Deuteronomy 32:16
They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
Original Language Analysis
יַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ
They provoked him to jealousy
H7065
יַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ
They provoked him to jealousy
Strong's:
H7065
Word #:
1 of 4
to be (causatively, make) zealous, i.e., (in a bad sense) jealous or envious
בְּזָרִ֑ים
with strange
H2114
בְּזָרִ֑ים
with strange
Strong's:
H2114
Word #:
2 of 4
to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery
Historical Context
Moses anticipates Israel's adoption of Canaanite Baal worship, Asherah poles, and child sacrifice to Molech—all documented in Judges through 2 Kings. These 'abominations' included ritual prostitution, divination, and infant sacrifice, practices expressly forbidden in Deuteronomy 12-18. The prophets (especially Jeremiah and Ezekiel) would later echo this language of divine jealousy.
Questions for Reflection
- How does understanding God's jealousy as covenant faithfulness rather than petty emotion change your view of His character?
- What modern 'strange gods' (career, comfort, entertainment) compete for the exclusive devotion God deserves?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods—the Hebrew qin'ū (קִנְאוּ) from qānā' means to incite intense jealous anger. Strange gods (בְּזָרִים, bĕzārîm) literally means 'foreign ones,' emphasizing covenant betrayal—spiritual adultery. God's jealousy is not petty envy but righteous indignation at covenant violation, like a husband's justified anger at his wife's adultery (Exodus 20:5, 34:14).
With abominations provoked they him to anger—tô'ēvôt (תּוֹעֵבֹת) denotes detestable practices, especially idolatry and its associated immorality. Paul quotes this passage in Romans 10:19 and 11:11, showing how Israel's rejection of Messiah provoked God to extend salvation to Gentiles, fulfilling the 'not a people' prophecy (v.21).