And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Be careful to do all things that I have said to you; and don’t invoke the name of other gods or even let them be heard out of your mouth.
- BSB Pay close attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.
- NKJV “And in all that I have said to you, be circumspect and make no mention of the name of other gods, nor let it be heard from your mouth.
- NASB Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be careful; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.
- NLT “Pay close attention to all my instructions. You must not call on the name of any other gods. Do not even speak their names.
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
Israel must obey all God's commands and never invoke the names of other gods. Wholehearted loyalty to the Lord excludes all rival worship.
Overview
This summary call to careful obedience guards against idolatry, even forbidding the casual mention of false gods' names. It underscores Israel's exclusive devotion to Yahweh. Such undivided loyalty is fulfilled in Christ, who alone is Lord and at whose name every other power must bow (Philippians 2:9-11).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Josh 23:7That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
- Zech 13:2And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
- Deut 4:9Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;
- Hos 2:17For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
- 1 Tim 4:16Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
- Deut 12:3And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
- Jer 10:11Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
- Josh 22:5But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Josh 23:11Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
- Ps 16:4Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
- Deut 4:15Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
- Eph 5:15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
- Ps 39:1I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
- Heb 12:15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
- Eph 5:12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
- 1 Chr 28:7–9Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.
- Num 32:38And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.
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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 23:13 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
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