Deuteronomy 32:17

They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

They sacrificed unto devils, х lasheediym (H7700), lords, = bª`aaliym (H1168) (Gesenius); Septuagint, daimoniois]. The Hebrews regarded idols as lords who constrained men to worship them (cf. Psalms 106:37 with 1 Corinthians 8:5; 1 Corinthians 10:20: see also the note at Leviticus 17:7, where "devils," in the King James Version, is the translation of a different Hebrew word from that in the present context.

Gods whom they knew not - implying that the true God had made Himself known by a long series of miraculous interpositions, and with promises of continued favour to them and their posterity, on condition of their stedfast allegiance.

New gods, х chadaashiym (H2319)] - i:e., whom they had not previously worshipped.

That came newly up х miqaarob (H7138)] from near; i e from Moab Ammon and Canaan That came newly up, х miqaarob (H7138)] - from near; i:e., from Moab, Ammon, and Canaan.

Whom your fathers feared not. It was often urged upon the Israelites, as a motive for stedfastly adhering to the worship of God, that He was the God of their fathers (Exodus 3:13; Deuteronomy 1:11; Deuteronomy 4:1; Deuteronomy 13:6; Joshua 18:3; 2 Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 44:3). There are two sets of idols mentioned in this passage-namely, "devils," i:e., demons, the spirits of dead men. That practice they learned from the Egyptians. The other, 'gods which came newly up,' was derived from the nations with whom they had recent contact-Phoenician idols.