Deuteronomy 29:17-18
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What's easy to miss here is that the verse doesn't just list the idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold; it calls them "their abominations" and "their idols," emphasizing that the people saw these things as detestable. This highlights that the Israelites weren't ignorant of these foreign gods; they witnessed their wickedness and the repulsive nature of idolatry firsthand, making their future straying an even more profound act of rebellion.
And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them. Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit,
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Moses prepares Israel to enter the Promised Land, he reminds them of the solemn covenant they are entering into with God, a covenant that extends to future generations and even strangers among them. He contrasts this sacred commitment with the detestable idolatry and pagan practices they witnessed in Egypt and the lands they have passed through, emphasizing that these false gods were made of ordinary materials like wood, stone, silver, and gold. This reflection serves as a stark warning against the temptation to adopt the ways of the surrounding nations and stray from their faithfulness to the Lord.
Moses calls Israel's idols 'detestable things.' But what does that really mean for these objects of wood and stone?
When Moses calls the idols "detestable things" (the Hebrew word here, shiḳḳuṣîm, is a strong term for things that provoke disgust and abhorrence), he's not just describing objects. He's pointing to the deeply offensive nature of idolatry itself.
These weren't just pretty statues; they were symbols of practices that were utterly contrary to God's holy character and His covenant promises. They represented a turning away from the one true God, who had delivered them, to false gods who offered nothing real.
Think about it: These idols were made of the most basic materials – wood, stone, silver, and gold. Yet, they were treated as divine. This highlights the absurdity and the spiritual bankruptcy of idolatry. It's an offense to God because it elevates the created above the Creator.
The verse mentions idols, but the danger goes deeper. What's the hidden threat lurking within the community?
Moses warns that among the people, there could be 'a root that beareth gall and wormwood.' This isn't just about individual acts of idolatry; it's about the potential for a corrupting influence to spread.
This 'root' represents a hidden, underlying disposition towards sin and rebellion. It's a spiritual poison that can contaminate the whole community if left unchecked.
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When someone cherishes these idols, or the practices associated with them, they aren't just a problem for themselves. They become like a toxic root that, if not dealt with, can spread its bitterness and defile many others, just as a poisonous plant can spoil a whole field.
Understand the original words
shiqquwts · Hebrew Noun
Refers to objects of worship other than the one true God, specifically images or statues crafted by human hands that are considered abominations to the Lord. Biblically, these are seen as worthless and deceptive, drawing people away from the living God.
gillul · Hebrew Noun
An object used in worship, typically representing a deity, made of material substances. In Scripture, idols are consistently condemned as powerless and in direct competition with the exclusivity of God’s rule.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The center of human personality, encompassing the will, intellect, and emotions. In this context, it represents the seat of moral decision-making and loyalty, which can be hardened against God or surrendered to Him.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal, covenant-keeping name of God in the Old Testament, representing His majesty, holiness, and faithful love toward His people.
This verse is spoken by Moses in the plains of Moab, just before Israel enters the Promised Land. He's reminding them of the pagan cultures they've already encountered and the idols they've seen, emphasizing that they are entering a land filled with even more pervasive idolatry. The reminder isn't just historical; it's a crucial warning about the temptation they will face and the severe consequences of straying from their covenant with God.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt, a land steeped in idolatry. This event marks their transition from a people enslaved by foreign gods to a nation chosen by the one true God.
~1446 BC
Journey Through the Wilderness
During their 40-year journey, the Israelites passed through the territories of various nations, witnessing their idolatrous practices and the physical manifestations of their worship.
~1445 BC
Covenant Renewal at Sinai
At Mount Sinai, God formally establishes His covenant with Israel, giving them the Law and reiterating His exclusive claim upon them.
~1406 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
Israel enters the land of Canaan, a place already filled with the detestable religious practices of the Canaanites and other peoples, setting the stage for future conflict and temptation.
~1400 BC - 1000 BC
Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, Israel experiences cycles of faithfulness and unfaithfulness, often falling into the idolatry of surrounding nations despite repeated warnings.
~931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After Solomon's reign, the united kingdom splits into Israel (north) and Judah (south), with both kingdoms frequently engaging in or tolerating idolatrous worship.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom (Israel)
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, largely due to its persistent idolatry and disobedience to God's covenant.
This passage vividly describes idols made of wood and decorated with silver and gold, emphasizing their worthlessness and inability to move or save, mirroring the description in Deuteronomy.
Isaiah 44:12-20This text offers a detailed critique of idol-making, showing the process from wood to a carved image, and highlights the foolishness of worshipping something made by human hands, directly relating to the materials and concept in Deuteronomy.
1 Corinthians 10:14Paul directly warns believers to 'flee from idolatry,' underscoring the serious spiritual danger associated with such practices, which is the underlying concern when Moses points out the idols of other nations.
Romans 1:21-23This passage explains how people turned from God to worship created things, including idols made of wood and stone, showing the progression from knowing God to exchanging His truth for a lie, which is the spiritual context for the detestable things Moses mentions.
calvinDeuteronomy 29:10-28: "Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,"
That he may establish thee today for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Ut statuat te hodie sibi in populum, et ipse sit tibi in Deum, quemadmodum loquutus est tibi, et quemadmodum juravit patrib…
cambridgeDeuteronomy 29:17: "And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)"
17 . abominations ] Rather detestable things , not to ‘ebôth , as in Deuteronomy 7:25 , but shiḳḳuṣîm , frequent in Jer. and Ezek. of idols, nowhere else in Deut., but the vb. from which it comes is found in Deuteronomy 7:26 . idols ] Heb. gillulîm , a scornful term meaning either things gross or coarse , such as some forms of the root in Ar. mean (applied to dung…
What's easy to miss here is that the verse doesn't just list the idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold; it calls them "their abominations" and "their idols," emphasizing that the people saw these things as detestable. This highlights that the Israelites weren't ignorant of these foreign gods; they witnessed their wickedness and the repulsive nature of idolatry firsthand, making their future straying an even more profound act of rebellion.
As Moses prepares Israel to enter the Promised Land, he reminds them of the solemn covenant they are entering into with God, a covenant that extends to future generations and even strangers among them. He contrasts this sacred commitment with the detestable idolatry and pagan practices they witnessed in Egypt and the lands they have passed through, emphasizing that these false gods were made of ordinary materials like wood, stone, silver, and gold. This reflection serves as a stark warning against the temptation to adopt the ways of the surrounding nations and stray from their faithfulness to the Lord.
As Moses prepares Israel to enter the Promised Land, he reminds them of the solemn covenant they are entering into with God, a covenant that extends to future generations and even strangers among them. He contrasts this sacred commitment with the detestable idolatry and pagan practices they witnessed in Egypt and the lands they have passed through, emphasizing that these false gods were made of ordinary materials like wood, stone, silver, and gold. This reflection serves as a stark warning against the temptation to adopt the ways of the surrounding nations and stray from their faithfulness to the Lord.
"And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them. Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the LORD our God to…" — What's easy to miss here is that the verse doesn't just list the idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold; it calls them "their abominations" and "their idols," emphasizing that the people saw these…
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Last reviewed October 2026
