“Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about a specific religious act; it reveals a profound concept called "the ban," where loyalty to God meant things and people could be entirely set apart for destruction. It highlights that any worship directed elsewhere wasn't just a mistake, but a fundamental betrayal that warranted absolute separation from the community, even involving the forfeiture of possessions.
“Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This command appears in the context of laws clarifying how Israel should live justly and separate themselves from pagan practices as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Following instructions on protecting the vulnerable and dealing with theft, this verse fiercely addresses any Israelite who would worship other gods, emphasizing that sacrifice to anyone besides the LORD meant being utterly destroyed. This severe penalty underscores the absolute loyalty God demanded from His chosen people.
In a relationship as serious as marriage, what's the ultimate betrayal? For Israel and God, it was worshipping anyone else.
Exodus 22:20 lays down an incredibly severe penalty: 'utterly destroyed.' This wasn't just a slap on the wrist. Sacrificing to another god was seen as the ultimate act of treason against God, who had just delivered Israel from slavery.
Renouncing the Covenant
Sacrifice was the central act of worship, the way people connected with God. To offer sacrifice to any other god meant to renounce the covenant relationship Israel had with the LORD. It was a public declaration that God's protection and provision were no longer enough, or worse, that they preferred the false promises of other deities.
Jealousy and Justice
God's command here stems from His unique nature as a 'jealous God.' This doesn't mean insecurity, but rather a fierce, protective love for His people and a holy intolerance for anything that would usurp His rightful place. This law ensured that the covenant community remained pure and devoted solely to the One who saved them.
What does it mean to be 'utterly destroyed'? It’s a chilling phrase that points to something more than just physical death.
The phrase 'utterly destroyed' translates a Hebrew word that carries a profound weight. It signifies being 'devoted' or 'banned.'
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Separation and Annihilation
When something was devoted to destruction, it was completely set apart from the normal order of things and given over to God for annihilation. This wasn't about accidental harm; it was a deliberate, final separation. It meant being removed from the community and, in the harshest cases, wiped out entirely – life and property alike.
A Divine Offering
In essence, the person who chose to worship another god was, by their act, devoting themselves to destruction as a perverse offering. It was a forfeiture of their place within God's covenant people, a separation from life and blessing. This concept, known as the 'ban,' was applied in various contexts in ancient Israel, often to enemies or disloyal elements within the community, underscoring the absolute requirement of loyalty to Yahweh.
Understand the original words
zabach · Hebrew Verb
In the context of the Mosaic Law, this refers to the killing of an animal or offering of items to a deity. In true worship, it is an act of atonement or devotion; in idolatry, it is a detestable rebellion against the covenant.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, the covenant-keeping God who revealed Himself to Moses. It signifies the self-existent, eternal, and holy nature of the Almighty.
charam · Hebrew Verb
A term used in the Torah to describe something or someone placed under a divine ban, intended to be completely destroyed or dedicated exclusively to God because of its extreme wickedness or uncleanness.
This passage mirrors the severity of Exodus 22:20 by detailing the capital punishment for even close family members who entice others to worship foreign gods, reinforcing the absolute demand for exclusive loyalty to the LORD.
Joshua 6:17-19The concept of being 'devoted to destruction' (the ban) is powerfully illustrated with the destruction of Jericho, showing how complete separation from anything that opposes God's will was a severe, divinely mandated judgment.
1 Kings 18:18-40Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel dramatically highlights the life-or-death consequences of choosing between worshiping the LORD and idolatry, culminating in God's fiery judgment on Baal's false prophets.
Romans 1:25This New Testament passage speaks to the consequences of 'exchanging the truth about God for a lie' and worshiping created things, echoing the principle that turning away from the true Creator leads to a profound disconnection from Him.
gillExodus 22:20: "He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed."
He that sacrificeth unto any god,.... To Elohim, to strange gods, to the idols of the people, as the Targum of Jonathan; to the Egyptian deities, to the gods of the Moabites, Amorites, Edomites, Canaanites, Philistines, or any other: Aben Ezra says the word Elohim comprehends angels; and by the exceptive clause it is plain it takes in all that had been, were, or ever would be the objects of…
pulpitExodus 22:20: "He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed."
Verse 20. - Law against sacrificing to false gods. Sacrifice was the chief act of worship; and to sacrifice to a false god was to renounce the true God. Under a theocracy this was rebellion, and rightly punished with temporal death. In ordinary states it would be no civil offence, and would be left to the final judgment of the Almighty. Utterly destroyed. Literally, "devoted;" but with the…
This verse isn't just about a specific religious act; it reveals a profound concept called "the ban," where loyalty to God meant things and people could be entirely set apart for destruction. It highlights that any worship directed elsewhere wasn't just a mistake, but a fundamental betrayal that warranted absolute separation from the community, even involving the forfeiture of possessions.
This command appears in the context of laws clarifying how Israel should live justly and separate themselves from pagan practices as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Following instructions on protecting the vulnerable and dealing with theft, this verse fiercely addresses any Israelite who would worship other gods, emphasizing that sacrifice to anyone besides the LORD meant being utterly destroyed. This severe penalty underscores the absolute loyalty God demanded from His chosen people.
This command appears in the context of laws clarifying how Israel should live justly and separate themselves from pagan practices as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Following instructions on protecting the vulnerable and dealing with theft, this verse fiercely addresses any Israelite who would worship other gods, emphasizing that sacrifice to anyone besides the LORD meant being utterly destroyed. This severe penalty underscores the absolute loyalty God demanded from His chosen people.
"“Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction." — This verse isn't just about a specific religious act; it reveals a profound concept called "the ban," where loyalty to God meant things and people could be entirely set apart for destruction. It high…
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Last reviewed October 2026