The first commandment in Exodus is conventionally translated along the lines of “You shall have no other gods before Me“.
However, the actual Hebrew gives a slightly different twist:
|
עַל־פָּנָיַ |
אֲחֵרִים |
אֱלֹהִים |
יִהְיֶה־לְךָ |
לֹא |
|
above-my-face |
other |
gods |
shall-there-be-to-you |
Not |
You shall not have other gods above me
Vocabulary Note: the Hebrew word panai (lit: face) occurs in a myriad of biblical idioms. The TWOT offers this explanation:
[panim] identifies the person and reflects the attitude and sentiments of the person. As such, panim can be a substitute for the self or the feelings of the self.
[Q] Does this mean we can believe in other gods so long as we regard the God of the Abraham as commanding our highest priority?