← Back to Search

Deuteronomy 32:16

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

They made him jealous by worshiping foreign gods, and they made him angry with their disgusting practices.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse is describing how God's people made him jealous and angry by turning away from him to worship other gods and engage in detestable practices.

📚 Historical Context

This verse is part of the Song of Moses, delivered just before his death as the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land. Moses is prophetically warning about Israel's future unfaithfulness - how they would abandon God and worship the pagan gods of surrounding nations like the Canaanites. The 'abominations' likely refers to practices like child sacrifice, temple prostitution, and other rituals associated with foreign worship that were morally repugnant to God.

Explore Similar Verses

2 Chronicles 34:33
Josiah removed all the disgusting idols and false worship practices from every area that belonged to the people of Israel. He made sure that everyone in Israel served the LORD their God. Throughout Josiah's entire lifetime, the people never stopped following the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
Isaiah 44:19
And no one stops to think about it in their heart, and they don't have the knowledge or understanding to say, 'I burned part of this wood in the fire; yes, I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and ate it. So should I make the leftover wood into something disgusting to worship? Should I bow down to a piece of tree trunk?'
Deuteronomy 20:18
This is so they won't teach you to follow all their disgusting practices that they do in worshiping their gods, which would cause you to sin against the LORD your God.

Ask the AI Assistant

Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.

Share or Save

Translation & Methodology Sources

The original manuscript text provided is based on the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain. Our modern English simplifications are generated via proprietary philological synthesis, cross-referenced against Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and the Textus Receptus to ensure unwavering theological and etymological precision.

Read our full translation methodology →