41 Bible Verses about Idolatry

Burn the carved images of their gods with fire. Do not covet the silver or the gold that is on them. Do not take it for yourselves, or you will be snared by it. It is an abomination to Jehovah your God.

Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image. It is an abomination to Jehovah! It is the secret work of the hands of the craftsman. All the people will answer: Amen.

They made God furious because they worshiped foreign gods and angered him (stirred up his zeal) because they worshiped worthless idols.

Jehovah will never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of Jehovah and / His jealousy will burn against that man. Every curse which is written in this book will rest on him. Jehovah will blot out his name from under heaven.

Jehovah became angry against this land and brought on it all the curses described in this book.

Jehovah saw this and rejected them. His own sons and daughters made him angry. He said: 'I will turn away from them and find out what will happen to them. They are a devious and perverse generation. They are children who have no faith.

My anger has started a fire that will burn into the depths of the grave. It will consume the earth and its crops and set the foundations of the mountains on fire.

So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings. He buried them under the oak (big) tree near Shechem.

hats, ankle bracelets, blouses, perfume boxes, charms,

By this Jacob's guilt will be atoned for, and this will be the full fruitage of the removal of his sin. When he makes all the altar stones to be like chalk stones crushed to pieces, no Asherah poles or incense altars will be left standing.

Look! Here come chariots and horsemen in pairs. Then he said: 'Babylon has fallen! She has fallen! All the idols they worship lie shattered on the ground.'

I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make Bel spit out everything that it has swallowed. Nations will no longer stream to Babylon. Its walls will fall.

That day people will throw their silver and gold idols, that they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and the bats.

Jehovah rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him. The hearts of the Egyptians melt (their courage fails) within them.

He built the high places that Hezekiah his father destroyed. He made altars for Baal. Then he made an Asherah as Ahab, king of Israel, had done. Manasseh was a worshipper and servant of all the stars of heaven.

He rebuilt the illegal places of worship that his father Hezekiah had torn down. He set up altars dedicated to other gods such as the Baals. He erected a pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah as King Ahab of Israel had done. Manasseh, like Ahab, worshiped and served the entire army of heaven.

They broke all the laws of Jehovah their God. They made two metal bull-calves to worship. They also made an image of the goddess Asherah. Also they worshiped the stars and served the god Baal.

They will be spread out and exposed to the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the sky. These are the things that they had loved, served, gone after, sought, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered or buried, but they will become manure on the ground.

God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven. It is written in the book of the prophets: O you house of Israel, have you offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?

a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick.

He went to his altar in Bethel to burn an offering on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the festival he invented for the Israelites.

You sat on a splendid couch with a table arranged before it on which you had set my incense and my oil.

But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.

You took off your embroidered clothes and covered the idols with them. You offered my olive oil and incense in their presence.

Deal with them in this way: Destroy their altars and break down their sacred pillars. Cut down their idols and burn them with fire.

Do not worship or serve their gods or follow their practices. You must destroy their gods and crush their sacred stones.

Remove the foreign gods you have. He demanded: Pledge your loyalty to Jehovah, the God of Israel.

I will force out the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. You must do what I command you today. Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going. It will become a snare in your midst. Instead tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim.

Jehovah said to Moses on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River across from Jericho, Tell the Israelites: You will cross the Jordan River and enter Canaan. As you advance, force out all the people who live there. Get rid of all their stone and metal idols, and destroy all their places of worship.

He committed the most shameful sins by worshiping idols the way the Amorites had done. Jehovah drove the Amorites from the land as the people of Israel advanced.

He followed the example of the kings of Israel. He even made metal idols for worshiping other gods such as the Baals. He burned sacrifices in the valley of Ben Hinnom. He sacrificed his son by burning him alive. This was one of the disgusting things done by the nations that Jehovah had driven out from the land Israel possessed. He offered sacrifices and burned incense as an offering at the illegal worship sites on hills and under every large tree.

He rebuilt the illegal places of worship that his father Hezekiah had torn down. He set up altars dedicated to other gods such as the Baals. He erected a pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah as King Ahab of Israel had done. Manasseh, like Ahab, worshiped and served the entire army of heaven.

He followed all the practices of his father. He was a servant and worshipper of the false gods to which his father had been a servant.

Manasseh had a carved idol made. Then he set it up in God's Temple, where God had said to David and his son Solomon: I have chosen this temple and Jerusalem from all the tribes of Israel. I will put my name here from generation to generation.

Moses saw that the people were naked. Aaron had made them naked to their shame among their enemies.

You have spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. Your lives were spent in indecency, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and the disgusting worship of idols (false gods).

The children of Israel secretly did things that were not right according to Jehovah their God. They built high places for themselves in all their towns, from the watchtower to the walled towns.

While Israel remained at Shittim, the people indulged in sexual immorality with the Moabite women. The Moabites invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel joined itself to Baal of Peor. Jehovah was angry against Israel.

Is your portion among the smooth stones of the stream? They indeed are your lot! Even to them you have poured a drink offering. You have offered a grain offering. Should this give me comfort?

The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like Topheth. They burned sacrifices to the heavenly hosts and poured out drink offerings to other gods on the rooftops of all of their houses.'

The Babylonians who are attacking this city will break in, set this city on fire, and burn it down. They will burn down the houses of people who made me furious by going up to the roofs to burn incense to Baal and to pour out wine offerings to other gods.'

The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire. The women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite me.

The women added: 'When we baked cakes shaped like the Queen of Heaven, offered sacrifices to her, and poured out wine offerings to her, our husbands approved of what we were doing.'

But as for you who forsake Jehovah and forget my holy mountain, which spread a table for the God of Fortune (Babylonian diety) and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,

Make your members that are upon the earth dead with regard to fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (greed), which is idolatry.

The sin of divination is rebellion. Wickedness and idolatry are arrogance. They are evil. Because you rejected the word of Jehovah, he rejects you as king.

This is because all the gods of the nations are useless idols while Jehovah created the heavens.

For all the gods of the nations are idols; but Jehovah made the heavens.

Instead tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim.

Deal with them in this way: Destroy their altars and break down their sacred pillars. Cut down their idols and burn them with fire.

Josiah crushed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah. And he filled their places with human bones.

The Philistines left their idols there. David and his men carried them all away.

They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

You know that you were of the nations, carried away and led by mute idols.

They changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creation more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For all the gods of the nations are idols; but Jehovah made the heavens.

Do not behave this way toward Jehovah your God, for every abominable act Jehovah hates they have done for their gods. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

He burned his son as a sacrifice in the valley of Ben Hinnom, he consulted fortunetellers, and he cast evil spells. He also practiced witchcraft, and appointed royal mediums and psychics. He did many things that made Jehovah furious.

This is because they have forsaken me. They have made this an alien place and have burned sacrifices in it to other gods. These are gods that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the blameless (innocent).' They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal. This is not something I commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter my mind (heart) (conscience).'

So they took the bull that was given them, and made it ready. They cried out to Baal from morning till the middle of the day. They said: O Baal, give ear to us. But there was no voice and no answer. They jumped up and down before the altar they had made.

Do not be idolaters like some of them. It is written: The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.

Moses replied: That does not sound like a shout of victory or a cry of defeat; it is the sound of singing. Moses came close enough to the camp at the foot of the mountain to see the bull-calf and to see the people dancing. He became furious! He threw down the tablets he was carrying and broke them.

When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes (bagpipe), and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up.

You, O king, made a decree, that every man that hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image.

Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, good! But if you do not worship it you will be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace that same hour. What god will be able to rescue you from my hand?

But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them and say: Rescue us, because you are our gods.

Manasseh king of Judah committed detestable sins. He did more evil than all the Amorites before him. He enticed Judah to do evil with his false gods.

This became Israel's sin, worshiping the golden calves. The people went as far as Dan to worship the one calf.

Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that they did more evil things than the nations that Jehovah destroyed when the Israelites arrived in the land.

Ephraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone.

You will serve gods that are the work of men's hands. Made of wood and stone. They cannot see, hear, eat or smell.

Jehovah will scatter you among all the people of the world. He will scatter you from one end of the earth to the other. There you will serve gods made of wood and stone that neither you nor your ancestors ever knew.

a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick.

When I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn me and break my covenant.

Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them. Do not make me furious about the idols your hands have shaped. Then I will not harm you.

Never give your children as sacrifices to the god Molech by burning them alive. If you do, you are dishonoring the name of your God. I am Jehovah!

I am going to do this because Solomon has rejected me and has worshiped foreign gods. Astarte, the goddess of Sidon; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of Ammon. Solomon disobeyed me. He has done wrong! He has not obeyed my laws and commands as his father David did.

Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites.

You saw their loathsome idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold.

Their idols are made of silver and gold. Human hands made them.

But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them and say: Rescue us, because you are our gods.

Jeroboam appointed a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just like the festival in Judah. He went to the altar in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He appointed priests from the illegal worship sites to serve in Bethel.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king gathered the satraps, deputies, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces. They came to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. The satraps, deputies, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together at the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. They stood before the image.

Your people tell lies about others in order to have them put to death. They eat sacrifices offered to idols. They always satisfy their lusts.

and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period;

that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife. He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He does not return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things.

They have hands, but they cannot feel. They have feet, but they cannot walk. They cannot even make a sound with their throats.

You will serve gods that are the work of men's hands. Made of wood and stone. They cannot see, hear, eat or smell.

They have mouths, but they cannot speak. They have eyes, but they cannot see.

No one stops to think. No one has enough knowledge or understanding to say: I burned half of the wood in the fire. I also baked bread over its coals. I roasted meat and ate it. Now I am making the rest of the wood into a disgusting thing and bowing to a block of wood.

Their idols are made of silver and gold. Human hands made them. They have mouths, but they cannot speak. They have eyes, but they cannot see. They have ears, but they cannot hear. They have noses, but they cannot smell. read more.
They have hands, but they cannot feel. They have feet, but they cannot walk. They cannot even make a sound with their throats. Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them.

The people's customs are erroneous and empty. It is wood cut from the forest. It is the work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

Joshua said to all the people: This is what Jehovah, the God of Israel says: 'Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. One of those ancestors was Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor.

When Laban went to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household idols.

God said to Jacob: Go to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar to God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau. Jacob said to his family and those who were with him: Get rid of the foreign gods that you have. Wash yourselves until you are ritually clean. Change your clothes. After that let us go to Bethel. I will make an altar there to God, who answered me when I was troubled and who has been with me wherever I have gone. read more.
So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings. He buried them under the oak (big) tree near Shechem.

Come here, you refugees from the nations. Ignorant people carry wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save anyone.

The sailors were so afraid that each man cried out to his own god. They threw the cargo that was on the ship into the sea to lighten the load. At that time Jonah was fast asleep down in the innermost parts of the ship.

But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them and say: Rescue us, because you are our gods.

Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them save you in your time of trouble.

They lift it to their shoulders and carry it. They set it up in its place and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Though one cries out to it, it does not answer. It cannot save him from his troubles!

Honor Jehovah and serve him sincerely and in truth. Get rid of the gods that your ancestors used to worship in Mesopotamia and in Egypt, and serve only Jehovah.

They played the prostitute in Egypt. They played the prostitute in their youth. There their breasts were pressed and there their virgin bosom was handled.

Yet she multiplied her acts of prostitution. She remembered the days of her youth, when she prostituted herself in the land of Egypt.

Then the few who remain from these wicked people will want to die rather than live where I will scatter them, declares Jehovah of Hosts.

Get rid of your calf-shaped idol, Samaria. My anger burns against these people! How long will they remain unclean? Samaria's calf-shaped idol was made in Israel. Skilled workers made it. It is not God. It will be smashed to pieces! The people of Israel plant the wind, but they harvest a storm. A field of grain that does not ripen will never produce any grain. Even if it did produce grain, foreigners would eat it all. read more.
Israel is swallowed up. It has already mixed in with the other nations. It has become worthless.

You have carried the tabernacle of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves. Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity (exile) beyond Damascus, said the God of Hosts, whose name is Jehovah.

Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? Let them come and rescue you when you have trouble. You have as many gods as you have cities, Judah!

So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things. There were all the idols of the house of Israel. They were carved on the wall all around.

Their land is full of idols. They worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.

Yet they would not listen to their judges, but prostituted themselves to other gods. They worshiped them. They turned quickly, out of the way in which their fathers walked obeying the commandments of Jehovah.

They forsook Jehovah God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them. They bowed to them and provoked Jehovah to anger.

You have committed far greater sins than those who ruled before you. You have rejected me and have aroused my anger by making idols and metal images to worship.

Therefore tell the nation of Israel: This is what the Lord Jehovah says: Change the way you think and act! (Repent!) Turn away from your idols, and do not return to any of your disgusting things.

I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt. I am Jehovah their God.

They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things.

King Asa also removed his grandmother Maacah from the position of queen mother. She made a statue of the repulsive goddess Asherah. Asa immediately cut the statue down, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

Then he tore down the altars, beat the Asherah poles and idols into powder, and cut down all the incense altars everywhere in Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

Jehu said: Let there be a special holy meeting for the worship of Baal. So a public statement was made.

If a nonbeliever invites you to a feast and you feel you must go eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man says to you: This is offered in sacrifice to idols, do not eat for the sake of the one who said it and for conscience sake.

When all the men in the fort at Shechem heard this, they sought safety in the stronghold of the temple of Baal-Berith.

After Gideon's death the people of Israel were unfaithful to God again. They worshiped the Baals. They made Baal-Berith their god.

They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men to join him.

The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire. The women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite me.

You also offered them sweet and fragrant sacrifices. You gave flour, olive oil, and honey-all the food that I gave you to eat. This is what happened,' declares the Lord Jehovah.

Is your portion among the smooth stones of the stream? They indeed are your lot! Even to them you have poured a drink offering. You have offered a grain offering. Should this give me comfort?

We will do everything that we said we would. We will offer sacrifices to our goddess, the Queen of Heaven, and we will pour out wine offerings to her, just as our ancestors, our king and our leaders, and we used to do in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Then we had plenty of food, we were prosperous, and had no troubles.

But the fearful and unbelieving, abominable and murderers, fornicators and those practicing spiritism, idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur: which is the second death.

The third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. He will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. The smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever. They who worship the beast and his image and receive the mark of his name have no rest day or night.

Do not be tempted to bow down and worship the sun or moon or stars (the host or army of the heavens). Jehovah put them there a heritage for all the people under the heavens.

Some worship and bow down to other gods, the sun, the moon, or the whole army of heaven. I have forbidden this.

You know that you were of the nations, carried away and led by mute idols.

What is an idol worth after the carver is done? It is merely a false god. Why trust a speechless image made by human hands from wood or metal?

But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them.

The children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and served Baalim: They forsook Jehovah God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them. They bowed to them and provoked Jehovah to anger. They forsook Jehovah and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

You have carried the tabernacle of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves.

Yes, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan. You made figures to worship them. I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

They lift it to their shoulders and carry it. They set it up in its place and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Though one cries out to it, it does not answer. It cannot save him from his troubles!

Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image. It is an abomination to Jehovah! It is the secret work of the hands of the craftsman. All the people will answer: Amen.

What is an idol worth after the carver is done? It is merely a false god. Why trust a speechless image made by human hands from wood or metal?

My people have forgotten me. They burn incense to worthless gods and they have stumbled from their ways. They stray from the ancient paths to walk in pathways and not on a highway.

I warn you: 'If you forget Jehovah your God and worship other gods, you will perish.'

Never set up a sacred stone. These are things Jehovah your God hates.

I kept sending you my servants the prophets, who told you not to do this terrible thing that I hate.

The others did not satisfy you so you ran after the Assyrians. You were their prostitute, but they did not satisfy you either. You were also a prostitute for the Babylonians, that nation of merchants, but they did not satisfy you either. I, the Lord Jehovah am furious with you. You were so disgusting that you would have done anything to get what you wanted.

Oholah played the prostitute while she was mine; and she lusted after her lovers, after the Assyrians, her neighbors. The Assyrians were clothed in purple, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. She gave her acts of fornication to them, all of whom were the choicest men of Assyria; and with all whom she lusted after, with all their idols she defiled herself.

You are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless! He who chooses you is detestable.

Concerning the eating of food offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

I wrote you not to keep company with any man who is called a brother who is a fornicator, or who is greedy, or who worships idols, or constantly gets drunk, or cheats people. Do not even eat with such a person.

You will not associate with these peoples left among you or speak the names of their gods or use those names in taking vows or worship those gods or bow down to them.

The rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.

I will give all this to you, the Devil told Jesus, if you kneel down and worship me. Go away, Satan! demanded Jesus. It is written, It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.' (Deuteronomy 6:13-15)

The people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain. They gathered around Aaron. They said to him: We do not know what has happened to Moses, the man who led us out of Egypt. Make gods to lead us. Aaron replied: Have your wives, sons, and daughters take off the gold earrings they are wearing. Bring them to me. The people took off their gold earrings and handed them to Aaron. read more.
After he worked on the gold with a tool, he made it into a statue of a calf. Then they said: Israel, this is your god, who brought you out of Egypt. Aaron built an altar in front of it when he saw what happened. Then he announced: Tomorrow there will be a festival in Jehovah's honor.

They will transfer their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah and will kill me. After asking for advice, the king made two golden calves. He said: You have been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.

We will do everything that we said we would. We will offer sacrifices to our goddess, the Queen of Heaven, and we will pour out wine offerings to her, just as our ancestors, our king and our leaders, and we used to do in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Then we had plenty of food, we were prosperous, and had no troubles.

Both you and your wives have made solemn promises to the Queen of Heaven. You promised that you would offer sacrifices to her and pour out wine offerings to her, and you have kept your promises. Very well, then! Keep your promises! Carry out your vows!

They will be spread out and exposed to the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the sky. These are the things that they had loved, served, gone after, sought, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered or buried, but they will become manure on the ground.

The word of Jehovah also came to me: You shall not take a wife for yourself nor have sons or daughters in this place. Jehovah says this about the sons and daughters born in this place, and about their mothers who bear them, and their fathers who begot them in this land: read more.
They will die of lethal diseases. They will not be mourned or buried. They will be as dung on the surface of the ground and die by sword and famine (war and starvation). Their carcasses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth. Jehovah says: Do not enter a house of mourning, or go to lament or to console them. I have withdrawn my peace from this people, declares Jehovah, even my loving kindness and compassion. Both great and small men will die in this land. They will not be buried, they will not be lamented, nor will anyone gash himself or shave his head for them. Men will not break bread in mourning for them in order to comfort anyone for the dead. Nor will they give them a cup of consolation to drink for anyone's father or mother. Moreover you shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink. This is what Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'I am going to put a stop to the sounds of joy and happiness and the sounds of brides and grooms in this place. This will happen in your lifetime, even as you watch.' When you tell the people all these things, they will ask you: 'Why does Jehovah threaten us with all these disasters? What have we done wrong? How have we sinned against Jehovah our God?' Tell them: 'It is because your ancestors abandoned me,' says Jehovah. They followed other gods, served them, worshiped them, and abandoned me. They did not obey my law.

After he worked on the gold with a tool, he made it into a statue of a calf. Then they said: Israel, this is your god, who brought you out of Egypt. Aaron built an altar in front of it when he saw what happened. Then he announced: Tomorrow there will be a festival in Jehovah's honor. Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. After that they sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy.

At Mount Horeb they made a statue of a calf. They worshiped an idol made of metal. They traded their glorious God for the statue of a bull that eats grass.

They will lead your young people away from me to serve other gods. So the anger of Jehovah will be kindled against you and will destroy you suddenly.

They will ask: 'Why has Jehovah our God done all this to us?' Answer them: You have abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land. So you will serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.'

I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make Bel spit out everything that it has swallowed. Nations will no longer stream to Babylon. Its walls will fall.

Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a standard. Do not conceal it but say: 'Babylon has been captured. Bel has been put to shame. Marduk has been shattered! Her images have been put to shame and her idols have been shattered.'

There was war in the land when the Israelites chose new gods. Of the forty thousand men in Israel, did anyone carry shield or spear?

They sacrificed to demons that are not God. They served gods they did not know. These were new gods who came from nearby, gods your ancestors never worshiped.

I will do this because they abandoned me. They sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my burning anger against this place will never be extinguished.'

Tell them: 'It is because your ancestors abandoned me,' says Jehovah. They followed other gods, served them, worshiped them, and abandoned me. They did not obey my law.

He also removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the worship of the sun. He burned the chariots used in this worship.

He will honor the god of military fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know. He will honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and expensive gifts.

Come to Bethel and transgress! Come to Gilgal and multiply transgression! Bring your sacrifices every morning and your tithes every three days. Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened. Proclaim freewill-offerings and make them known. This pleases you, O you children of Israel, said the Lord Jehovah.

I will leave seven thousand people alive in Israel; all those who are loyal to me and have not bowed to Baal or kissed his idol.

They sin more and more. They make idols from silver for themselves. These idols are skillfully made. All of them are the work of craftsmen. People say this about the Israelites: They offer sacrifices and kiss calf-shaped idols.

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand,

Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons.

You might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might commit spiritual immorality (fornication) with their gods and cause your sons also to commit spiritual immorality with their gods.

If your hearts turn away, and you do not listen, you might be tempted to bow down to other gods and worship them.

You must have no strange god among you. Do not worship any foreign god.

Make your members that are upon the earth dead with regard to fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (greed), which is idolatry.

For you know this with certainty, that no fornicator, no unclean person, no covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean instead of unclean. Then I will cleanse you from all your idols.

Jehovah of Hosts declared: I will remove the names of the idols from the land! They will no longer be remembered. I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to leave the land.

I am going to do this because Solomon has rejected me and has worshiped foreign gods. Astarte, the goddess of Sidon; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of Ammon. Solomon disobeyed me. He has done wrong! He has not obeyed my laws and commands as his father David did.

You Moabites are done for! Your god Chemosh deserted your people. They were captured, taken away by King Sihon the Amorite.

The Philistine kings met together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said: Our god gave us victory over our enemy Samson!

The Philistines captured the Ark of God and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. They brought it into the temple of Dagon and placed it beside Dagon. Early the next day the people of Ashdod saw that Dagon had fallen forward on the ground in front of Jehovah's Ark. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place.

No one stops to think. No one has enough knowledge or understanding to say: I burned half of the wood in the fire. I also baked bread over its coals. I roasted meat and ate it. Now I am making the rest of the wood into a disgusting thing and bowing to a block of wood.

They set up their detestable idols in the Temple that is called by my name, and they dishonored it.

Do not make idol gods for yourself.

Do not turn to worthless gods or cast metal idols. Never make any gods for yourselves. I am Jehovah your God.

Balak slaughtered cattle and sheep and gave some of the meat to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.

They went in to make offerings and burned offerings. Jehu put eighty men outside. He told them: If any man whom I give into your hands escapes, he who lets him go will forfeit his own life for that life.

The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, from where Balaam could see a part of the people of Israel.

Long ago you broke off your yoke, tore off your bonds, and said that you would not be a slave. You lay down and acted like a prostitute on every high hill and under every large tree.

The altars the kings of Judah built on the palace roof above King Ahaz' quarters, King Josiah tore down, along with the altars put up by King Manasseh in the two courtyards of the Temple. He smashed the altars to bits and threw them into Kidron Valley.

I will remove those who bow down to worship the host of heaven on the housetops and those who bow down and swear to Jehovah and yet swear by Malcolm.

Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. After that they sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy.

So they took the bull that was given them, and made it ready. They cried out to Baal from morning till the middle of the day. They said: O Baal, give ear to us. But there was no voice and no answer. They jumped up and down before the altar they had made.

Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.

Do not worship them or serve them. I, Jehovah your God, am a God demanding exclusive devotion. (I do not tolerate rivals.) I will not share your affection with any other god. I punish children for their parents' sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.

Do not bow down to them. Do not serve them! For I Jehovah your God am a totally demanding zealous God. I require exclusive devotion and punish the fathers and children who hate me to the third and fourth generation.

Then the king of Aram's servants said to him: Their god is a god of the hills. That is why they were stronger than us. If we attack them in the lowlands, we will certainly be stronger than they.

They said to the king of Assyria: The nations you have taken as prisoners and put in the towns of Samaria have no knowledge of the way of the god of the land. He has sent lions among them causing their death. This is because they have no knowledge of his way.

That night Jehovah told Gideon: Take your father's bull and another seven year old bull, tear down your father's altar to Baal, and cut down the symbol of the goddess Asherah, that is beside it.

The children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and served Baalim: They forsook Jehovah God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them. They bowed to them and provoked Jehovah to anger. They forsook Jehovah and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

Jehovah asked: Why should I forgive the sins of my people? They have abandoned me and have worshiped gods that are not real. I fed my people until they were full, but they committed adultery and spent their time with prostitutes.

However at that time, you did not know God. You were in bondage to things that are really not gods at all.

I will leave seven thousand people alive in Israel; all those who are loyal to me and have not bowed to Baal or kissed his idol.

I hope Jehovah will forgive me when I accompany my king to the temple of Rimmon, the god of Syria, and worship him. Surely Jehovah will forgive me!

The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like Topheth. They burned sacrifices to the heavenly hosts and poured out drink offerings to other gods on the rooftops of all of their houses.'

Is your portion among the smooth stones of the stream? They indeed are your lot! Even to them you have poured a drink offering. You have offered a grain offering. Should this give me comfort?

So they took the bull that was given them, and made it ready. They cried out to Baal from morning till the middle of the day. They said: O Baal, give ear to us. But there was no voice and no answer. They jumped up and down before the altar they had made.

But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them and say: Rescue us, because you are our gods.

I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt. I am Jehovah their God.

Therefore I poured out my fury on them because they poured out blood on the land and they dishonored the land with their idols.

Do not worship or serve their gods or follow their practices. You must destroy their gods and crush their sacred stones.

God spoke all these words: I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt. Do not have any other god. read more.
Do not make your own carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth, or in the water. Do not worship them or serve them. I, Jehovah your God, am a God demanding exclusive devotion. (I do not tolerate rivals.) I will not share your affection with any other god. I punish children for their parents' sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.

I am going to do this because Solomon has rejected me and has worshiped foreign gods. Astarte, the goddess of Sidon; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of Ammon. Solomon disobeyed me. He has done wrong! He has not obeyed my laws and commands as his father David did.

They forsook Jehovah and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

So everyone gave Jacob their idols and their earrings. He buried them under the oak (big) tree near Shechem.

Jacob said to his family and those who were with him: Get rid of the foreign gods that you have. Wash yourselves until you are ritually clean. Change your clothes.

Are you inflaming yourselves with gods under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

Long ago you broke off your yoke, tore off your bonds, and said that you would not be a slave. You lay down and acted like a prostitute on every high hill and under every large tree.

Come here, you refugees from the nations. Ignorant people carry wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save anyone.

But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them and say: Rescue us, because you are our gods.

Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going. It will become a snare in your midst.

Otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land. They would commit spiritual immorality (fornication) with their gods and sacrifice to their gods. Someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice.

Being then the offspring of God, we should not think that the divine being is like gold, or silver, or stone, a device made by man's design or skill.

for when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God. They did not thank him and were vain in their reasoning, for their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

She did not forsake her acts of fornication from the time in Egypt. In her youth men had lain with her. They handled her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.

Our fathers would not obey him. They sent him away, and in their hearts turned back again to Egypt. They said to Aaron: Make us gods to go in front of us. We do not know what happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. They made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

I will leave seven thousand people alive in Israel; all those who are loyal to me and have not bowed to Baal or kissed his idol.

What does God say in answer to him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

We should write to them that they should abstain from things polluted by idols, from fornication, from things strangled and from blood.

For this cause God gave them up to vile affections for even their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature. Also the men left the natural use of the woman and burned in their lust, one toward another; men with men working that which is obscene. They receive full recompense due for their error. They did not like to retain God in their knowledge, so God gave them over to a reprobate (depraved) mind, to do things that are not fitting. read more.
They are filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, and unmerciful. They know the judgment of God, that those who commit such things are worthy of death! And yet, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who do them.

The people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain. They gathered around Aaron. They said to him: We do not know what has happened to Moses, the man who led us out of Egypt. Make gods to lead us.

They made themselves servants of disgusting things. Even though Jehovah said: You should not do this.

King Ahaziah of Israel fell off the balcony on the roof of his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. He sent some messengers and said to them: Go to consult Baalzebub, the god of the Philistine city of Ekron, to find out whether or not I will recover from this.

Elijah spoke to the king: This is what Jehovah says: 'Because you sent messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron acting as if there were no god in Israel to consult, you will not get well. You will die!

I will leave seven thousand people alive in Israel; all those who are loyal to me and have not bowed to Baal or kissed his idol.

They sin more and more. They make idols from silver for themselves. These idols are skillfully made. All of them are the work of craftsmen. People say this about the Israelites: They offer sacrifices and kiss calf-shaped idols.

Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them save you in your time of trouble.

They lift it to their shoulders and carry it. They set it up in its place and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Though one cries out to it, it does not answer. It cannot save him from his troubles!

Listen to everything Jehovah has said to you. Do not pray to other gods! Do not even mention their names.

You will not associate with these peoples left among you or speak the names of their gods or use those names in taking vows or worship those gods or bow down to them.

Cornelius met Peter and fell down at his feet with adoration for him.

Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men. They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. read more.
When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things.

They eat ashes because they are deceived. Their own misguided minds lead them astray. They cannot rescue themselves or ask themselves: Is what I hold in my right hand a false god?

They changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creation more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

So they took the bull that was given them, and made it ready. They cried out to Baal from morning till the middle of the day. They said: O Baal, give ear to us. But there was no voice and no answer. They jumped up and down before the altar they had made.

The more altars that the people of Ephraim build to make offerings to pay for their sins, the more places they have for sinning.

But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.

Come here, you refugees from the nations. Ignorant people carry wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save anyone.

My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them; for the spirit of adultery caused them to go astray. They have played the harlot, departing from their God.

Because she was not concerned about her prostitution. She polluted the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.

My little children guard (protect) yourselves from idols.

You will not associate with these peoples left among you or speak the names of their gods or use those names in taking vows or worship those gods or bow down to them.

They shed innocent blood, the blood of their own sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land became polluted with blood.

They made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven. It is written in the book of the prophets: O you house of Israel, have you offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?

He got rid of the pagan priests. The kings of Judah appointed them to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations of the zodiac (Mazzalohth Constellation-Job 38:32), and the entire army of heaven.

They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

Being then the offspring of God, we should not think that the divine being is like gold, or silver, or stone, a device made by man's design or skill.

A man named Demetrius, a silversmith made silver shrines of Diana. He brought a lot of business to the craftsmen.

There is danger that our trade will lose its good name. The temple of the great goddess Artemis (Diana) would then become useless. The goddess who is worshiped in all Asia would be robbed of her divine majesty.

What do I mean? That the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? But I say, that the things that the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.

They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things.

You see and hear that Paul, in Ephesus and throughout all Asia, has persuaded and turned away many people. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor people who worship idols, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous (greedy), nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, will inherit the kingdom of God.

A prophet, Jehu son of Hanani, went to meet the king. He said to him: Do you think it is right to help those who are wicked and to take the side of those who hate Jehovah? What you have done has brought Jehovah's anger upon you. Regardless of this, there is some good in you. You have removed all the symbols of the goddess Asherah that people worshiped. You have tried to follow God's will.

Eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. Their beards were shaved off, their clothes were torn, and cuts were on their bodies. They brought grain offerings and incense to Jehovah's Temple.

So they gave loud cries and they cut themselves with knives and swords till the blood came streaming out all over them.

I will leave seven thousand people alive in Israel; all those who are loyal to me and have not bowed to Baal or kissed his idol.

I hope Jehovah will forgive me when I accompany my king to the temple of Rimmon, the god of Syria, and worship him. Surely Jehovah will forgive me!

My dearly beloved, flee (run away) from idolatry.

All those people speak about how you received us when we visited you, and how you turned away from idols to God, to serve the true and living God,

Be careful! When God spoke to you from the fire, he was invisible. Do not commit the sin of worshiping idols. Do not make idols to be worshiped, whether they are shaped like men, women, animals on the earth, birds that fly in the air, read more.
or they are like reptiles that creep on the ground, or fish from the water. Do not be tempted to bow down and worship the sun or moon or stars (the host or army of the heavens). Jehovah put them there a heritage for all the people under the heavens.

You know that you were of the nations, carried away and led by mute idols.

In one of the cities Jehovah your God is giving you, there may be a man or woman among you who is doing what Jehovah considers evil. This person may be disregarding the conditions of Jehovah's covenant. Some worship and bow down to other gods, the sun, the moon, or the whole army of heaven. I have forbidden this. If it is told you and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the thing certain that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, read more.
Bring that man or woman who has done this evil deed out to your gates. Stone the man or the woman to death.

As you advance, force out all the people who live there. Get rid of all their stone and metal idols, and destroy all their places of worship.

and also against all the large ships of Tarshish and all the beautiful boats.

Manasseh also removed the foreign gods and the idol in Jehovah's Temple. He eliminated the altars he had built in the Temple on Jehovah's mountain and in Jerusalem.

He burned sacrifices in the valley of Ben Hinnom. He sacrificed his son by burning him alive. This was one of the disgusting things done by the nations that Jehovah had driven out from the land Israel possessed.

Any prophet who dares to say something in my name that I did not command him to say or who speaks in the name of other gods must die.

The spirit, what does it look like? He asked. It is an old man, she answered. He wears a cloak. Saul knew it was Samuel. So he bowed to the ground in respect. Samuel said to Saul: Why have you disturbed me? Why did you make me come back? Saul answered: I am in great trouble! The Philistines are at war with me. God has abandoned me. He does not answer me any more by prophets or by dreams. Please tell me what to do.

His heart was devoted to the ways of Jehovah. He destroyed all the pagan places of worship and the symbols of the goddess Asherah in Judah.

When this ended, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh. They destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

I John saw these things and heard them. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. He said to me: Do not do that, for I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and of those who obey the words of this book: worship God.

He burned his son as a sacrifice in the valley of Ben Hinnom, he consulted fortunetellers, and he cast evil spells. He also practiced witchcraft, and appointed royal mediums and psychics. He did many things that made Jehovah furious.

There are those called gods in heaven or on earth. There are many gods and many lords.

Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image. It is an abomination to Jehovah! It is the secret work of the hands of the craftsman. All the people will answer: Amen.

Now the works of the flesh (sinful human nature) are apparent. They are: fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, wrath, contentions, divisions, sects,

Those who quickly pursue other gods multiply their sorrows. I will not pour out their sacrificial offerings of blood or use my lips to speak their names.

And I will remove his blood from his mouth, and his detestable things from between his teeth. He will remain for our God. He will be like a chieftain in Judah, and in Ekron like a Jebusite.

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, silver, copper, iron, wood, and of stone.

They praised their god and said: Call Samson, and make him entertain us! They brought Samson out of the prison and they made him entertain them.

Do not bring an abomination into your house. You must utterly detest it and you must utterly abhor it, for it is something banned.