Deuteronomy 32:17
They sacrificed to demons that were not God, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that Israel's worship wasn't just about choosing different gods; it was about embracing the entirely novel and unknown. These weren't merely unfamiliar deities, but "new gods that had come recently," suggesting a deliberate turn away from the traditions and fears that had historically guided their ancestors. This points to a deeper rebellion rooted in novelty and a rejection of the tried and trusted divine relationship.
As Moses delivers his final song to Israel, he contrasts God's faithfulness with their persistent rebellion. He recounts God's steadfast love and protection, from their wilderness journey to their promised land, only to reveal how they "waxed fat and kicked," forsaking the Lord. This leads into their deep spiritual corruption, where they turned away from the true God to worship foreign, newly invented deities.
God's people had a tendency to chase after the latest trends in worship. But what's so dangerous about 'new gods'?
The verse highlights the Israelites' attraction to "new gods that had come recently." This speaks to a dangerous human tendency: the allure of novelty, especially in spiritual matters. When worship becomes routine, or when challenges arise, there's a temptation to seek out what's fresh, what's different, what seems more accessible or powerful.
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The text uses a stark word for the deities the Israelites worshipped instead of God. What does this tell us about the nature of false gods?
The Hebrew word translated as 'devils' here, shedim, can also carry the sense of 'destroyers' or 'rulers.' This isn't just a neutral term for gods; it points to their destructive nature.
The verse contrasts gods their fathers knew with new ones they'd never heard of. What's the significance of this generational shift in worship?
Deuteronomy 32:17 paints a picture of spiritual decline, marked by a rejection of ancestral faith for novel, unproven deities. This highlights several key dangers:
This passage warns against discarding the wisdom of past generations and the foundational truths of faith for the sake of novelty or convenience. True spirituality is often about deepening our knowledge of the God our fathers knew, not chasing after fleeting, unknown deities.
Understand the original words
shed · Hebrew Noun
Supernatural spiritual beings or entities that are not God, often associated with idolatry or pagan worship; they are considered inferior and rebellious.
This verse highlights Israel's repeated pattern of turning to foreign gods, often influenced by their proximity to other nations and their own spiritual wandering, rather than remaining faithful to the God who delivered them.
~1446-1406 BC— this verse
Israel Wanders in the Wilderness
After their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites spent forty years in the desert. During this time, God provided for them, but they also faced numerous challenges and temptations to turn away from Him.
c. 1406 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
Israel crossed the Jordan River and began the conquest of Canaan. This marked a new phase, bringing them into contact with various Canaanite cultures and their diverse religious practices.
Period of the Judges (c. 1380-1050 BC)
Cycles of Faithfulness and Idolatry
Following Joshua's death, Israel entered a period where they repeatedly turned away from God to worship local deities, only to be oppressed and then delivered by God through judges.
Monarchy (c. 1050 BC onwards)
Continued Religious Syncretism
Even with a unified monarchy, including kings like Solomon, the influence of foreign religions persisted, leading to a blending of worship that deviated from God's commands.
Divided Monarchy (c. 931 BC onwards)
Idolatry Becomes Entrenched
After the kingdom split, both Israel (in the north) and Judah (in the south) saw widespread idolatry, with Baal worship and other Canaanite deities becoming prominent, leading to prophetic warnings.
This verse echoes Deuteronomy's condemnation, stating that Israel 'sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons' and that these were 'not gods at all.' It highlights the same tragic pattern of forsaking God for destructive forces.
1 Corinthians 10:20Paul directly connects the worship of idols to the worship of demons, stating, 'No, I imply that what they sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.' This shows how the ancient practice described in Deuteronomy is understood in the New Testament.
Romans 1:22-23This passage describes people who 'exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.' It illustrates the 'new gods' of Deuteronomy, showing how humanity can invent deities out of created things and exchange true worship for something that offers no real salvation.
Jeremiah 2:11-13The prophet Jeremiah laments Israel's abandonment of God, saying, 'Has a nation changed its gods—even though they are no gods? But my people have changed my glory for that which does not profit.' This mirrors Deuteronomy's critique of sacrificing to 'gods they had never known' and abandoning the 'Rock of their salvation.'
calvinDeuteronomy 32:1-52: "Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth."
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
Ipsi ad zelum provocaverunt me, in eo quod non est Deus, ad iracundiam me provocaverunt in vanitatibus suis: et ego ad zelum provocabo eos in eo qui non…
barnesDeuteronomy 32:17: "They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not."
Devils - Render, destroyers. The application of the word to the false gods points to the trait so deeply graven in all pagan worship, that of regarding the deities as malignant, and needing to be propitiated by human sufferings. Not to God - Rather, "not God," i. e., which were not God; see the margin and Deuteronomy 32:21. Compare Deuteronomy 1…
The verse highlights that Israel's worship wasn't just about choosing different gods; it was about embracing the entirely novel and unknown. These weren't merely unfamiliar deities, but "new gods that had come recently," suggesting a deliberate turn away from the traditions and fears that had historically guided their ancestors. This points to a deeper rebellion rooted in novelty and a rejection of the tried and trusted divine relationship.
As Moses delivers his final song to Israel, he contrasts God's faithfulness with their persistent rebellion. He recounts God's steadfast love and protection, from their wilderness journey to their promised land, only to reveal how they "waxed fat and kicked," forsaking the Lord. This leads into their deep spiritual corruption, where they turned away from the true God to worship foreign, newly invented deities.
As Moses delivers his final song to Israel, he contrasts God's faithfulness with their persistent rebellion. He recounts God's steadfast love and protection, from their wilderness journey to their promised land, only to reveal how they "waxed fat and kicked," forsaking the Lord. This leads into their deep spiritual corruption, where they turned away from the true God to worship foreign, newly invented deities.
"They sacrificed to demons that were not God, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded." — The verse highlights that Israel's worship wasn't just about choosing different gods; it was about embracing the entirely novel and unknown. These weren't merely unfamiliar deities, but "new gods tha…
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