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Deuteronomy 18:9

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¶ When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

When thou art come {H935} into the land {H776} which the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430} giveth {H5414} thee, thou shalt not learn {H3925} to do {H6213} after the abominations {H8441} of those nations {H1471}.

"When you enter the land ADONAI your God is giving you, you are not to learn how to follow the abominable practices of those nations.

When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.

When thou art come into the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

Commentary

Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:9 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 18:9 serves as a foundational warning to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. It establishes a clear boundary between the pure worship of the LORD and the corrupt practices of the surrounding pagan nations.

Context

This verse is situated in a section of Deuteronomy where Moses is reiterating God's laws and instructions to the new generation of Israelites, just before they cross the Jordan River into Canaan. Having spent forty years in the wilderness, this generation needed to be reminded of the covenant obligations and the dangers of assimilation. The land they were about to inherit, a land flowing with milk and honey, was also inhabited by various nations (Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) whose spiritual and moral practices were anathema to God. The command here is not merely to avoid these practices, but specifically "not learn to do after" them, emphasizing a proactive rejection of their ways.

Key Themes

  • Divine Separation and Holiness: God calls His people to be distinct and set apart. Israel's identity was to be rooted in their unique relationship with the LORD, not in imitation of the surrounding cultures. This theme resonates throughout the Old Testament, such as in Leviticus 11:44, where God commands, "Ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."
  • Purity of Worship: The "abominations" primarily refer to idolatrous rituals and occult practices (which are detailed in the subsequent verses, Deuteronomy 18:10-12). These included child sacrifice, divination, sorcery, necromancy, and consulting mediums. God demands exclusive and unadulterated worship, as emphasized in the first commandment (Exodus 20:3): "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
  • Warning Against Assimilation: The danger was not just exposure to these practices but actively adopting and integrating them into their own lives and culture. This warning foreshadows much of Israel's future struggles and failures, as recorded in books like Judges and Kings, where they repeatedly fell into idolatry.

Linguistic Insights

The key term here is "abominations" (Hebrew: to'evah). This word frequently appears in the Old Testament, signifying something utterly detestable or abhorrent to God. It is used to describe not only idolatrous acts and occult practices but also sexual perversions (Leviticus 18:22) and dishonest dealings (Proverbs 11:1). In Deuteronomy 18:9, it specifically points to the religious and magical practices of the Canaanites that defiled the land and were an affront to God's holiness.

Practical Application

While believers today are not entering a literal promised land to dispossess pagan nations, the principle of Deuteronomy 18:9 remains profoundly relevant. We are called to be "not conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2) but transformed by the renewing of our minds. This verse challenges us to:

  • Discern Influences: Be vigilant about the cultural, spiritual, and moral influences we allow into our lives, homes, and communities. Are we passively "learning to do after" the "abominations" of modern society, such as materialism, secularism, occult interests, or moral relativism?
  • Maintain Spiritual Purity: Guard our worship and devotion to God. Anything that draws our hearts away from Him or compromises our commitment to His truth can be a modern "abomination."
  • Live Distinctly: Embrace our identity as followers of Christ, living in a way that reflects God's holiness and righteousness, even if it means being counter-cultural.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 12:29 (13 votes)

    When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

  • Deuteronomy 12:31 (13 votes)

    Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

  • Leviticus 18:26 (11 votes)

    Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit [any] of these abominations; [neither] any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

  • Leviticus 18:27 (11 votes)

    (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which [were] before you, and the land is defiled;)

  • Leviticus 18:30 (10 votes)

    Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that [ye] commit not [any one] of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I [am] the LORD your God.