Deuteronomy 12:29-31

The Abomination of Pagan Gods

12:29 When the Lord your God eliminates the nations from the place where you are headed and you dispossess them, you will settle down in their land. ¹  12:30 After they have been destroyed from your presence, be careful not to be ensnared like they are; do not pursue their gods and say, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do the same.” 12:31 You must not worship the Lord your God the way they do! ²  For everything that is abhorrent ³  to him, ⁴  everything he hates, they have done when worshiping their gods. They even burn up their sons and daughters before their gods!

[12:29]  ¹ tn Heb “dwell in their land” (so NASB). In the Hebrew text vv. 29-30 are one long sentence. For stylistic reasons the translation divides it into two.

[12:31]  ² tn Heb “you must not do thus to/for the Lord your God.”

[12:31]  ³ tn See note on this term at Deut 7:25.

[12:31]  ⁴ tn Heb “every abomination of the Lord.” See note on the word “his” in v. 27.