He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
Parallel translations
- WEB “He who sacrifices to any god, except to Yahweh only, shall be utterly destroyed.
- BSB If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.
- NKJV “He who sacrifices to any god, except to the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
- NASB “He who sacrifices to any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be utterly destroyed.
- NLT “Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Whoever sacrifices to any god but Yahweh is to be utterly destroyed. Exclusive worship of the one true God is non-negotiable.
Overview
This law enforces the first commandment, treating idolatrous sacrifice as treason against the covenant Lord who redeemed Israel. It safeguards the nation's wholehearted devotion to God alone. The exclusive worship demanded here is fulfilled in Christ, the only mediator, through whom alone we come to the Father (John 14:6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Deut 17:2–5If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant,
- Num 25:7–8And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
- Deut 18:20But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
- Deut 13:1–15If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
- Num 25:2–4And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
- Num 21:3And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.
- Josh 23:15–16Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 22:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.