“He who sacrifices to any god, except to 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.
- KJV He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
- BSB If anyone sacrifices to any god other than the LORD alone, he must be set apart for destruction.
- 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 is found among you, within any of your gates which Yahweh your God gives you, a man or woman who does that which is evil in Yahweh your God’s sight, in transgressing his covenant,
- Num 25:7–8When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the middle of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand.
- Deut 18:20But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”
- Deut 13:1–15If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
- Num 25:2–4for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods.
- Num 21:3Yahweh listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. The name of the place was called Hormah.
- Josh 23:15–16It shall happen that as all the good things have come on you of which Yahweh your God spoke to you, so Yahweh will bring on you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land which Yahweh your God has 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.