Deuteronomy 17:3

3 and hath gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded,

Deuteronomy 17:3 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 17:3

And hath gone
The Targum of Jonathan adds, after the evil imagination or concupiscence, lusting after other lovers, and forsaking the true God, and departing from his worship:

and served other gods;
strange gods, the idols of the people, other gods besides the true God; the creature besides the Creator:

and worshipped them;
by bowing down before them, praying to them, or ascribing their mercies and blessings to them, and giving them the glory of them:

either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven:
the two great luminaries, and the planets, constellations, and stars, any of them; which kind of idolatry very early obtained, and was in use at this time among the Heathens, and was an iniquity to be punished by the judge, ( Job 31:26-28 ) , which sin, though so strictly forbidden, the people of Israel sometimes fell into, ( 2 Kings 21:3 ) ( 23:4 )

which I have not commanded:
and which is a sufficient reason, in matters of worship, to avoid and abstain from anything, that God has not commanded it; for in things of that nature nothing should be done but what he has ordered, who is a jealous God, and will not suffer any to take upon them to direct what should be done as a religious service and duty; and if any are so presumptuous, they must expect it will be resented; see ( Isaiah 1:12 ) and especially with respect to the object of worship, as here, and which relate to things if not forbid expressly, yet tacitly, to do which was an abomination to the Lord.

Deuteronomy 17:3 In-Context

1 "Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock or sheep wherein is blemish or any evilfavoredness, for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
2 "If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman who hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God in transgressing His covenant,
3 and hath gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded,
4 and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it and inquired diligently, and behold, it be true and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought in Israel,
5 then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman who has committed that wicked thing unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones till they die.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.