Deuteronomy 7:25

25 "The graven images of their gods you are to 1burn with fire; you shall 2not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, or you will be 3snared by it, for it is an 4abomination to the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 7:25 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 7:25

The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire
Which is repeated from ( Deuteronomy 7:5 ) , that it might be the more observed and strictly performed, and which unless done, they could not expect the utter destruction of their enemies, who were left in the land to try and prove them with respect to this very thing:

thou shall not desire the silver or gold that is on them:
the raiment of gold or silver with which they were bedecked, or the plates of gold and silver with which they were covered, or any ornament about them, as chains and the like, that were of either of these metals; see ( Ezekiel 16:16 Ezekiel 16:17 Ezekiel 16:18 ) ( Jeremiah 10:9 ) ,

nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein;
nor take it into their possession, or bring it into their houses, as in the next verse, lest they should be under a temptation to worship it, or keep it as a superstitious relic:

for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God;
not only the idol itself, being put in the place of God, and so derogatory to his honour and glory, but the gold and silver on it, being devoted to a superstitious and idolatrous use; and even the taking of it, and appropriating it to a man's own use, was an abomination, and resented by the Lord as such.

Deuteronomy 7:25 In-Context

23 "But the LORD your God will deliver them before you, and will throw them into great confusion until they are destroyed.
24 "He will deliver their kings into your hand so that you will make their name perish from under heaven; no man will be able to stand before you until you have destroyed them.
25 "The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, or you will be snared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God.
26 "You shall not bring an abomination into your house, and like it come under the ban; you shall utterly detest it and you shall utterly abhor it, for it is something banned.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Exodus 32:20; Deuteronomy 12:3; 1 Chronicles 14:12
  • 2. Exodus 20:17
  • 3. Deuteronomy 7:16; Judges 8:27
  • 4. Deuteronomy 17:1
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