Exodus 34:17
Exodus 34:17 in Multiple Translations
You shall make no molten gods for yourselves.
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
Make for yourselves no gods of metal.
Don't make any idols for yourselves.
Thou shalt make thee no gods of metall.
a molten god thou dost not make to thyself.
“You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
Thou shalt not make to thyself any molten gods.
Do not pour melted metal into molds to make statues for you to worship.
Berean Amplified Bible — Exodus 34:17
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Exodus 34:17 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אֱלֹהֵ֥י
מַסֵּכָ֖ה
לֹ֥א
תַעֲשֶׂה
לָּֽ/ךְ
אֱלֹהֵ֥י
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
God
N-mp
מַסֵּכָ֖ה
maççêkâh
H4541
liquid
N-fs
לֹ֥א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
תַעֲשֶׂה
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
לָּֽ/ךְ
Prep | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Exodus 34:17
אֱלֹהֵ֥י
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
"God"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Definition: This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 2246 OT verses. KJV: angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 22:12; Exodus 3:11.
מַסֵּכָ֖ה
maççêkâh
H4541
"liquid"
N-fs
This term can mean a veil or covering, but also a cast metal image or a woven fabric, like a web or coverlet.
Definition: 1) a pouring, libation, molten metal, cast image, drink offering 1a) libation (with covenant sacrifice) 1b) molten metal, molten image, molten gods
Usage: Occurs in 28 OT verses. KJV: covering, molten (image), vail. See also: Exodus 32:4; 2 Kings 17:16; Psalms 106:19.
לֹ֥א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
תַעֲשֶׂה
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
לָּֽ/ךְ
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Study Notes — Exodus 34:17
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Exodus 34:17 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Exodus 34:17
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 34:17
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Exodus 34:17
- Trapp's Commentary on Exodus 34:17
- Ellicott's Commentary on Exodus 34:17
- Cambridge Bible on Exodus 34:17
- Whedon's Commentary on Exodus 34:17
- Sermons on Exodus 34:17
Context — The LORD Renews the Covenant
15Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you, and you will eat their sacrifices.
16And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same.
17You shall make no molten gods for yourselves.
18You are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, you are to eat unleavened bread as I commanded you. For in the month of Abib you came out of Egypt. 19The first offspring of every womb belongs to Me, including all the firstborn males among your livestock, whether cattle or sheep.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 19:4 | Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God. |
| 2 | Exodus 32:8 | How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it. They have sacrificed to it and said, ‘These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’” |
| 3 | Isaiah 46:6–7 | They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship. They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles. |
| 4 | Acts 19:26 | And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. |
| 5 | Acts 17:29 | Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 10:14 | Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them. |
Exodus 34:17 Summary
This verse is telling us not to make idols or false gods for ourselves. This means we should not put anything or anyone in the place of God in our lives, as He is the only one worthy of our worship, as seen in Exodus 20:3-4. We should be careful not to let things like money, power, or relationships become more important to us than our relationship with God. By keeping God first in our lives, we can avoid the dangers of idolatry and experience His love and blessing, as promised in Deuteronomy 6:5.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to make molten gods?
Making molten gods refers to the creation of idols, which is a form of idolatry, as seen in Deuteronomy 27:15, where it is considered a curse to make or worship such idols.
Why is God commanding the Israelites not to make molten gods?
God is commanding the Israelites not to make molten gods because He is a jealous God, as stated in Exodus 20:5, and He wants their exclusive worship and devotion, as seen in Exodus 34:14.
How does this verse relate to our lives today?
This verse reminds us that we should not create or worship idols in our lives, whether they be physical or metaphorical, as stated in 1 John 5:21, where we are warned to keep ourselves from idols.
What is the consequence of making molten gods?
The consequence of making molten gods is that it leads to spiritual adultery and can cause us to forsake our covenant with God, as seen in Hosea 11:2, where Israel's idolatry is compared to adultery.
Reflection Questions
- What are some modern-day 'molten gods' that we might be tempted to worship, and how can we avoid them?
- How can we ensure that our hearts are fully devoted to God, and not divided between Him and other idols?
- What are some practical steps we can take to remove idols from our lives and focus on worshiping the one true God?
- How can we help others to recognize and reject the idols in their lives, and point them to the truth of God's Word?
Gill's Exposition on Exodus 34:17
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. Made of a melted liquid, whether gold, or silver, or brass, poured into a mould; and though graven images are not mentioned, they are included, a part being put
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 34:17
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Exodus 34:17
Nor graven, nor any other, as it plainly appears both from the nature of the things, and from many parallel scriptures; but he mentions molten, because their late idol was of that kind.
Trapp's Commentary on Exodus 34:17
Exodus 34:17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.Ver. 17. No molten gods.] As the golden calf was. Goodly gods that are molten! Olim truncus eram. Horat.
Ellicott's Commentary on Exodus 34:17
(17) Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.—It is just possible that the Israelites when they worshipped the golden calf may have conceived that they were not breaking the second commandment, which forbade the adoration of any “graven image.” An express law was therefore made against “molten images.”
Cambridge Bible on Exodus 34:17
17. Molten gods thou shalt not make thee] Cf. Leviticus 19:4 (H) ‘And molten gods ye shall not make you’; also, for the general thought, Exodus 20:23. Vv. 18–26 agree, for the most part verbally, with Exodus 13:13-14; Exodus 23:12; Exodus 23:15-19. The agreements and differences will be seen most clearly, if the two recensions are printed in parallel columns, with the differences in 34 marked either by italics or, where anything is omitted, by a space in the text. Exodus 23:10-11. (The fallow year.)Exodus 23:12. Six days shalt thou do thy work: but on the seventh day thou shalt desist: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy bondmaid, and the sojourner, may be refreshed.Exodus 34:21. Six days shalt thou labour; but on the seventh day thou shalt desist: in plowing time and in harvest thou shalt desist.Exodus 23:13. And in all things that I have said unto you take ye heed: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard upon thy mouth.Cf.
Exodus 34:14 a. For thou shalt not worship any other god.Exodus 23:14. Three times (regβlim) thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.Exodus 23:15 a. The feast of unleavened cakes shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened cakes, according as I commanded thee, at the appointed time in the month of Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt;Exodus 34:18. The feast of unleavened cakes shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened cakes [Exodus 13:6 a], as I commanded thee, at the appointed time in the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib thou camest out from Egypt.Exodus 23:12. And thou shalt cause to pass over all that first openeth the womb unto Yahweh: and all that first openeth [the womb], the casting of beasts that thou shalt have, the males (shall be) Yahweh’s:Exodus 34:19. All that first openeth the womb is mine: and all thy cattle that is male, that which first openeth [the womb] of ox and sheep:Exodus 23:13. and all that which first openeth [the womb] of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb [or kid]; and if thou dost not redeem it, thou shalt break its neck: and all the first-born of men among thy sons thou shalt redeem.Exodus 34:20. and that which first openeth [the womb] of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb [or kid]; and if thou dost not redeem it, thou shalt break its neck: all the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem.[Cf. Exodus 22:29 b The first-born of thy sons thou shalt give unto me.]Exodus 23:15 b … and none shall appear before me empty.And none shall appear before me empty.Exodus 23:16 … and the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours which thou sowest in the field; and the feast of ingathering at the going out of the year, when thou gatherest in thy labours out of the field.Exodus 34:22.
Whedon's Commentary on Exodus 34:17
12-26. Take heed to thyself — Here follows a brief resume of the laws previously ordained, and written in the Book of the Covenant, 21-23. They may be resolved into ten precepts, as follows:1.
Sermons on Exodus 34:17
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Love of God Part 2 (Tharptown Baptist Church) by Paul Washer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the love of God and its significance in understanding sin and salvation. He uses the analogy of stars becoming visible in a dark sky to illu |
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God's Marvelous Grace by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the downward spiral of the nation of Israel as they turned away from God. Despite God sending prophets to warn them and call them back to Him, |
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The Offence of the Cross by Ray Comfort | Ray Comfort discusses the importance of preaching the Gospel boldly, even when it leads to opposition and anger from the listeners. He emphasizes the need to stay true to the messa |
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Paul-a Man Like Us by K.P. Yohannan | K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the transformative journey of the Apostle Paul, who, despite his privileged background and intellect, was radically changed after encountering Jesus on the |
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Does God Love the World Outside of Jesus Christ? by Alan Martin | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. He states that there is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ and that al |
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Unreached Peoples: The Drokpa People of the Himalayas by Paul Hattaway | This sermon delves into the unique traditions and lifestyle of the Drogpa people, who live in a fruitful yet isolated area, practicing ancient customs and idol worship. Despite the |
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Acts 19_pt2 by Bill Gallatin | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of worshiping the beast and receiving the mark of his name as described in the Bible. He emphasizes the importance of knowing the |