Deuteronomy 12:30

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

be careful that you are not ensnared by following them after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֗ פֶּן־תִּנָּקֵשׁ֙ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם אַחֲרֵ֖י הִשָּׁמְדָ֣ם מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ וּפֶן־תִּדְרֹ֨שׁ לֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר אֵיכָ֨ה יַעַבְד֜וּ הַגּוֹיִ֤ם הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ אֶת־אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֶעֱשֶׂה־כֵּ֖ן גַּם־אָֽנִי׃

Transliteration

Hiššāmer to you pen-tinnāqēš after them, after hiššāmḏām from before you, û-pen-tiḏrōš to ʾĕlōhêhem lēʾmōr ʾêḵāh yaʿaḇḏû the-gôyim these ʾeṯ-ʾĕlōhêhem wə-ʾeʿĕśeh-kēn also-I.

Grammar Details

• *hiššāmer*: imperative Niphal, 2nd masculine singular - take heed/be careful/guard yourself
• *ləḵā*: preposition with 2nd masculine singular suffix - to you
• *pen*: conjunction - lest/that not
• *tinnāqēš*: imperfect Niphal, 2nd masculine singular - you be snared/entrapped
• *ʾaḥărêhem*: preposition with 3rd masculine plural suffix - after them
• *ʾaḥărê*: preposition - after
• *hiššāmḏām*: infinitive construct Niphal with 3rd masculine plural suffix - their being destroyed
• *mippānêḵā*: preposition + noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd masculine singular suffix - from before you
• *û-pen*: conjunction + conjunction - and lest
• *tiḏrōš*: imperfect Qal, 2nd masculine singular - you seek/inquire
• *lē-ʾĕlōhêhem*: preposition + noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd masculine plural suffix - to/about their gods
• *lēʾmōr*: preposition + infinitive construct Qal - saying
• *ʾêḵāh*: interrogative adverb - how
• *yaʿaḇḏû*: imperfect Qal, 3rd masculine plural - they serve/worship
• *ha-gôyim*: definite article + noun, masculine plural - the nations/gentiles
• *hā-ʾēlleh*: definite article + demonstrative pronoun, plural - these
• *ʾeṯ*: direct object marker
• *ʾĕlōhêhem*: noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd masculine plural suffix - their gods
• *wə-ʾeʿĕśeh*: conjunction + imperfect Qal, 1st common singular - and I will do
• *kēn*: adverb - thus/so
• *gam*: particle - also/even
• *ʾānî*: pronoun, 1st common singular - I

Word Meanings

• *hiššāmer*: guard yourself/take heed/be careful
• *tinnāqēš*: be snared/be trapped/be enticed
• *hiššāmḏām*: their destruction/their being destroyed/their annihilation
• *tiḏrōš*: inquire/seek/investigate
• *ʾĕlōhêhem*: their gods/their deities
• *lēʾmōr*: saying/to say
• *ʾêḵāh*: how/in what manner
• *yaʿaḇḏû*: serve/worship/work for
• *gôyim*: nations/gentiles/peoples
• *ʾeʿĕśeh*: I will do/I will make/I will perform

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be stroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you; and that you do not enquire after their gods, asking, How did these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  take heed{H8104} to thyself that thou be not ensnared{H5367} to follow{H310} them, after{H310} that they are destroyed{H8045} from before{H6440} thee; and that thou inquire{H1875} not after their gods,{H430} saying,{H559} How do these nations{H1471} serve{H5647} their gods?{H430} even so will I do{H6213} likewise.{H1571}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Take heed{H8104}{(H8734)} to thyself that thou be not snared{H5367}{(H8735)} by following{H310} them, after{H310} that they be destroyed{H8045}{(H8736)} from before{H6440} thee; and that thou enquire{H1875}{(H8799)} not after their gods{H430}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, How did these nations{H1471} serve{H5647}{(H8799)} their gods{H430}? even so will I do{H6213}{(H8799)} likewise{H1571}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Bewarre that thou be not taken in a snare after the, after that they be destroyed before the, and that thou axenot after their goddes saynge: how dyd these nacyons serue their goddes, that I maye doo so likewyse?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  bewarre then, yt thou fall not in the snare after the, whan they are destroyed before the: & that thou axe not after their goddes, & saye: Eue as these nacions haue serued their goddes, so wil I do also.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Beware, lest thou be taken in a snare after them, after that they be destroied before thee, and lest thou aske after their gods, saying, Howe did these nations serue their gods, that I may doe so likewise?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Beware that thou be not taken in a snare after them, after that they be destroyed before thee, and that thou aske not after their gods, saying: Howe do these nations serue their gods? I wyll do so likewise.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  take heed to yourself that you not be ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before you; and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  take heed to thee, lest thou be snared after them, after their being destroyed out of thy presence, and lest thou enquire about their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods, and I do so -- even I?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  take heed to thyself that thou be not ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  take heed to thyself that thou be not ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  After their destruction take care that you do not go in their ways, and that you do not give thought to their gods, saying, How did these nations give worship to their gods? I will do as they did.

• World English Bible (2000)

  take heed to yourself that you not be ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before you; and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, "How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  After they have been destroyed from your presence, be careful not to be ensnared like they are; do not pursue their gods and say,“How do these nations serve their gods? I will do the same.”

Referenced Verses

• Deut 7:16 : 16 You shall destroy all the nations the LORD your God is giving over to you. Do not look on them with pity, and do not serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.
• Judg 2:2-3 : 2 But you must not make a covenant with the people who live in this land. Instead, you are to break down their altars. Yet you have not obeyed me. What is this that you have done?' 3 So now I say, 'I will not drive them out before you. They will become thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.'
• 2 Kgs 17:15 : 15 They despised His statutes, His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His warnings He gave them. They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. They imitated the nations around them, though the Lord had commanded them not to do so.
• Ps 106:34-38 : 34 They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, 35 but they mingled with the nations and adopted their ways. 36 They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. 38 They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.
• Jer 10:2 : 2 This is what the Lord says: Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the sky, even though the nations are terrified by them.
• Ezek 20:28 : 28 When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them, and they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there, provoked me with their offerings, placed their pleasing aromas, and poured out their drink offerings there.
• Ezek 20:32 : 32 What you have in mind will never happen. You say, 'We will be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.'
• Rom 12:2 : 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.
• Eph 4:17 : 17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds.
• 1 Pet 4:3-4 : 3 For you have already spent enough time in the past doing what the Gentiles choose to do, living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.
• Exod 23:31-33 : 31 I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the inhabitants of the land, and you will drive them out before you. 32 Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. 33 They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me, because if you worship their gods, it will become a snare to you.
• Lev 18:3 : 3 You must not behave like the people of Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You must not follow their practices.
• Num 33:52 : 52 you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you, destroy all their stone images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.