Deuteronomy 32:16

Deu 32:16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange [gods], with abominations provoked they him to anger.

Ver. 16. They provoked him to jealousy.] {See Trapp on "Deu 31:29"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 32:16-17. They provoked him to jealousy — Speaking after the manner of men. See on Num 25:11. The word expresses not only the hot displeasure and indignation of God, but also the ground of it, which was Israel’s falseness to him, whom they had accepted as their husband, and their spiritual whoredom with other gods. They sacrificed unto devils — Not that they actually considered their gods under the notion of devils; but, whatever pretext they might have for their idolatry, when they sacrificed, they really did it unto devils, the wasters and destroyers of mankind, as the Hebrew word שׁדים, shedim, here used, is thought to signify, and as the devil is called, Rev 9:11. Some, indeed, think it is a word of the same import with שׂעירם, segnirim, (Lev 17:7,) a name given to demons, either because they were conceived to haunt waste places, or to appear in the form of goats. To devils or demons the Israelites sacrificed their sons and daughters, when they sacrificed them unto the idols of Canaan, Psa 106:36-38. But these idols may here and elsewhere be termed devils, because devils brought them into the world in opposition to the true God, and gave answers by them, and in and through them received men’s worship. Many of the heathen considered their idols as a sort of lower gods, and pretended to worship the supreme God by them: but Moses here takes off this mask, and shows the Israelites that in worshipping these idols they worshipped devils, whose will they hereby obeyed, and whose work and service they promoted. And not to God — For God utterly rejected those sacrifices which they offered to him together with idols. To gods whom they knew not — Had no experience of receiving any good from them, or who knew not them, as the words may be rendered; that is, who had never bestowed any benefits upon them. As, on the contrary, the true God says, (Hos 13:5,) I did know thee in the wilderness, which the Chaldee interprets, I supplied thy necessities. New gods — Not simply or absolutely, for some of them had been worshipped for many generations; but in comparison of the true God who is the Ancient of days, (Dan 7:9,) and who was worshipped from the beginning of the world. Moses may, however, also intend to signify that they had not so much as the plea of ancient custom or tradition for the worship of many of their idols, and that they were so prone to idolatry, that every new object or mode of heathen superstition caught their fancy, and drew them away from their allegiance to the true God. Whom your fathers feared not — Worshipped not: and concerning whom they had no superstitious dread, (as the word שׂערו, segnaru, here used, imports,) no fear lest they should be hurt by them if they did not worship them, which fear differs essentially from that pious fear and reverence which we owe to the true God. He means they were such gods as could neither do good nor evil, Jer 10:5.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32:16 his jealousy: See study note on 4:24. Just as a husband is properly jealous when another man tries to draw his wife away (Prov 6:34), God was jealous when Israel worshiped other gods.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

By changing his service for their superstitions.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

16. moved him to jealousy] This form of the vb. is found only here, and in Deu_32:21 b, Psa_78:58; another form in Deu_32:21 a. On God’s jealousy see Deu_4:24.

strange] Jer_2:25; Jer_3:13. See above on Deu_32:12.

abominations] See Deu_7:25, and cp. Isa_44:19.

provoked] Deu_4:25.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They sacrificed to devils, not to God,.... Their sacrifices being continued, when it was the will of God they should cease, were reckoned by him not as, offered to him, but to demons, and to such that were not God; they being therein under the instigation of Satan, and doing his lusts, Joh 8:44; just as Pagans and Papists, worshipping idols under the influence and direction of Satan, are said to worship devils, and sacrifice to them, Co1 10:20; and indeed setting up their own righteousness was sacrificing to their own net, and burning incense to their own drag, to an idol, and not to God: to which may be added, that whereas they trampled under foot the Son of God, and did despite to the Spirit of grace, by which Christ cast out devils, and offered himself without spot, they excluded two of the divine Persons in the Deity, and so worshipped not the true God, Father, Son, and Spirit:

to gods whom they knew not, to gods that came newly up; such as angels, into the worship of which they fell, as their writings testify (i), and to which the apostle seems to have respect, Col 2:18,

whom your fathers feared not; paid no regard unto, put no trust or confidence in; or, as the Targum of Jonathan,"with whom your fathers had nothing to do:''as they had not with the idol of man's righteousness, but wholly looked unto and trusted in the grace and righteousness of Christ, and expected salvation alone by him: the Gospel of righteousness and salvation by Christ was preached to our first parents in Eden's garden, which they embraced and believed in; Noah was an heir and preacher of the righteousness of faith, that is, of the righteousness of Christ, received by faith; that righteousness, which was what Abraham believed in, was imputed to him for his justifying righteousness; and Jacob waited for the Messiah, the salvation of God; in short all the Old Testament saints were saved by the grace of Christ, as we are; the idols, the works of men's own righteousness, are new deities they paid no deference to, placed no confidence in.

(i) Vid. Van Till in loc.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To jealousy, i.e. to anger and fury,

for jealousy is the rage of a man, Pro 6:31. And withal it implies the ground of his anger, to wit, their falseness to God, whom they had owned and accepted as their Husband, and their spiritual whoredom with other gods.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Departing from God, they will give themselves up to the worship of idols. They provoked him to jealousy is a figure taken from the marriage relation. The intimate relation that Jehovah sustains to his people is expressed by this. Comp. Deu_31:16; Exo_39:14; Isa_54:5; Jer_3:14.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They provoked him to jealousy. God had bound Israel to himself as by the marriage bond, and they by their unfaithfulness had incited him to jealousy. (cf. Deu_31:16; Exo_34:15; Isa_54:5 Ho 1, etc.) Strange gods. (cf. Jer_2:25 Jer_3:13)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To jealousy - To anger and fury, for jealousy is the rage of a man. And withall it implies the ground of his anger, their falseness to God whom they had accepted as their husband, and their spiritual whoredom with other gods.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

יקנאהו means, they made His anger and His jealousy (קנאה) glow.

בתועבת WITH ABOMINATIONS — i.e. with abominable deeds such as pederasty and sorcery, of which the term תועבה is used (cf. Leviticus 18:23 and Deuteronomy 18:10—12).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

WITH ABOMINATIONS DID THEY PROVOKE HIM — “they kindled His anger with abominations and unseemly deeds, such as sodomy and sorcery in which there is abomination.” This is Rashi’s language, and it is also so stated in the Sifre. 318. But in this Song there is reproof for idolatry only [and not for immorality]! And the word ‘b’zarim’ [They roused Him to jealousy ‘b’zarim’] is connected with the expression G-d Who made him [in the preceding verse, to mean]: “they roused Him to jealousy with ‘strange gods,’” similar to the phrase other gods. And the meaning of the expression, with abominations is [that they worshipped] the demons by burning their children in fire to other gods. For all this is “abominable” to Him, just as it is said, for every abomination to the Eternal, which He hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods, 12:31. This is said of the nations that lived in the land of Canaan. and it is further written, which I commanded not, nor spoke it, neither came it unto My mind.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.