Deuteronomy 12:31

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
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.

Hebrew Names Version
You shall not do so to the LORD your God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hates, have they done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
You must not do so toward Yahweh your God, because of every detestable thing they have done for their gods Yahweh hates, for even their sons and their daughters they would burn in the fire to their gods.

English Standard Version
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.

New Century Version
Don't worship the Lord your God that way, because the Lord hates the evil ways they worship their gods. They even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods!

New English Translation
You must not worship the Lord your God the way they do! For everything that is abhorrent to him, everything he hates, they have done when worshiping their gods. They even burn up their sons and daughters before their gods!

Amplified Bible
"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.

New American Standard Bible
"You shall not behave this way toward the LORD your God, because every abominable act which the LORD hates, they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou shalt not doe so vnto the Lorde thy God: for al abomination, which the Lord hateth, haue they done vnto their gods: for they haue burned both their sonnes and their daughters with fire to their gods.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall not do thus toward Yahweh your God, for every abominable act which Yahweh hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

Contemporary English Version
No, you should not! The Lord hates the disgusting way those nations worship their gods, because they even burn their sons and daughters as sacrifices.

Complete Jewish Bible
You must not do this to Adonai your God! For they have done to their gods all the abominations that Adonai hates! They even burn up their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods!

Darby Translation
Thou shalt not do so to Jehovah thy God; for every [thing that is] abomination to Jehovah, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters have they burned in the fire to their gods.

Easy-to-Read Version
Don't do that to the Lord your God! These people do all kinds of bad things that the Lord hates. They even burn their children as sacrifices to their gods!

George Lamsa Translation
You shall not do so to the LORD your God; for every thing abominable to the LORD, which he hates, they have done to their gods; even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

Good News Translation
Do not worship the Lord your God in the way they worship their gods, for in the worship of their gods they do all the disgusting things that the Lord hates. They even sacrifice their children in the fires on their altars.

Literal Translation
You shall not do so to Jehovah your God; for everything hateful to Jehovah, which He detests, they have done to their gods. For they have even burned their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou shalt not do so vnto the LORDE thy God. For all that is abhominacion vnto the LORDE, & that he hateth, ye same haue they done vnto their goddes. For they haue burnt euen their sonnes and their doughters with fyre vnto their goddes.

American Standard Version
Thou shalt not do so unto Jehovah thy God: for every abomination to Jehovah, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.

Bible in Basic English
Do not so to the Lord your God: for everything which is disgusting to the Lord and hated by him they have done in honour of their gods: even burning their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nay, thou shalt not do so vnto the Lorde thy God: for all abhominations, and that whiche the Lorde hateth, the same haue they done vnto their gods.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 do they burn in the fire to their gods.

King James Version (1611)
Thou shalt not doe so vnto the Lord thy God: for euery abomination to the Lord which hee hateth, haue they done vnto their gods: for euen their sonnes and their daughters they haue burnt in the fire to their gods.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thou shalt not do so to thy God; for they have sacrificed to their gods the abominations of the Lord which he hates, for they burn their sons and their daughters in fire to their gods.

English Revised Version
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 do they burn in the fire to their gods.

Berean Standard Bible
You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thou schalt not do in lijk manere to thi Lord God; for thei diden to her goddis alle abhomynaciouns whiche the Lord wlatith, and offriden her sones and douytris, and brenten with fier.

Young's Literal Translation
`Thou dost not do so to Jehovah thy God; for every abomination of Jehovah which He is hating they have done to their gods, for even their sons and their daughters they burn with fire to their gods.

Update Bible Version
You shall not do so to Yahweh your God: for every disgusting thing to Yahweh, which he hates, they have done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou shalt not do so to the LORD thy God; for every abomination to the LORD which he hateth have they done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

World English Bible
You shall not do so to Yahweh your God: for every abomination to Yahweh, which he hates, have they done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
Do not act this way toward the Lord your God. For they have done for their gods every sinful act which the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.

New Revised Standard
You must not do the same for the Lord your God, because every abhorrent thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods. They would even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thou shalt not do likewise unto Yahweh thy God, - for everything that is an abomination unto Yahweh which he doth hate, have they done unto their gods, for even their sons and their daughters, do they consume with fire unto their gods.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt not do in like manner to the Lord thy God. For they have done to their gods all the abominations which the Lord abhorreth, offering their sons and daughters, and burning them with fire.

Revised Standard Version
You shall not do so to the LORD your God; for every abominable thing which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

Contextual Overview

⁵Instead find the site that God , your God, will choose and mark it with his name as a common center for all the tribes of Israel. Assemble there. Bring to that place your Absolution-Offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and Tribute-Offerings, your Vow-Offerings, your Freewill-Offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. Feast there in the Presence of God , your God. Celebrate everything that you and your families have accomplished under the blessing of God , your God. ⁸Don't continue doing things the way we're doing them at present, each of us doing as we wish. Until now you haven't arrived at the goal, the resting place, the inheritance that God , your God, is giving you. But the minute you cross the Jordan River and settle into the land God , your God, is enabling you to inherit, he'll give you rest from all your surrounding enemies. You'll be able to settle down and live in safety. ¹¹From then on, at the place that God , your God, chooses to mark with his name as the place where you can meet him, bring everything that I command you: your Absolution-Offerings and sacrifices, tithes and Tribute-Offerings, and the best of your Vow-Offerings that you vow to God . Celebrate there in the Presence of God , your God, you and your sons and daughters, your servants and maids, including the Levite living in your neighborhood because he has no place of his own in your inheritance. ¹³Be extra careful: Don't offer your Absolution-Offerings just any place that strikes your fancy. Offer your Absolution-Offerings only in the place that God chooses in one of your tribal regions. There and only there are you to bring all that I command you. ¹⁵ It's permissible to slaughter your nonsacrificial animals like gazelle and deer in your towns and eat all you want from them with the blessing of God , your God. Both the ritually clean and unclean may eat. ¹⁶But you may not eat the blood. Pour the blood out on the ground like water. Nor may you eat there the tithe of your grain, new wine, or olive oil; nor the firstborn of your herds and flocks; nor any of the Vow-Offerings that you vow; nor your Freewill-Offerings and Tribute-Offerings. All these you must eat in the Presence of God , your God, in the place God , your God, chooses—you, your son and daughter, your servant and maid, and the Levite who lives in your neighborhood. You are to celebrate in the Presence of God , your God, all the things you've been able to accomplish. ¹⁹ And make sure that for as long as you live on your land you never, never neglect the Levite. ²⁰When God , your God, expands your territory as he promised he would do, and you say, "I'm hungry for meat," because you happen to be craving meat at the time, go ahead and eat as much meat as you want. If you're too far away from the place that God , your God, has marked with his name, it's all right to slaughter animals from your herds and flocks that God has given you, as I've commanded you. In your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want. Just as the nonsacrificial animals like the gazelle and deer are eaten, you may eat them; the ritually unclean and clean may eat them at the same table. ²³Only this: Absolutely no blood. Don't eat the blood. Blood is life; don't eat the life with the meat. Don't eat it; pour it out on the ground like water. Don't eat it; then you'll have a good life, you and your children after you. By all means, do the right thing in God 's eyes. ²⁶And this: Lift high your Holy-Offerings and your Vow-Offerings and bring them to the place God designates. Sacrifice your Absolution-Offerings, the meat and blood, on the Altar of God , your God; pour out the blood of the Absolution-Offering on the Altar of God , your God; then you can go ahead and eat the meat.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Thou: Deuteronomy 12:4, Deuteronomy 18:9, Exodus 23:2, Leviticus 18:3, Leviticus 18:26-30, 2 Kings 17:15-17, 2 Kings 21:2, 2 Chronicles 33:2, 2 Chronicles 36:14

abomination to the: Heb. abomination of the

even their sons: The unnatural and horrid practice of offering human sacrifices not only existed, but universally prevailed among ancient nations. We have already - See note on Leviticus 20:2 referred to the custom among the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, descendants from the Canaanitish nations, of sacrificing their children to Moloch, or Saturn; and we will now cite a passage from Diodorus Siculus - lib. xx. which immediately precedes that already produced relative to this barbarous custom. He states that the Carthaginians imputed their being besieged by Agathocles to the anger of Saturn, because, instead of sacrificing the best of their own children, as formerly, they had sacrificed children bought for that purpose. "In haste, therefore, to rectify their errors, they chose 200 of the noblest children, and publicly sacrificed them! Others, accused of irreligion, voluntarily gave themselves up, to the number of no less than 300!" Deuteronomy 18:10, Leviticus 18:21, Leviticus 20:2, Jeremiah 7:31, Jeremiah 32:35, Ezekiel 20:31, Ezekiel 23:27, Micah 6:7

Reciprocal: Exodus 8:26 - we shall Exodus 23:24 - do after Leviticus 18:24 - for Leviticus 20:23 - in the manners Numbers 33:52 - General Deuteronomy 7:16 - for that will Deuteronomy 9:4 - for the wickedness Deuteronomy 16:22 - which Deuteronomy 20:18 - General Judges 11:39 - did with 1 Kings 21:26 - according to 2 Kings 3:27 - offered him 2 Kings 16:3 - made his son 2 Kings 17:8 - walked 2 Kings 17:31 - burnt their children 2 Chronicles 28:3 - after the abominations 2 Chronicles 33:6 - caused Ezra 9:1 - doing according Ezra 9:11 - The land Psalms 53:1 - have done Psalms 74:20 - the dark Psalms 106:37 - they sacrificed Jeremiah 10:2 - Learn Jeremiah 19:5 - to burn Ezekiel 11:12 - but Ezekiel 16:45 - that loatheth Ezekiel 23:37 - have also 1 Peter 4:3 - to have

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God,.... Not serve and worship him after the manner of the Gentiles, nor introduce their rites and customs into his service, used by them in the worship of their gods:

for every abomination which he hateth have they done unto their gods; as murder, adultery, c. which God has expressed his aversion to, and indignation at one instance of the former sort is given here:

for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods; not only men have they sacrificed to them, but such near relations; and not only caused them to pass through the fire, but burnt them in it; so the Carthaginians are said to do, who learned this inhuman practice from the Phoenicians; they were a colony of the inhabitants of this land of Canaan. Of the Phoenicians Porphyry says i, that in great calamities, as war or pestilence, they sacrificed to Saturn some one of those that were dearest to them, appointed by suffrage. The Phoenician history, adds he, is full of such sacrifices, which Sanchoniatho wrote in the Phoenician language; and Curtius says k, this custom of sacrificing a fine boy to Saturn was received by the Carthaginians from their founders (the Tyrians and Phoenicians), and which they continued even to the destruction of their city.

i De Abstinentia, l. 2. sect. 56. k Hist. l. 4. c. 3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 12:31. Their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire — Almost all the nations in the world agreed in offering human victims to their gods on extraordinary occasions, by which it is evident that none of those nations had any right notion of the Divine nature. How necessary, then, was the volume of revelation, to teach men what that religion is with which God can be well pleased! The Hindoos to this day offer human victims to their goddess Cali, and at the temple of Jaggernaut; and yet, notwithstanding this, there are found certain persons who, while they profess Christianity, are absolutely unwilling to send the Hindoos the Gospel of Christ, because they think it would not be politically wise! But the wisdom of this world has ever been foolishness with God; and in spite of all this infidel policy, the word of the Lord shall have free course and be glorified.