“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.
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.
- KJV 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.
- 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.
- 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 you not come 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 down yourselves to them;
- Zech 13:2It will come to pass in that day, says Yahweh of Armies, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they will be remembered no more. I will also cause the prophets and the spirit of impurity to pass out of the land.
- Deut 4:9Only be careful, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children;
- Hos 2:17For I will take away the names of the Baals out of her mouth, and they will no longer be mentioned by name.
- 1 Tim 4:16Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
- Deut 12:3You shall break down their altars, and dash their pillars in pieces, and burn their Asherah poles with fire. You shall cut down the engraved images of their gods. You shall destroy their name out of that place.
- Jer 10:11“You shall say this to them: ‘The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.’”
- Josh 22:5Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
- Josh 23:11Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love Yahweh your God.
- Ps 16:4Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips.
- Deut 4:15Be very careful, for you saw no kind of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you in Horeb out of the middle of the fire,
- Eph 5:15Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise;
- Ps 39:1For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David. I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”
- Heb 12:15looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;
- Eph 5:12For the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of.
- 1 Chr 28:7–9I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues to do my commandments and my ordinances, as it is today.’
- Num 32:38Nebo, and Baal Meon, (their names being changed), and Sibmah. They gave other names to the cities which they built.
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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
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.