Deuteronomy 12:31 kjv
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.
Deuteronomy 12:31 nkjv
You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.
Deuteronomy 12:31 niv
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.
Deuteronomy 12:31 esv
You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.
Deuteronomy 12:31 nlt
You must not worship the LORD your God the way the other nations worship their gods, for they perform for their gods every detestable act that the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods.
Deuteronomy 12 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 18:21 | 'You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech...' | Prohibition against child sacrifice. |
| Lev 20:2 | 'Any Israelite...who gives any of his children to Molech is to be put...' | Consequence for child sacrifice. |
| Deut 12:4 | 'You shall not worship the LORD your God in their way.' | General command against imitating pagans. |
| Deut 18:9-10 | 'When you enter the land...do not learn to imitate the detestable ways...' | Prohibition of detestable pagan practices. |
| 2 Kgs 16:3 | 'He even sacrificed his son in the fire, following the detestable practices.' | King Ahaz’s wicked imitation. |
| 2 Kgs 17:17 | 'They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire...' | Israel's ultimate idolatry leading to exile. |
| 2 Kgs 21:6 | 'He sacrificed his son in the fire...' | King Manasseh’s deep apostasy. |
| Psa 106:37-38 | 'They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons...shedding innocent blood.' | Describes the horror and demonic link. |
| Isa 57:5 | 'You burn with lust among the oaks...slaying your children in the ravines.' | Prophet condemning continued child sacrifice. |
| Jer 7:31 | 'They have built the high places of Topheth...to burn their sons...' | Divine condemnation of specific sites. |
| Jer 19:5 | 'They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children as offerings.' | God's absolute repudiation of the practice. |
| Jer 32:35 | 'They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons...' | Recounting Judah's heinous acts. |
| Ezek 16:20-21 | 'You took your sons and daughters, whom you bore to me, and sacrificed them.' | God's profound grief over Israel's betrayal. |
| Ezek 20:26 | 'I let them defile themselves through their gifts...burning their firstborn.' | God allowing consequence due to stubbornness. |
| Exod 23:24 | 'Do not worship their gods or serve them or follow their practices.' | Earlier commandment against syncretism. |
| Rom 12:2 | 'Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed.' | New Covenant application of not imitating evil. |
| 1 Cor 10:20 | 'What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons, not to God...' | Sacrifices to false gods are demonic. |
| Eph 5:8-11 | 'For you were once darkness, but now you are light...have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds.' | Believers must live distinctively. |
| Matt 10:28 | 'Do not be afraid of those who kill the body...rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body.' | Sanctity of life, ultimate divine authority. |
| Mal 3:6 | 'For I am the LORD, I do not change...' | God's unchangeable character contrasted. |
| Acts 17:29-30 | 'Since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver...' | Rejection of idolatry in general. |
| Gen 22:12 | 'Do not lay a hand on the boy...for now I know that you fear God.' | God does not require human sacrifice, unlike pagan gods. |
Deuteronomy 12 verses
Deuteronomy 12 31 Meaning
Deuteronomy 12:31 profoundly warns Israel against adopting the idolatrous worship practices of the nations they are dispossessing in Canaan. Specifically, it condemns the barbaric act of burning their own children—their sons and daughters—as offerings to false gods. The verse asserts that this method of worship is an utter abomination and is entirely antithetical to how the One True God, the LORD, is to be worshipped, demanding a stark separation from pagan defilement.
Deuteronomy 12 31 Context
Deuteronomy 12 marks a critical turning point in Moses’ discourse, transitioning from general principles of obedience to specific laws regarding worship in the promised land. The preceding chapters established the LORD as the one true God who brought Israel out of Egypt and demands exclusive devotion. Chapter 12 commands the centralization of worship at a single designated place the LORD will choose (the "place He will choose to make His name dwell"), thereby dismantling localized cultic sites that could lead to syncretism with Canaanite religions.
Deuteronomy 12:31 specifically follows commands to destroy pagan altars, sacred stones, Asherah poles, and images (vv. 2-3) and to avoid worshipping the LORD "in their way" (v. 4). This verse presents the horrifying culmination of pagan worship—child sacrifice—as the ultimate reason for Israel to reject their practices entirely. Historically, the Canaanites and neighboring peoples practiced child sacrifice, especially to deities like Molech or Baal, often in times of crisis or for supposed blessing. This abhorrent ritual represented the deepest form of spiritual apostasy and a blatant disregard for human life, especially the innocent, which God had instituted through covenant and law to protect. The passage functions as a potent polemic, sharply contrasting the holy, life-giving nature of Yahweh with the destructive, death-demanding nature of the false gods.
Deuteronomy 12 31 Word Analysis
- You must not worship: This translates the Hebrew "Lo'-Ta
aseh," meaning "you shall not do/make." It's a strong prohibitive command, indicating an absolute restriction on any form of imitation or adoption of such practices. The underlying Hebrew term for "worship" here, עָבַד ('avad`), implies "to serve," "to labor for," or "to give allegiance to." This indicates that Israel's entire mode of existence and service must be radically different from the pagans. - the LORD your God: (יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, YHWH Eloheykha). "YHWH" is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His unique relationship with Israel and His unchangeable, sovereign character. "Eloheykha" ("your God") further reinforces this specific, personal covenant bond, implying a responsibility to maintain this distinct relationship by rejecting practices antithetical to Him. This highlights the absolute distinction between the holy God of Israel and the depraved false deities of the nations.
- in their way: (כֵּן לַיהוה, ken la-YHWH). The literal Hebrew is "thus for YHWH," referring back to the "how they do" in the preceding verse (Deut 12:30). It is a critical qualifier: Israel is forbidden to serve their true God in the manner or style of the pagans. This is not about the identity of the deity (they knew they worshipped YHWH) but about the ritual methodology and mindset.
- because they burn: The Hebrew word שָׂרַף (
saraf) means "to burn" or "to consume by fire." This describes a literal, physical incineration. This act was known to be part of Molech worship. The motive ("because they burn") presents a horrifying explanation and justification for the command to abstain. - their sons and their daughters: (בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם, beneihem uvenoteihem). The repetition of "their sons and their daughters" emphasizes the particular heinousness and directness of the crime – it is their own flesh and blood, often the firstborn, being sacrificed. This stands in stark contrast to God's desire for His people to thrive and multiply. It underscores the ultimate act of sacrificing one's future and hope for perceived divine favor.
- in the fire: (בָּאֵשׁ, ba-esh). The means of destruction is explicit and horrifying. "Passing through the fire" (Lev 18:21) could refer to initiation rites or dedication, but here it clearly points to immolation.
- as sacrifices to their gods: The phrase clarifies the intent and recipient of this abominable act. These acts were presented as offerings (
korban) or cultic service ('avodah) to pagan deities (אֱלֹהִים, elohim, here referring to false gods). This is the apex of idolatry, driven by desperate superstition, fear, or a perverse sense of devotion that stands opposite to the love, mercy, and justice demanded by the God of Israel. - —even their own sons and daughters!: This final emphatic restatement ("gam beneyhem uv'noteyhem") serves as a shocking reiteration of the cruelty. It highlights the irrationality and barbarism, making the command to totally separate from such practices undeniable. It seals the judgment against these practices as utterly repugnant and underscores the profound difference between the nature of false gods and the true God.
Deuteronomy 12 31 Bonus Section
The horrific practice of child sacrifice, highlighted in Deut 12:31, has been extensively documented in archaeological findings, particularly in regions like Carthage (a Phoenician colony), which corroborate biblical descriptions of Tophets, burial grounds for sacrificed infants. The condemnation in this verse establishes a non-negotiable boundary for Israel's worship and identity. The God of Israel does not need such a sacrifice; He is the Self-sufficient One who gives, not demands. This fundamentally differentiates Him from all other deities known to the ancient world. The memory of God sparing Isaac and providing a ram (Gen 22) is in stark contrast to the human-demanding deities of Canaan. The shock and disgust communicated in this verse were not just ethical but profoundly theological, underpinning the uniqueness of Israel's relationship with a God of holiness and life.
Deuteronomy 12 31 Commentary
Deuteronomy 12:31 is a vivid theological and ethical polemic against pagan practices, specifically child sacrifice, and forms the core of Israel’s mandate for unique worship. The LORD’s demand for absolute distinction in worship stems from His holy nature. Unlike the Canaanite gods, who were perceived as bloodthirsty and unpredictable, requiring the most precious and horrific sacrifices, Yahweh is the Giver of life. His covenant principles demand respect for life, especially innocent life, and rejection of all forms of oppression and barbarity.
The verse is a forceful warning against syncretism – the blending of Yahwistic worship with pagan rituals. Israel was constantly tempted to adopt the ways of the surrounding cultures for perceived prosperity, power, or even for "more effective" appeasement of deities during times of crisis. Child sacrifice, as the ultimate act of propitiation, represented the complete moral and spiritual degradation. For the Israelites, embracing such a practice would be to completely contradict the covenant they had with the God who redeemed their firstborn from death in Egypt and provided His only Son as the ultimate, voluntary, and non-literal sacrifice. The instruction highlights that true worship of the LORD must align with His character – characterized by life, love, and justice, not by fear-driven ritual murder. This verse undergirds the purity of worship and the sanctity of human life that is central to biblical ethics.