Deuteronomy 29:17

17 You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold.

Deuteronomy 29:17 in Other Translations

KJV
17 And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)
ESV
17 And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them.
NLT
17 You have seen their detestable practices and their idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold.
MSG
17 You got an eyeful of their obscenities, their wood and stone, silver and gold junk-gods.
CSB
17 You saw their detestable images and idols [made] of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which were among them.

Deuteronomy 29:17 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 29:17

And ye have seen their abominations and their idols
Or, "their abominations, even their idols"; for the same are meant by both: it is common in Scripture to call the idols of the Gentiles abominations, without any other explanation of them; see ( 1 Kings 11:5 1 Kings 11:7 ) ; because they are abominable to God, and ought to be so to men: the word for idols has the signification of dung, and may be rendered dunghill gods, either referring to such that were bred and lived in dung, as the beetle, worshipped by the Egyptians, as Bishop Patrick observes; or which were as much to be loathed and abhorred as the dung of any creature:

wood and stone, silver and gold;
these are the materials of which the idols they had seen in the several countries they had been in, or passed through, were made of; some of wood, others of stone cut out of these, and carved; others more rich and costly were made of massive gold and silver, and were molten ones; or the images of wood were glided with gold and silver;

which [were] among them;
now these being seen by them in as they passed along, they might run in their minds, or be called to remembrance by them, and so they be in danger of being drawn aside to make the like, and worship them.

Deuteronomy 29:17 In-Context

15 who are standing here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God but also with those who are not here today.
16 You yourselves know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here.
17 You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold.
18 Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.
19 When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Exodus 20:23; Deuteronomy 4:28; Deuteronomy 28:36
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.