Exode 23:24

24 Tu ne te prosterneras point devant leurs dieux, et tu ne les serviras point, et tu n'imiteras point leurs œuvres; mais tu les détruiras complètement, et tu briseras entièrement leurs statues.

Exode 23:24 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 23:24

Thou shalt not bow down to their gods
In a way of honour to them, doing them reverence, expressing thereby an high esteem of them, trust in them, and expectation of good things from them;

nor serve them:
in any kind of service in which they usually are served by their votaries; as by offering sacrifice, incense, libations or by praying to them or praising of them, or in whatsoever way they are served by idolaters:

nor do after their works;
the works of the worshippers of idols; all those wicked works in general done by them, which should not be imitated; and those particularly relating to the service and worship of their deities:

but thou shalt overthrow them;
the heathen gods; utterly destroy them, and break them to pieces, or demolish their temples, the idolatrous houses built for them, and their altars; for the word has the signification, of demolishing buildings, and razing up the very foundations of them:

and quite break down their images;
or, "in breaking break down" F15; utterly and entirely break them down, break them to shivers, all their statues of gold or silver, brass, wood, or stone, or of whatsoever materials they were made; none were to be spared, nor any remains of them to be seen, that they might not prove a snare to any to worship them; and hereby they were to express their detestation of idolatry, and their strict and close adherence to the true God, and the worship of him as follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (rbvt rbv) "confringendo confringes", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, "perfringendo perfringito", Piscator.

Exode 23:24 In-Context

22 Mais si tu écoutes attentivement sa voix, et si tu fais tout ce que je dirai, je serai l'ennemi de tes ennemis et l'adversaire de tes adversaires;
23 Car mon ange marchera devant toi, et t'introduira au pays des Amoréens, des Héthiens, des Phéréziens, des Cananéens, des Héviens, et des Jébusiens, et je les exterminerai.
24 Tu ne te prosterneras point devant leurs dieux, et tu ne les serviras point, et tu n'imiteras point leurs œuvres; mais tu les détruiras complètement, et tu briseras entièrement leurs statues.
25 Vous servirez l'Éternel votre Dieu, et il bénira ton pain et tes eaux, et j'ôterai la maladie du milieu de toi.
26 Il n'y aura point en ton pays de femelle qui avorte, ou qui soit stérile. J'accomplirai le nombre de tes jours.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.