Exodus 34:17

17 "Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

Exodus 34:17 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 34:17

Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
] Made of a melted liquid, whether gold, or silver, or brass, poured into a mould; and though graven images are not mentioned, they are included, a part being put for the whole, as appears not only from the injunction to break images in general, whether graven or molten, ( Exodus 34:13 ) but from the second command, which expressly forbids the making and worshipping of them; but "molten" ones are particularly mentioned, because it is probable they were chiefly such the Canaanites worshipped, and especially, because the calf the Israelites had lately made and worshipped was a molten one.

Exodus 34:17 In-Context

15 lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice,

16 and thou take their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

17 "Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

18 "The Feast of Unleavened Bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib thou camest out from Egypt.

19 "All that openeth the womb is Mine, and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.