Exodus 34:16

16 And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.

Exodus 34:16 in Other Translations

KJV
16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.
ESV
16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.
NLT
16 Then you will accept their daughters, who sacrifice to other gods, as wives for your sons. And they will seduce your sons to commit adultery against me by worshiping other gods.
MSG
16 marry your sons to their women, women who take up with any convenient god or goddess and will get your sons to do the same thing.
CSB
16 Then you will take some of their daughters [as brides] for your sons. Their daughters will prostitute themselves with their gods and cause your sons to prostitute themselves with their gods.

Exodus 34:16 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 34:16

And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons
That is, marry them to them, which explains what is meant by making a covenant with them, entering into such a near relation, and joining families, and thus intermixing with one another;

and their daughters go a whoring after their gods;
the worship of whom they have been trained up in from their infancy, and therefore hanker after them, and commit whoredom in a spiritual sense with them;

and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods;
by the means of tempting and drawing them into idolatrous practices, as the wives of Solomon were a snare to him.

Exodus 34:16 In-Context

14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
15 “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.
16 And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.
17 “Do not make any idols.
18 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Deuteronomy 7:3; Deuteronomy 17:17; Joshua 23:12; Judges 3:6; Judges 14:3; 1 Kings 11:1,2; 1 Kings 16:31; Ezra 9:2; Ezra 10:3; Ne Ezra 10:30; Nehemiah 13:25,26
  • 2. Deuteronomy 7:4; Deuteronomy 12:31; Deuteronomy 20:18; 1 Kings 11:4; 2 Kings 21:3-15; Psalms 106:34-41; Malachi 2:11
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