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⇱ Deuteronomy 18:12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

◄ Deuteronomy 18:12 ►
New International Version
Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.

New Living Translation
Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the LORD your God will drive them out ahead of you.

English Standard Version
for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you.

Berean Standard Bible
For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

King James Bible
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

New King James Version
For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

New American Standard Bible
For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God is going to drive them out before you.

NASB 1995
“For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.

NASB 1977
“For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.

Legacy Standard Bible
For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh; and because of these abominations Yahweh your God will dispossess them from before you.

Amplified Bible
For everyone who does these things is utterly repulsive to the LORD; and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God is driving them out before you.

Christian Standard Bible
Everyone who does these acts is detestable to the LORD, and the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable acts.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Everyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things.

American Standard Version
For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah: and because of these abominations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD is disgusted with anyone who does these things, and that's why he will help you destroy the nations that are in the land.

English Revised Version
For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Whoever does these things is disgusting to the LORD. The LORD your God is forcing these nations out of your way because of their disgusting practices.

Good News Translation
The LORD your God hates people who do these disgusting things, and that is why he is driving those nations out of the land as you advance.

International Standard Version
Whoever practices these things is detestable to the LORD, and the LORD your God will expel them before you because of these things.

NET Bible
Whoever does these things is abhorrent to the LORD and because of these detestable things the LORD your God is about to drive them out from before you.

New Heart English Bible
For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you.

Webster's Bible Translation
For all that do these things are an abomination to the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

World English Bible
For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh. Because of these abominations, Yahweh your God drives them out from before you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For everyone doing these [is] an abomination [to] YHWH, and because of these abominations your God YHWH is dispossessing them from your presence.

Young's Literal Translation
For the abomination of Jehovah is every one doing these, and because of these abominations is Jehovah thy God dispossessing them from thy presence.

Smith's Literal Translation
For every one doing these things is an abomination to Jehovah And on account of these abominations, Jehovah thy God destroys them from thy face.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For the Lord abhorreth all these things, and for these abominations he will destroy them at thy coming.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For the Lord abominates all these things. And, because of these wicked ways, he will destroy them at your arrival.

New American Bible
Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the LORD, and because of such abominations the LORD, your God, is dispossessing them before you.

New Revised Standard Version
For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the LORD; it is because of such abhorrent practices that the LORD your God is driving them out before you.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For whoever does these things is an abomination in the sight of the LORD your God; and because of these abominations the LORD your God is destroying them from before you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because everyone whoever does these things is defiled before LORD JEHOVAH your God, and because of these detestable things LORD JEHOVAH your God destroys them from before you.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto the LORD; and because of these abominations the LORD thy God is driving them out from before thee.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For every one that does these things is an abomination to the Lord thy God; for because of these abominations the Lord will destroy them from before thy face.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sorcery Forbidden
…11casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. 12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you. 13You must be blameless before the LORD your God.…

Cross References
Leviticus 19:31
You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 20:6
Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists to prostitute himself with them, I will also set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

Leviticus 20:27
A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist must surely be put to death. They shall be stoned; their blood is upon them.’”

2 Kings 21:6
He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Isaiah 8:19
When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Isaiah 47:12-13
So take your stand with your spells and with your many sorceries, with which you have wearied yourself from your youth. Perhaps you will succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror! / You are wearied by your many counselors; let them come forward now and save you—your astrologers who observe the stars, who monthly predict your fate.

Jeremiah 27:9-10
But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums, or your sorcerers who declare, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ / For they prophesy to you a lie that will serve to remove you from your land; I will banish you and you will perish.

Ezekiel 13:6-9
They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message. / Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken? / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you have uttered vain words and seen false visions, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD. ...

Micah 5:12
I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers.

Acts 8:9-11
Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great, / and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.” / They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.

Acts 16:16-18
One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling. / This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” / She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.

Acts 19:19
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 10:20-21
No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. / You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.


Deuteronomy 9:4
Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.

Leviticus 18:24,27
Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: …

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Deuteronomy 18
1. The LORD is the priests and Levites' inheritance
3. The priests' due
6. The Levites' portion
9. The abominations of the nations are to be avoided
15. Christ the Prophet is to be heard
20. The presumptuous prophet is to die














For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD.
This phrase refers to the practices mentioned earlier in Deuteronomy 18, such as divination, witchcraft, and consulting the dead. These practices were common among the Canaanite nations and were strictly forbidden for the Israelites. The term "detestable" indicates something that is abominable or loathsome to God, highlighting His holiness and the requirement for His people to be set apart. In Leviticus 18:24-30, similar language is used to describe practices that defile the land. The emphasis is on maintaining purity and obedience to God's commands, reflecting His character and covenant relationship with Israel.

And because of these detestable things,
The repetition of "detestable things" underscores the severity of these actions in God's eyes. It serves as a reminder of the moral and spiritual corruption that these practices bring. The Israelites are warned not to adopt the customs of the nations they are displacing. This warning is consistent with the broader biblical narrative that calls for separation from pagan practices, as seen in passages like 2 Corinthians 6:17, which urges believers to come out from among them and be separate.

the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.
This phrase highlights God's active role in the conquest of Canaan. The driving out of the nations is both a judgment against their wickedness and a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham regarding the land (Genesis 15:16). It also serves as a warning to Israel that they must remain faithful to avoid similar judgment. The historical context involves the transition from a nomadic lifestyle to settling in a land with established cities and cultures. Theologically, it points to God's sovereignty and justice, as well as His faithfulness to His covenant promises. This act of driving out the nations prefigures the ultimate victory over sin and evil through Jesus Christ, who conquers spiritual darkness and establishes His kingdom.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's laws and instructions to the Israelites.

2. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, receiving the laws and commandments as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The God of Israel, who is holy and demands holiness from His people.

4. Canaanite Nations
The nations inhabiting the Promised Land, whose practices are considered detestable by God.

5. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Teaching Points
Holiness and Obedience
God calls His people to be holy and obedient, setting them apart from the surrounding nations. This requires rejecting practices that are detestable to God.

God's Judgment and Justice
The driving out of the Canaanite nations serves as a reminder of God's judgment against sin and His justice in dealing with unrighteousness.

Cultural Influence
Believers must be vigilant against adopting cultural practices that contradict God's commands, maintaining a distinct identity as God's people.

Spiritual Warfare
The battle against sin and detestable practices is ongoing, requiring believers to rely on God's strength and guidance.

Eternal Perspective
Understanding that God's standards are eternal encourages believers to live in a way that honors Him, looking forward to the ultimate fulfillment of His promises.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 18:12?

2. How does Deuteronomy 18:12 define practices that are "detestable to the LORD"?

3. Why should Christians avoid practices condemned in Deuteronomy 18:12 today?

4. How does Deuteronomy 18:12 connect with New Testament teachings on holiness?

5. What steps can believers take to discern and reject detestable practices?

6. How can Deuteronomy 18:12 guide our interactions with cultural practices?

7. Why does Deuteronomy 18:12 condemn certain practices as detestable to the LORD?

8. How does Deuteronomy 18:12 influence Christian views on modern spiritual practices?

9. What historical context led to the prohibitions in Deuteronomy 18:12?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 18?

11. What does the Bible say about child sacrifice?

12. How does Deuteronomy 18:9-12 reconcile the prohibition of sorcery with biblical accounts of approved miracles that seem similarly supernatural?

13. In Deuteronomy 12:30-31, how can the warning against adopting pagan rites be reconciled with other passages (e.g., 2 Kings 16:10-15) where Israelite leaders incorporated foreign practices?

14. What are the sins listed in the Bible?
What Does Deuteronomy 18:12 Mean
For whoever does these things

• “These things” points back to the occult practices listed in Deuteronomy 18:10-11—child sacrifice, divination, sorcery, witchcraft, casting spells, consulting spirits, and necromancy.

• God had already forbidden such acts in Leviticus 19:31 and 20:27. They represent willful rebellion against His revealed will (1 Samuel 15:23).

• By saying “whoever,” the text underscores personal accountability. No social status, ethnicity, or good intention excuses participation (Acts 10:34-35).

is detestable to the LORD

• “Detestable” stresses how utterly incompatible these practices are with God’s holy nature (Proverbs 6:16-19).

• Scripture equates them with idolatry—giving allegiance to spiritual forces opposed to God (Exodus 20:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:20).

• God’s moral verdict is not arbitrary; it protects His people from deception and spiritual bondage (Isaiah 8:19-20; John 8:44).

And because of these detestable things

• The cause-and-effect link shows divine justice at work (Romans 2:5-6).

• Canaanite culture had filled up “the measure of its sins” (Genesis 15:16). Persistent, unrepentant evil brought corporate judgment, just as later happened to Israel herself (2 Kings 17:15-18).

• God’s judgments warn every generation that unchecked sin brings consequences (Psalm 9:17; Revelation 18:4-5).

the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you

• Israel’s conquest of Canaan was not mere territorial ambition; it was God’s judicial action against entrenched wickedness (Leviticus 18:24-25; Joshua 24:12-13).

• The same Lord who judges also grants mercy; Israel was reminded that she stood only by grace and would face exile if she copied those practices (Deuteronomy 28:58-63).

• For believers today, this underscores the call to separate from occult influence and shine God’s light among the nations (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Ephesians 5:11).

summary

Deuteronomy 18:12 teaches that every person who engages in occult practices places themselves in direct opposition to God’s holiness. Such deeds are so offensive that they provoked the Lord to expel entire nations, demonstrating His righteous judgment and His zeal to preserve a people devoted to Him. The verse calls God’s people to reject all forms of spiritual compromise, trust His perfect justice, and walk in wholehearted obedience.

Verse 12. - All who practiced such arts were an abomination unto the Lord, and his people are forbidden to have anything to do with them. They are connected here with the Moloch-worship, because of the intimate relation between idolatry and the use of magical arts; and Moloch-worship is specially mentioned, probably because it was the form of idolatry with which the Israelites were most likely to come in contact, both where they then were and also in Canaan; not, as Keil suggests, because that form "was more intimately connected with soothsaying and magic than any other description of idolatry" - an assertion for which there is no evidence.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For whoever
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

does
עֹ֣שֵׂה (‘ō·śêh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

these things
אֵ֑לֶּה (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

is detestable
תוֹעֲבַ֥ת (ṯō·w·‘ă·ḇaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8441: Something disgusting, an abhorrence, idolatry, an idol

to the LORD,
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

and because
וּבִגְלַל֙ (ū·ḇiḡ·lal)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1558: A circumstance, on account of

of these
הָאֵ֔לֶּה (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

detestable things
הַתּוֹעֵבֹ֣ת (hat·tō·w·‘ê·ḇōṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8441: Something disgusting, an abhorrence, idolatry, an idol

the LORD
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

is driving out
מוֹרִ֥ישׁ (mō·w·rîš)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3423: To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruin

[the nations] before you.
מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃ (mip·pā·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 18:12 For whoever does these things (Deut. De Du)