “Everything I command you, you shall be careful to do it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
- New International Version (NIV)
- The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, 30 and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” 31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
- Christian Standard Bible
- “When the Lord your God annihilates the nations before you, which you are entering to take possession of, and you drive them out and live in their land, 30 be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, ‘How did these nations worship their gods? I’ll also do the same.’ 31 You must not do the same to the Lord your God, because they practice every detestable act, which the Lord hates, for their gods. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. 32 Be careful to do everything I command you; do not add anything to it or take anything away from it.
Cross References
- Leviticus 18:24-30
- Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God.
- Psalms 106:34-39
- They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
- Jeremiah 10:2
- Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
- Ezekiel 11:12
- And ye shall know that I am the Lord: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.
- Matthew 5:17-19
- Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
- John 4:24
- God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Context
- Author: Deuteronomy identifies Moses as its author five times (1:1, 5; 31:9, 22, 24)
- Audience: The Israelites; God’s chosen people
- When wrote: Moses lived from approximately 1520 to 1400 BC, dying at the age of 120 just before the Israelites entered the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34:7). Moreover, Moses’ first speech in the book is dated to the specific day: “In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel according to all that the Lord had given him in commandment to them” (Deuteronomy 1:3). The fortieth year refers to four decades after God freed Israel from Egyptian slavery. Moses spoke the three speeches recorded in Deuteronomy on that day.
- Purpose: Deuteronomy is called the second Law. It was written to teach the new generation of Israelites who were getting ready to enter the promise land.
What Does it Say:
It says don’t learn the ways of the heathen and don’t incorporate their ideas about how to worship into your worship of God.
What Does it mean:
This means that you are not to add to what God has said on how to worship him. He does not want a show. He wants correct worship that is not tinted by anything to do with pagans.
Application:
We need to be sure that what we are doing is actually pleasing to God. We need to remember that the devil is crafty, but somewhat predictable. Over the years making sin look good has worked. We need to be careful that pagan worship practices have not slipped into our homes, lives, and churches. This will require careful praying and seeking God’s direction.
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