Psalm 106:20
New International Version
They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass.

New Living Translation
They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull.

English Standard Version
They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass.

Berean Standard Bible
They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.

King James Bible
Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

New King James Version
Thus they changed their glory Into the image of an ox that eats grass.

New American Standard Bible
So they exchanged their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass.

NASB 1995
Thus they exchanged their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass.

NASB 1977
Thus they exchanged their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus they exchanged their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass.

Amplified Bible
Thus they exchanged [the true God who was] their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass.

Christian Standard Bible
They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.

American Standard Version
Thus they changed their glory For the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.

Contemporary English Version
of a bull, instead of you, their glorious God.

English Revised Version
Thus they changed their glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They traded their glorious God for the statue of a bull that eats grass.

Good News Translation
they exchanged the glory of God for the image of an animal that eats grass.

International Standard Version
They exchanged their glory with the image of a grass-eating bull.

Majority Standard Bible
They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.

NET Bible
They traded their majestic God for the image of an ox that eats grass.

New Heart English Bible
Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

World English Bible
Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And change their glory "" Into the form of an ox eating herbs.

Young's Literal Translation
And change their Honour Into the form of an ox eating herbs.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will change their glory into the likeness of an ox eating grass.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they changed their glory into the likeness of a calf that eateth grass.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they exchanged their glory for the likeness of a calf that eats hay.

New American Bible
They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bull.

New Revised Standard Version
They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thus they changed their Glorious One into the likeness of an ox that eats grass.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they changed their glory into the likeness of an ox eating grass.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thus they exchanged their glory For the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and they changed their glory into the similitude of a calf that feeds on grass.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Give Thanks to the LORD, for He is Good
19At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image. 20They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox. 21They forgot God their Savior, who did great things in Egypt,…

Cross References
Romans 1:23
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Exodus 32:4
He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

Jeremiah 2:11
Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

Deuteronomy 4:16-18
that you do not act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves of any form or shape, whether in the likeness of a male or female, / of any beast that is on the earth or bird that flies in the air, / or of any creature that crawls on the ground or fish that is in the waters below.

Acts 7:41
At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.

Hosea 4:7
The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace.

1 Kings 12:28-30
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” / One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. / And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.

Isaiah 44:9-20
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? / Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. ...

2 Kings 17:15-16
They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. / They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.

1 Corinthians 10:7
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”

Isaiah 40:18-20
To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him? / To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains? / One lacking such an offering chooses wood that will not rot. He seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.

2 Chronicles 11:15
And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.

Ezekiel 20:16
because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.

1 Corinthians 12:2
You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

Isaiah 46:5-7
To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal? To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike? / They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship. / They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.


Treasury of Scripture

Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eats grass.

thus

Psalm 89:17
For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

Jeremiah 2:11
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

Romans 1:22,23
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, …

their glory.

into

Exodus 20:4,5
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: …

Isaiah 40:18-25
To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? …

Jump to Previous
Bull Change Changed Eateth Eating Eats Exchanged Food Form Glory Grass Herbs Honour Image Likeness Ox Similitude
Jump to Next
Bull Change Changed Eateth Eating Eats Exchanged Food Form Glory Grass Herbs Honour Image Likeness Ox Similitude
Psalm 106
1. The psalmist exhorts to praise God
4. He prays for pardon of sin, as God pardoned the fathers
7. The story of the people's rebellion, and God's mercy
47. He concludes with prayer and praise














They exchanged their Glory
This phrase refers to the Israelites' decision to forsake the worship of the one true God, who is their source of glory and honor. In the biblical context, "Glory" often signifies God's presence and majesty (Exodus 24:16-17). The Israelites had witnessed God's glory through miraculous events such as the parting of the Red Sea and the provision of manna. This exchange highlights a profound spiritual decline, as they turned away from the divine glory that had been their guide and protector. The act of exchanging God for an idol is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, illustrating the human tendency to replace divine worship with idolatry (Jeremiah 2:11).

for the image of a grass-eating ox.
This phrase specifically refers to the incident of the golden calf in Exodus 32. The Israelites, impatient for Moses' return from Mount Sinai, demanded Aaron make them gods to lead them. The calf, likely modeled after Egyptian deities such as Apis, represented fertility and strength. The choice of a "grass-eating ox" underscores the absurdity of worshipping a created being that is dependent on the earth for sustenance, contrasting sharply with the self-sufficient Creator. This act of idolatry is condemned throughout Scripture (Deuteronomy 9:16), and Paul references it in Romans 1:23 to illustrate humanity's foolishness in exchanging the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal beings. Theologically, this serves as a type of Christ, who is the true image of God (Colossians 1:15), contrasting with the false images humanity creates.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Israelites
The people of God who were delivered from Egypt but fell into idolatry.

2. Moses
The leader of the Israelites during the Exodus, who was on Mount Sinai receiving the Law when the idolatry occurred.

3. Aaron
Moses' brother, who was left in charge and facilitated the creation of the golden calf.

4. Mount Sinai
The place where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

5. Golden Calf
The idol made by the Israelites, representing a significant act of rebellion against God.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Idolatry
Idolatry is not just the worship of physical idols but can be anything that takes the place of God in our lives. We must be vigilant in identifying and removing idols from our hearts.

The Consequences of Forgetting God
The Israelites quickly forgot God's mighty works and turned to idols. We must remember and recount God's faithfulness to avoid spiritual amnesia.

The Importance of Leadership
Aaron's failure to stand firm in Moses' absence shows the importance of strong, godly leadership. Leaders must be steadfast in guiding others toward God.

The Value of True Worship
Worship should be directed to God alone, who is worthy of all glory. We must ensure our worship is genuine and not influenced by cultural or societal pressures.

Repentance and Restoration
Despite their sin, God continued to work with the Israelites. This teaches us that repentance can lead to restoration and renewed relationship with God.(20) Their glory--i.e., Jehovah, as shown by Jeremiah 2:11.

Similitude.--This is also a Deuteronomic word (Deuteronomy 4:16; Deuteronomy 4:18), meaning originally "structure," from a root meaning "to build," and so "form," "model."

Verse 20. - Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass; i.e. they exchanged the spiritual revelation of Jehovah, in all his glorious attributes, for a material emblem, which would naturally suggest low and unworthy thoughts of the supreme Being. So Schultz and Cheyne. The expression, "an ox that eateth grass," emphasizes the contempt of the writer for a people who could so act. He has, probably, in his thoughts not only the golden calf, but the Apis bulls of Egypt.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They exchanged
וַיָּמִ֥ירוּ (way·yā·mî·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4171: To alter, to barter, to dispose of

their Glory
כְּבוֹדָ֑ם (kə·ḇō·w·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3519: Weight, splendor, copiousness

for the image
בְּתַבְנִ֥ית (bə·ṯaḇ·nîṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8403: Structure, a model, resemblance

of an ox
שׁ֝֗וֹר (wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7794: A head of cattle (bullock, ox, etcetera)

that eats
אֹכֵ֥ל (’ō·ḵêl)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

grass.
עֵֽשֶׂב׃ (‘ê·śeḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6212: Herb, herbage


Links
Psalm 106:20 NIV
Psalm 106:20 NLT
Psalm 106:20 ESV
Psalm 106:20 NASB
Psalm 106:20 KJV

Psalm 106:20 BibleApps.com
Psalm 106:20 Biblia Paralela
Psalm 106:20 Chinese Bible
Psalm 106:20 French Bible
Psalm 106:20 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Psalm 106:20 Thus they exchanged their glory (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 106:19
Top of Page
Top of Page