Deuteronomy 29:17

17 and saw abominations and filths, that is, their idols, (of) wood and stone, silver and gold, which they worshipped. (we saw their abominations and filths, that is, their idols, and false gods, made out of wood and stone, and silver and gold, which they worshipped.)

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 but to all men (but with all Israelites), present and absent.
16 For ye know how we dwelled in the land of Egypt, and how we passed by the midst of nations; which ye passed (by), (For ye know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how, when we passed through the midst of the nations,)
17 and saw abominations and filths, that is, their idols, (of) wood and stone, silver and gold, which they worshipped. (we saw their abominations and filths, that is, their idols, and false gods, made out of wood and stone, and silver and gold, which they worshipped.)
18 Lest peradventure among you be man either woman, family either lineage, whose heart is turned away today from your Lord God, that he go, and serve the gods of those folks; and a root burgeoning gall and bitterness be among you; (Lest there be among you a man or a woman, a family or a tribe, whose heart today is turned away from the Lord your God, so that they go, and serve the gods of those nations; and there be a root burgeoning gall and bitterness among you;)
19 and when he hath heard the words of this oath, he bless himself in his heart, and say, Peace shall be to me, and I shall go in the depravity of mine heart; and lest the drunken take the thirsty, (and so when he hath heard the words of this oath, he bless himself in his heart, and say, There shall still be peace for me, yea, even though I go in the depravity of my heart; but such thinking shall destroy everything;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.