The Meaning of Exodus 34:17 Explained

Exodus 34:17

KJV: Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

YLT: a molten god thou dost not make to thyself.

Darby: thou shalt make thyself no molten gods.

ASV: Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou shalt make  thee no molten  gods. 

What does Exodus 34:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 34:1-17 - The Covenant Of The Law Renewed
Before we can behold the vision of Eternal Love we must be willing to fulfill three conditions: (1) Earliness: "My soul, be ready in the morning." (2) Solitude: "No man shall come up with thee." (3) The open heart: "That God may write there what He will." God is always passing by and covering us with the shadow of His hand, and proclaiming His loving kindness and tender mercy. He keeps mercy for thousands, and limits the entail of sin to the third and fourth generation.
Whenever we get near to God we should begin to think of and pray for others. As the last notes of the divine procession were dying away Moses bowed his head and worshiped, saying, "Let the Lord go in the middle of us and forgive." It was as though he said, "If thou art a God like that, thou art the God that stiff-necked people need. Go with us, therefore, for thou canst bear with us." He went on to ask that they might be pardoned, and that God would account them His heritage. His request was more than granted! God entered into covenant with them and promised to drive out their enemies on conditions which He proceeded to enumerate.
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Chapter Summary: Exodus 34

1  The tablets are replaced
5  The name of the Lord proclaimed
8  Moses entreats God to go with them
10  God makes a covenant with them, repeating certain duties
28  Moses after forty days on the mount, comes down with the tablets
29  His face is radiant, and he covers it with a veil

What do the individual words in Exodus 34:17 mean?

Gods molded no You shall make for yourselves
אֱלֹהֵ֥י מַסֵּכָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֶׂה־ לָּֽךְ

אֱלֹהֵ֥י  Gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מַסֵּכָ֖ה  molded 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַסֵּכָה 
Sense: a pouring, libation, molten metal, cast image, drink offering.
לֹ֥א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תַעֲשֶׂה־  You  shall  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָּֽךְ  for  yourselves 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular