Deuteronomy 12:30

30 be thou ware lest thou follow them, after that they be destroyed, when thou enterest, and thou seek their ceremonies, and say, As these folks worshipped their gods, so and I shall worship. (be thou careful, after that thou hast entered, and they be destroyed, lest thou follow them; do not thou seek out their ceremonies, saying, As these nations worshipped their gods, so we shall worship our God.)

Deuteronomy 12:30 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 12:30

Take heed to thyself, that thou be not snared by following
them
Their examples and customs, and so be drawn into the same idolatrous practices; see ( Psalms 106:35 Psalms 106:36 ) , after that they be destroyed from before thee; for their idolatries and other sins:

and that thou inquire not after their gods;
what they were, their names, forms, and figures:

saying, how did these nations serve their gods?
what was the manner of worship they gave them? what rites, customs, and ceremonies did they use in their adoration of them?

even so will I do likewise;
or however, if this was not determined on when the inquiries were made, there was danger that this would be the result of them, and therefore the caution is given.

Deuteronomy 12:30 In-Context

28 Keep thou and hear all things which I command to thee, that it be well to thee, and to thy sons after thee, [into] without end, when thou hast done that, that is good and pleasing in the sight of thy Lord God. (Hear thou and obey all the things which I command to thee, so that it be well with thee, and with thy children, forevermore, when thou hast done what is good and pleasing in the sight of the Lord thy God.)
29 When thy Lord God hath destroyed before thy face [the] folks, to which thou shalt enter and wield (When the Lord thy God hath destroyed the nations before thy face, to whom thou shalt enter in to take), and when thou hast wielded those folks, and hast dwelled in their land,
30 be thou ware lest thou follow them, after that they be destroyed, when thou enterest, and thou seek their ceremonies, and say, As these folks worshipped their gods, so and I shall worship. (be thou careful, after that thou hast entered, and they be destroyed, lest thou follow them; do not thou seek out their ceremonies, saying, As these nations worshipped their gods, so we shall worship our God.)
31 Thou shalt not do in like manner to thy Lord God (Thou shalt not worship the Lord thy God in like manner); for they did (un)to their gods all the abominations which the Lord loatheth, and they offered (up) their sons and their daughters, and they burnt them with fire.
32 Do thou to the Lord this thing only which I command to thee, neither add thou anything, neither abate. (Do thou to the Lord only the things which I command to thee, neither add thou anything, nor abate thou anything.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.