Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 16:22
and do not set up for yourselves a sacred pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses addresses Israel on the plains of Moab, concluding his covenant renewal speech before the conquest of Canaan. He issues a direct command against adopting Canaanite cultic objects for Yahweh worship.
The words — The text uses מַצֵּבָה (matzevah) for a standing stone or sacred pillar and שׂוֹנֵא (sone) for "he hates." The verse explicitly states that Yahweh your God hates these pillars and commands against their erection.
The thread — The prohibition against sacred pillars appears in Leviticus 26:1, which groups them with carved images and sculpted stones. It aligns with the idolatry warnings in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 12:31 regarding forbidden worship practices.
Why it lands — The text commands exclusive worship by rejecting physical cult objects associated with pagan rites. It requires readers to abandon syncretistic practices and follow the prescribed worship alone.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 26:1 “You must not make idols for yourselves or set up a carved image or sacred pillar; you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it. For I am the LORD your God.
- Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.
- Deuteronomy 12:31 You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
- Jeremiah 44:4 Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets again and again, saying: ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.’
- Zechariah 8:17 do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.
- Revelation 2:6 But you have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
- Revelation 2:15 In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.