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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Deuteronomy 32:17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/32-17.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/18/05_Deu_32_17.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Deuteronomy 32:17 - The Song of Moses" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear." /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; 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to gods whom they knew not, to new <i>gods that</i> came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/deuteronomy/32.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, not to God, <i>To gods</i> they did not know, To new <i>gods,</i> new arrivals That your fathers did not fear.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/deuteronomy/32.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />“They sacrificed to demons, <i>who were</i> not God, To gods <i>whom</i> they have not known, New <i>gods</i> who came lately, Whom your fathers did not know.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/deuteronomy/32.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />&#8220They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/deuteronomy/32.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />“They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New <i>gods</i> who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/deuteronomy/32.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New <i>gods</i> who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/deuteronomy/32.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />“They sacrificed to demons, not to God, To gods whom they have not known, New <i>gods</i> who came lately, Whom your fathers never feared.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/deuteronomy/32.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods they had not known, new gods that had just arrived, which your ancestors did not fear.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/deuteronomy/32.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods they had not known, new gods that had just arrived, which your fathers did not fear. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/deuteronomy/32.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />They sacrificed unto demons, which were no God, To gods that they knew not, To new gods that came up of late, Which your fathers dreaded not.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/deuteronomy/32.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />You offered sacrifices to demons, those useless gods that never helped you, new gods that your ancestors never worshiped. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/deuteronomy/32.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />They sacrificed unto demons, which were no God, To gods whom they knew not, To new gods that came up of late, Whom your fathers dreaded not.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/deuteronomy/32.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons that are not God, to gods they never heard of. These were new gods, who came from nearby, gods your ancestors never worshiped.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/deuteronomy/32.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />They sacrificed to gods that are not real, new gods their ancestors had never known, gods that Israel had never obeyed. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/deuteronomy/32.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons— not to the real God— gods whom they didn't know, new neighbors who had recently appeared, whom your ancestors never feared.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/deuteronomy/32.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods they had not known; to new gods who had recently come along, gods your ancestors had not known about. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/deuteronomy/32.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods that they did not know, to new gods that came up recently, which your fathers did not dread.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/deuteronomy/32.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />They sacrificed to devils, not to God; to gods which they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.<div class="vheading2"><b>Majority Text Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/deuteronomy/32.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/deuteronomy/32.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods that they didn’t know, to new gods that came up recently, which your fathers didn’t dread. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/deuteronomy/32.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />They sacrifice to the demons, not God, "" To gods they have not known, "" New ones—they came from the vicinity; Your fathers have not feared them!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/deuteronomy/32.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> They sacrifice to demons -- no god! Gods they have not known -- New ones -- from the vicinity they came; Not feared them have your fathers!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/deuteronomy/32.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />They will sacrifice to demons, not God; Gods they have not known them New ones came out from the midst; Your fathers not having feared them.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/deuteronomy/32.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to devils and not to God: to gods whom they knew not: that were newly come up, whom their fathers worshipped not. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/deuteronomy/32.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />They immolated to demons and not to God, to gods whom they did not know, who were new and recent arrivals, whom their fathers did not worship.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/deuteronomy/32.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, to “no-gods,” to gods they had never known, Newcomers from afar, before whom your ancestors had never trembled. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/deuteronomy/32.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons, not God, to deities they had never known, to new ones recently arrived, whom your ancestors had not feared.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/deuteronomy/32.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons that were not gods; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that were just made. whom your fathers had never worshipped.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/deuteronomy/32.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />They sacrificed to demons that were not gods, gods that they did not know; they were new, that therefore were made, and your fathers did not worship them.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/deuteronomy/32.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />They sacrificed unto demons, no-gods, Gods that they knew not, New gods that came up of late, Which your fathers dreaded not.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/deuteronomy/32.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />They sacrificed to devils, and not to God; to gods whom they knew not: new and fresh <i>gods</i> came in, whom their fathers knew not.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IRhBtZaVxJ0?start=9099" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/deuteronomy/32.htm">The Song of Moses</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">16</span>They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations. <span class="reftext">17</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/2076.htm" title="2076: yiz·bə·ḥū (V-Qal-Imperf-3mp) -- To slaughter for sacrifice. A primitive root; to slaughter an animal.">They sacrificed</a> <a href="/hebrew/7700.htm" title="7700: laš·šê·ḏîm (Prep-l, Art:: N-mp) -- Probably demon. From shuwd; a doemon.">to demons,</a> <a href="/hebrew/3808.htm" title="3808: lō (Adv-NegPrt) -- Not. Or lowi; or loh; a primitive particle; not; by implication, no; often used with other particles.">not</a> <a href="/hebrew/433.htm" title="433: ’ĕ·lō·ha (N-ms) -- God, god. Probably prolonged From 'el; a deity or the Deity.">to God,</a> <a href="/hebrew/430.htm" title="430: ’ĕ·lō·hîm (N-mp) -- Plural of 'elowahh; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used of the supreme God">to gods</a> <a href="/hebrew/3808.htm" title="3808: lō (Adv-NegPrt) -- Not. Or lowi; or loh; a primitive particle; not; by implication, no; often used with other particles.">they had not</a> <a href="/hebrew/3045.htm" title="3045: yə·ḏā·‘ūm (V-Qal-Perf-3cp:: 3mp) -- A primitive root; to know; used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially.">known,</a> <a href="/hebrew/2319.htm" title="2319: ḥă·ḏā·šîm (Adj-mp) -- New. From chadash; new.">to newly arrived gods,</a> <a href="/hebrew/7138.htm" title="7138: miq·qā·rōḇ (Prep-m:: Adj-ms) -- Near. Or qarob; from qarab; near."></a> <a href="/hebrew/935.htm" title="935: bā·’ū (V-Qal-Perf-3cp) -- To come in, come, go in, go. A primitive root; to go or come."></a> <a href="/hebrew/1.htm" title="1: ’ă·ḇō·ṯê·ḵem (N-mpc:: 2mp) -- Father. A primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application).">which your fathers</a> <a href="/hebrew/3808.htm" title="3808: lō (Adv-NegPrt) -- Not. Or lowi; or loh; a primitive particle; not; by implication, no; often used with other particles.">did not</a> <a href="/hebrew/8175.htm" title="8175: śə·‘ā·rūm (V-Qal-Perf-3cp:: 3mp) -- To storm, to shiver, fear. A primitive root; to storm; by implication, to shiver, i.e. Fear.">fear.</a> </span><span class="reftext">18</span>You ignored the Rock who brought you forth; you forgot the God who gave you birth.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/10-20.htm">1 Corinthians 10:20</a></span><br />No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/106-37.htm">Psalm 106:37</a></span><br />They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/17-7.htm">Leviticus 17:7</a></span><br />They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat demons to which they have prostituted themselves. This will be a permanent statute for them for the generations to come.’<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_chronicles/11-15.htm">2 Chronicles 11:15</a></span><br />And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/9-20.htm">Revelation 9:20</a></span><br />Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_timothy/4-1.htm">1 Timothy 4:1</a></span><br />Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/19-4.htm">Jeremiah 19:4-5</a></span><br />because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. / They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/65-11.htm">Isaiah 65:11</a></span><br />But you who forsake the LORD, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_kings/17-16.htm">2 Kings 17:16-17</a></span><br />They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. / They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_john/4-1.htm">1 John 4:1</a></span><br />Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/20-16.htm">Ezekiel 20:16</a></span><br />because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hosea/13-1.htm">Hosea 13:1-2</a></span><br />When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal, and he died. / Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/galatians/4-8.htm">Galatians 4:8</a></span><br />Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/17-22.htm">Acts 17:22-23</a></span><br />Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious. / For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/judges/2-11.htm">Judges 2:11-13</a></span><br />And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. / Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger, / for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">They sacrificed to devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.</p><p class="hdg">sacrificed</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/leviticus/17-7.htm">Leviticus 17:7</a></b></br> And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/106-37.htm">Psalm 106:37,38</a></b></br> Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/1_corinthians/10-20.htm">1 Corinthians 10:20</a></b></br> But <i>I say</i>, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.</p><p class="hdg">not to God.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/deuteronomy/32-21.htm">Deuteronomy 32:21</a></b></br> They have moved me to jealousy with <i>that which is</i> not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with <i>those which are</i> not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/jeremiah/10-15.htm">Jeremiah 10:15</a></b></br> They <i>are</i> vanity, <i>and</i> the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/1_corinthians/8-4.htm">1 Corinthians 8:4</a></b></br> As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol <i>is</i> nothing in the world, and that <i>there is</i> none other God but one.</p><p class="hdg">to gods</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/deuteronomy/28-64.htm">Deuteronomy 28:64</a></b></br> And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, <i>even</i> wood and stone.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/isaiah/44-8.htm">Isaiah 44:8</a></b></br> Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared <i>it</i>? ye <i>are</i> even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, <i>there is</i> no God; I know not <i>any</i>.</p><p class="hdg">to new gods</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/judges/5-8.htm">Judges 5:8</a></b></br> They chose new gods; then <i>was</i> war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/deuteronomy/31-15.htm">Appeared</a> <a href="/leviticus/17-7.htm">Demons</a> <a href="/leviticus/17-7.htm">Devils</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/31-6.htm">Dread</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/28-60.htm">Dreaded</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/32-5.htm">Evil</a> <a href="/exodus/9-32.htm">Late</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/32-2.htm">New</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/24-5.htm">Newly</a> <a href="/jeremiah/16-20.htm">No-Gods</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/27-7.htm">Offerings</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/24-5.htm">Recently</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/27-7.htm">Sacrificed</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/18-11.htm">Spirits</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/judges/6-12.htm">Appeared</a> <a href="/psalms/106-37.htm">Demons</a> <a href="/2_chronicles/11-15.htm">Devils</a> <a href="/joshua/2-9.htm">Dread</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/32-27.htm">Dreaded</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/32-32.htm">Evil</a> <a href="/2_samuel/11-2.htm">Late</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/33-28.htm">New</a> <a href="/judges/7-19.htm">Newly</a> <a href="/jeremiah/5-7.htm">No-Gods</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/32-38.htm">Offerings</a> <a href="/jeremiah/34-15.htm">Recently</a> <a href="/joshua/8-31.htm">Sacrificed</a> <a href="/judges/16-25.htm">Spirits</a><div class="vheading2">Deuteronomy 32</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/deuteronomy/32-1.htm">Moses' song, which sets forth God's mercy and vengeance</a></span><br><span class="reftext">46. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/deuteronomy/32-46.htm">He exhorts them to set their hearts upon it</a></span><br><span class="reftext">48. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/deuteronomy/32-48.htm">God sends him up to mount Nebo to see the land, and to die</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/deuteronomy/32.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/deuteronomy/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/deuteronomy/32.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>They sacrificed to demons, not to God</b><br>This phrase highlights the Israelites' idolatry, where they turned away from worshiping Yahweh to engage in pagan practices. In the ancient Near East, sacrifices were a central part of worship, and offering sacrifices to other deities was seen as a betrayal of the covenant with God. The term "demons" here can be understood as malevolent spiritual beings that are opposed to God, reflecting the belief that idols were not just lifeless objects but had spiritual entities behind them. This aligns with <a href="/1_corinthians/10-20.htm">1 Corinthians 10:20</a>, where Paul warns that sacrifices to idols are sacrifices to demons.<p><b>to gods they had not known</b><br>The Israelites were introduced to foreign deities through interactions with surrounding nations. These gods were unfamiliar to them, contrasting with the God who had revealed Himself to them through the Law and the prophets. This phrase underscores the folly of abandoning a known, faithful God for unknown entities. It echoes the warning in <a href="/jeremiah/19-4.htm">Jeremiah 19:4-5</a>, where God condemns the people for worshiping gods they and their ancestors did not know.<p><b>to newly arrived gods</b><br>This suggests the introduction of new deities into Israelite worship, possibly through cultural assimilation or conquest. The "newly arrived" gods could refer to those of the Canaanites or other neighboring peoples. This reflects a recurring theme in the Old Testament, where Israel is warned against adopting the religious practices of other nations (<a href="/exodus/34-15.htm">Exodus 34:15-16</a>). The introduction of new gods often led to syncretism, diluting the worship of Yahweh.<p><b>which your fathers did not fear</b><br>The patriarchs and earlier generations of Israelites had a reverent fear of Yahweh, recognizing His power and authority. This phrase indicates a departure from the faithfulness of their ancestors, who did not acknowledge or fear these foreign gods. It serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining the faith and traditions passed down through generations, as seen in <a href="/joshua/24-14.htm">Joshua 24:14-15</a>, where Joshua calls the people to serve the Lord in sincerity and truth, rejecting the gods their ancestors did not serve.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a></b><br>The author of Deuteronomy, delivering a song to the Israelites as a warning and reminder of their covenant with God.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/i/israelites.htm">Israelites</a></b><br>The chosen people of God, who are being warned against idolatry and turning away from the true God.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/d/demons.htm">Demons</a></b><br>Spiritual entities that the Israelites mistakenly worshipped, representing false gods and idols.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/g/god.htm">God</a></b><br>The one true God, Yahweh, whom the Israelites are called to worship and obey.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/c/canaan.htm">Canaan</a></b><br>The land where the Israelites are headed, filled with pagan nations and their gods, posing a temptation to Israel.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_danger_of_idolatry.htm">The Danger of Idolatry</a></b><br>Idolatry is not just the worship of physical idols but includes anything that takes the place of God in our lives. We must be vigilant in identifying and removing idols from our hearts.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/s/spiritual_warfare.htm">Spiritual Warfare</a></b><br>Recognize that behind false gods and idols are demonic influences. Spiritual discernment and reliance on God's Word are essential in combating these forces.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/f/faithfulness_to_god.htm">Faithfulness to God</a></b><br>The Israelites' history serves as a warning to remain faithful to God. We must continually renew our commitment to Him and avoid the allure of "newly arrived gods" in our culture.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/generational_faithfulness.htm">Generational Faithfulness</a></b><br>The reference to "gods which your fathers did not fear" highlights the importance of passing down a legacy of faithfulness to God to future generations.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/r/repentance_and_return.htm">Repentance and Return</a></b><br>When we recognize idolatry in our lives, we must repent and return to God, seeking His forgiveness and restoration.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_deuteronomy_32.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 32</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/are_demons_real.htm">Are demons real?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_are_demons_in_the_bible.htm">What are demons according to the Bible?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/do_idols_in_jeremiah_10_conflict_with_other_texts.htm">Jeremiah 10:14–15: Does the portrayal of idols as complete falsehood conflict with other biblical texts that acknowledge spiritual powers behind foreign gods?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_defines_satanism_beliefs.htm">What defines the beliefs and practices of Satanism?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/deuteronomy/32.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(17) <span class= "bld">They sacrificed unto devils, not to God.</span>--St. Paul repeats this expression in <a href="/1_corinthians/11-20.htm" title="When you come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.">1Corinthians 11:20</a>.<p><span class= "bld">Gods that came newly up.</span>--Literally, <span class= "ital">that came from close at hand. </span>Compare the description of the idol in <a href="/isaiah/44-15.htm" title="Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yes, he kindles it, and bakes bread; yes, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it a graven image, and falls down thereto.">Isaiah 44:15</a>, easily made from the firewood; and see also <a href="//apocrypha.org/wisdom_of_solomon/13-13.htm" title="And taking the very refuse among those which served to no use, being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, hath carved it diligently, when he had nothing else to do, and formed it by the skill of his understanding, and fashioned it to the image of a man;">Wisdom Of Solomon 13:13</a>, "A carpenter taking a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, hath carved it diligently, <span class= "ital">when he had nothing else to do</span>"--a comment on the passage in Isaiah 44<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/deuteronomy/32.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 17.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Devils</span>; <span class="accented">shedim</span>, a word which occurs only here and <a href="/psalms/106-37.htm">Psalm 106:37</a>. It stands connected with the verb <span class="hebrew">שׁוּד</span>, to rule, and means primarily "lords." The LXX. render by <span class="greek">δαιμόνια</span>, demons. In Assyrian it is said to be a name for demigods. <span class="cmt_word">Not to God</span>; rather, <span class="accented">to a not God</span>, a composite term in apposition <span class="accented">to shedim</span>; the meaning is rightly given in the margin of the Authorized Version, "which were not God." <span class="cmt_word">To new gods that came newly up.</span> The word rendered by "newly" (<span class="hebrew">קָרוב</span>) properly means "near;" it is an adjective both of place and of time; here it is the latter, equal to of a near time, recently - gods recently invented or discovered. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">They sacrificed</span><br /><span class="heb">יִזְבְּח֗וּ</span> <span class="translit">(yiz·bə·ḥū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2076.htm">Strong's 2076: </a> </span><span class="str2">To slaughter for sacrifice</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to demons,</span><br /><span class="heb">לַשֵּׁדִים֙</span> <span class="translit">(laš·šê·ḏîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7700.htm">Strong's 7700: </a> </span><span class="str2">Probably demon</span><br /><br /><span class="word">not</span><br /><span class="heb">לֹ֣א</span> <span class="translit">(lō)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb - Negative particle<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3808.htm">Strong's 3808: </a> </span><span class="str2">Not, no</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to God,</span><br /><span class="heb">אֱלֹ֔הַ</span> <span class="translit">(’ĕ·lō·ha)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_433.htm">Strong's 433: </a> </span><span class="str2">God -- a deity, the Deity</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to gods</span><br /><span class="heb">אֱלֹהִ֖ים</span> <span class="translit">(’ĕ·lō·hîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_430.htm">Strong's 430: </a> </span><span class="str2">gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative</span><br /><br /><span class="word">they had not</span><br /><span class="heb">לֹ֣א</span> <span class="translit">(lō)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb - Negative particle<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3808.htm">Strong's 3808: </a> </span><span class="str2">Not, no</span><br /><br /><span class="word">known,</span><br /><span class="heb">יְדָע֑וּם</span> <span class="translit">(yə·ḏā·‘ūm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3045.htm">Strong's 3045: </a> </span><span class="str2">To know</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to newly arrived [gods],</span><br /><span class="heb">חֲדָשִׁים֙</span> <span class="translit">(ḥă·ḏā·šîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2319.htm">Strong's 2319: </a> </span><span class="str2">New</span><br /><br /><span class="word">which your fathers</span><br /><span class="heb">אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃</span> <span class="translit">(’ă·ḇō·ṯê·ḵem)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1.htm">Strong's 1: </a> </span><span class="str2">Father</span><br /><br /><span class="word">did not</span><br /><span class="heb">לֹ֥א</span> <span class="translit">(lō)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adverb - Negative particle<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3808.htm">Strong's 3808: </a> </span><span class="str2">Not, no</span><br /><br /><span class="word">fear.</span><br /><span class="heb">שְׂעָר֖וּם</span> <span class="translit">(śə·‘ā·rūm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8175.htm">Strong's 8175: </a> </span><span class="str2">To storm, to shiver, fear</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">Deuteronomy 32:17 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/deuteronomy/32-17.htm">OT Law: Deuteronomy 32:17 They sacrificed to demons which were no (Deut. De Du)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/deuteronomy/32-16.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Deuteronomy 32:16"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Deuteronomy 32:16" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/deuteronomy/32-18.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Deuteronomy 32:18"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Deuteronomy 32:18" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>