Psalm 106:36 kjv
And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
Psalm 106:36 nkjv
They served their idols, Which became a snare to them.
Psalm 106:36 niv
They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.
Psalm 106:36 esv
They served their idols, which became a snare to them.
Psalm 106:36 nlt
They worshiped their idols,
which led to their downfall.
Psalm 106 36 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exd 20:3-5 | “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image...” | God's command against idolatry and images. |
| Lev 19:4 | “Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves.” | Prohibits turning to idols. |
| Dt 7:16 | “...you must not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.” | Direct warning about pagan gods as a snare. |
| Jos 23:13 | “...they will be a snare and a trap for you, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes...” | Nations will become a trap if not driven out. |
| Jdg 2:3 | “...they will be adversaries to you, and their gods will be a snare to you.” | God's judgment and idols as a snare. |
| Jdg 2:11-13 | “Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals...” | Israel's cycle of apostasy through idol worship. |
| Jdg 8:27 | “Gideon made an ephod of it... it became a snare to Gideon and his family.” | Even good intentions can lead to a snare. |
| 1 Kgs 11:4-8 | “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods...” | Illustrates kings' failure through idolatry. |
| 2 Kgs 17:7-12 | “All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God... they worshiped other gods...” | Explanation for Israel's exile due to idolatry. |
| Psa 106:37-39 | “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons... and defiled themselves by their actions.” | Immediate continuation, detailing pagan rituals. |
| Isa 44:9-20 | Description of idol making and its futility. | Prophetic denunciation of lifeless idols. |
| Jer 2:5 | “This is what the Lord says: 'What fault did your ancestors find in me that they strayed so far...’” | God's lament over Israel's spiritual wandering. |
| Hos 4:17 | “Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!” | Divine abandonment due to stubborn idolatry. |
| Rom 11:9 | “And David says: 'May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them...'” | Figurative snare for disobedience and hardening. |
| 1 Cor 10:20 | “No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God...” | Idolatry is connected to demonic influence. |
| 1 Tim 3:7 | “...so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” | Warning against the devil's snares for believers. |
| 1 Tim 6:9 | “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires...” | Love of money as a snare. |
| 2 Tim 2:26 | “...that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive...” | Repentance and freedom from spiritual bondage. |
| Psa 115:4-8 | “Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands... those who make them will be like them...” | Emphasizes the inertness and futility of idols. |
| Dt 18:9-12 | Commands against pagan practices like child sacrifice, divination of the nations. | Foreshadows the practices Israel later adopted. |
| Eph 5:5 | “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance...” | Connects idolatry to spiritual exclusion. |
| Rev 9:20 | “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons...” | Continued idolatry even in judgment. |
Psalm 106 verses
Psalm 106 36 Meaning
Psalm 106:36 describes Israel's spiritual failure during their time in the promised land, stating, "They served their idols, which became a snare to them." This verse pinpoints idolatry as a direct cause of their entanglement and ultimate destruction, emphasizing that the very objects they chose to worship brought about their ruin. It highlights the deceptive nature of false worship and its severe consequences, revealing that abandoning the One True God for lifeless idols inevitably leads to spiritual and physical captivity.
Psalm 106 36 Context
Psalm 106 is a confessional psalm recounting the history of Israel's persistent disobedience and God's enduring faithfulness. It is one of the "Great Hallel" psalms, recited in worship. Verses 34-46 specifically detail Israel's failures upon entering the Promised Land. After the command to completely dispossess the inhabitants (Dt 7:2), verse 34 laments that Israel "did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them." Verse 35 further clarifies that instead, "they mingled with the nations and learned their practices." Verse 36 directly states the tragic outcome: "They served their idols," the gods of those nations, leading to severe consequences. This section sets the stage for the specific sins detailed in the subsequent verses, such as child sacrifice (vv. 37-38), highlighting how their syncretistic practices polluted the land and provoked God's wrath, ultimately leading to their exile. The psalm thus explains why Israel suffered and lost their land, placing the blame squarely on their apostasy rather than on God's supposed failure.
Psalm 106 36 Word analysis
- They served (וַיַּעַבְד֣וּ - vayyaʿavdū): From the root עָבַד (ʿāvaḏ), meaning to work, to serve, to worship, to be enslaved. This verb is strong, implying dedication and submission. It points to a willing act of homage, not merely passive exposure. The very act of worship that should be directed towards God was misappropriated to false gods. This highlights a shift in loyalty and commitment, demonstrating deep apostasy.
- their idols (אֶת־עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֑ם - ʾeṯ-ʿaṣṣabbêhem): The term עֲצַבִּים (ʿaṣṣabîm) for "idols" derives from a root associated with "pain," "sorrow," or "injury." This etymological connection subtly implies that the worship of these "pain-gods" would only lead to affliction and suffering. Unlike the living God who brings joy and liberation, these objects are inherently sorrow-bringing. They are lifeless, made by human hands, and can do nothing but entangle their devotees.
- which became (וַיִּהְי֖וּ - vayyihyū): From the verb הָיָה (hāyāh), "to be," "to become," "to happen." This indicates a transformative process. The idols were not inherently snares per se, but became snares as a consequence of Israel's interaction and service to them. Their choice to serve created this outcome, highlighting causality.
- a snare (לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃ - lᵉmôqēš): The noun מוֹקֵשׁ (môqēš) refers to a hunter's trap, a net, or a pit, designed to capture and entangle. In a metaphorical sense, it denotes spiritual or moral ruin, peril, or a cause of destruction. This emphasizes deception and unavoidable capture. The idols didn't offer protection or blessing; instead, they stealthily led their worshipers into bondage, spiritual death, and ultimately, divine judgment and defeat. The very objects they trusted brought about their undoing, acting as a fatal spiritual and social trap.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "They served their idols": This phrase directly confronts Israel's broken covenant. Serving other gods violated the fundamental command of the Law (Exd 20:3). It represents a deliberate turning away from the exclusivity of YHWH worship, embracing polytheism and syncretism. This wasn't merely observing pagan rituals but active, devoted worship.
- "which became a snare to them": This phrase reveals the fatal consequence of their apostasy. The "snare" (
môqēš) denotes a deceptive lure leading to destruction. It highlights the deceptive promise of idolatry, where something seemingly harmless or even beneficial transforms into an instrument of downfall, leading to judgment, loss of freedom, and eventual ruin. This demonstrates God's retributive justice: what Israel embraced for presumed gain became their source of suffering.
Psalm 106 36 Bonus section
The historical failures detailed in Psalm 106, including verse 36, served as a foundational theological explanation for the Israelite exiles (Assyrian and Babylonian). It asserted that their national calamities were not due to YHWH's weakness or failure, but entirely due to Israel's chronic unfaithfulness and rebellion against Him. The "snare" was therefore the logical, divine consequence of their sin, leading to the loss of their land and independence. This theme is crucial for understanding prophetic laments and calls to repentance. The passage also highlights a critical theological point about the nature of God's commands: the injunction to drive out the Canaanite nations was not arbitrary, but a gracious protection against spiritual corruption, designed to safeguard Israel from the very "snare" they willingly walked into. Their failure to obey God's protective commands led them directly to their spiritual ruin.
Psalm 106 36 Commentary
Psalm 106:36 succinctly captures the tragic essence of Israel's repeated backsliding: forsaking their covenant God to serve foreign deities. The very "idols" they embraced for purported power or prosperity turned into a destructive "snare," entangling them in their own sin and exposing them to divine judgment. This verse underlines a profound spiritual truth: anything elevated above the one true God, whether physical idols, wealth, power, or human ideology, invariably becomes a trap. These false objects of worship deceive their devotees, leading them away from the life-giving presence of the Creator and into a spiritual captivity that brings sorrow, pain, and separation. The psalm teaches that the consequences of spiritual compromise are not accidental but inherent to the nature of rebellion against God, where sin itself becomes its own punishment and ensnares the transgressor. This principle remains timeless: placing anything before God promises freedom but delivers bondage, and what is served instead of Him ultimately brings ruin. For instance, seeking security in financial assets rather than God's provision can lead to insatiable greed and anxiety, becoming a "snare." Similarly, pursuing worldly approval over divine commendation can lead to a compromise of moral integrity, a clear spiritual trap.