Deuteronomy 17:1

17:1 You must not sacrifice to him ¹  a bull or sheep that has a blemish or any other defect, because that is considered offensive ²  to the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 18:12

18:12 Whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord and because of these detestable things ³  the Lord your God is about to drive them out ⁴  from before you.

Deuteronomy 22:5

22:5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, ⁵  nor should a man dress up in women’s clothing, for anyone who does this is offensive ⁶  to the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 23:18

23:18 You must never bring the pay of a female prostitute ⁷  or the wage of a male prostitute ⁸  into the temple of the Lord your God in fulfillment of any vow, for both of these are abhorrent to the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 27:15

27:15 ‘Cursed is the one ⁹  who makes a carved or metal image – something abhorrent ¹⁰  to the Lord, the work of the craftsman ¹¹  – and sets it up in a secret place.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ ¹² 

[17:1]  ¹ tn Heb “to the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 16:1.

[17:1]  ² tn The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “an abomination”; cf. NAB) describes persons, things, or practices offensive to ritual or moral order. See M. Grisanti, NIDOTTE 4:314-18; see also the note on the word “abhorrent” in Deut 7:25.

[18:12]  ³ tn Heb “these abhorrent things.” The repetition is emphatic. For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, the same term used earlier in the verse has been translated “detestable” here.

[18:12]  ⁴ tn The translation understands the Hebrew participial form as having an imminent future sense here.

[22:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “a man’s clothing.”

[22:5]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew term תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “offense”) speaks of anything that runs counter to ritual or moral order, especially (in the OT) to divine standards. Cross-dressing in this covenant context may suggest homosexuality, fertility cult ritual, or some other forbidden practice.

[23:18]  ⁷ tn Here the Hebrew term זוֹנָה (zonah) refers to a noncultic (i.e., “secular”) female prostitute; see note on the phrase “sacred prostitute” in v. 17.

[23:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “of a dog.” This is the common Hebrew term for a noncultic (i.e., “secular”) male prostitute. See note on the phrase “sacred male prostitute” in v. 17.

[27:15]  ⁹ tn Heb “man,” but in a generic sense here.

[27:15]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew term translated here “abhorrent” (תּוֹעֵבָה, to’evah) speaks of attitudes and/or behaviors so vile as to be reprehensible to a holy God. See note on the word “abhorrent” in Deut 7:25.

[27:15]  ¹¹ tn Heb “craftsman’s hands.”

[27:15]  ¹² tn Or “So be it!” The term is an affirmation expressing agreement with the words of the Levites.