The Meaning of Deuteronomy 29:26 Explained

Deuteronomy 29:26

KJV: For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them:

YLT: and they go and serve other gods, and bow themselves to them -- gods which they have not known, and which He hath not apportioned to them;

Darby: and they went and served other gods, and bowed down to them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not assigned to them.

ASV: and went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods that they knew not, and that he had not given unto them:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For they went  and served  other  gods,  and worshipped  them, gods  whom they knew  not, and [whom] he had not given  unto them: 

What does Deuteronomy 29:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 29:14-29 - The Penalty Of Serving False Gods
Deuteronomy 29:15 clearly refers to the future generations, who were included in this solemn act. The word "gall," Deuteronomy 29:18, indicates the poisonous character of idolatry. The application of this passage to any man who falls short of the grace of God shows that the tendency to idolatry has its root in the apostasy of the heart, Hebrews 12:15.
We cannot say that religion is a matter of indifference; or, if we say it, we are destined to a terrible awakening. A man may say, "I shall have peace," etc., Deuteronomy 29:19, but there is no peace short of the peace of God, Isaiah 48:22; Romans 5:1-2.
With respect to Deuteronomy 29:24, the infidel Volney wrote of the present condition of Palestine: "Why is not the ancient population reproduced and perpetuated? God has doubtless pronounced a secret malediction against this land." This is one of His "secret things!" Compare Deuteronomy 29:29 with Romans 11:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 29

1  Moses exhorts them to obedience, reminding of the works they had seen
10  All are presented before the Lord to enter into his covenant
18  The great wrath on him who flatters himself in his wickedness
29  Secret things belong unto God

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 29:26 mean?

For they went and served gods other and worshiped them gods that not they did know that not He had given to them
וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ וַיַּֽעַבְדוּ֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֖וּ‪‬ לָהֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־ יְדָע֔וּם וְלֹ֥א חָלַ֖ק לָהֶֽם

וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ  For  they  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וַיַּֽעַבְדוּ֙  and  served 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲחֵרִ֔ים  other 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֖וּ‪‬  and  worshiped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
אֱלֹהִים֙  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יְדָע֔וּם  they  did  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
וְלֹ֥א  that  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חָלַ֖ק  He  had  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלַק 
Sense: to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign.
לָהֶֽם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural