Deuteronomy 27:15

‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Levites address every Israelite during a covenant ceremony on Mount Ebal, pronouncing a formal curse for violating the law.

The words — The Hebrew פֶּסֶל (pesel) denotes a carved or graven image, while מַסֵּכָה (massekah) specifies a molten or cast idol.

The thread — This prohibition against crafting and secretly erecting idols appears in Exodus 20:4, Exodus 34:17, and Leviticus 19:4.

Why it lands — The text demands public rejection of hidden idolatry and requires the community to affirm the curse with an unambiguous “Amen.”

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

אָר֣וּר'a.Rur[is] cursed הָאִ֡ישׁha./'Ishthe/ person אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwho יַעֲשֶׂה֩ya.'a.Sehhe will make פֶ֨סֶלFe.selan image וּמַסֵּכָ֜הu./ma.se.Khahand/ a molten image תּוֹעֲבַ֣תto.'a.Vat<the> abomination of יְהוָ֗הYah.wehYahweh מַעֲשֵׂ֛הma.'a.Seh[the] work of יְדֵ֥יye.Dei[the] hands of חָרָ֖שׁcha.Rasha craftsman וְשָׂ֣םve./Samand/ he will set [it] up בַּסָּ֑תֶרba./Sa.terin <the>/ secrecy וְעָנ֧וּve./'a.Nuand/ they will answer כָל־khol-all הָעָ֛םha./'Amthe/ people וְאָמְר֖וּve./'a.me.Ruand/ they will say אָמֵֽן׃ ס'a.Menamen

King James Version

Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

Cross-references

Exodus 34:17 You shall make no molten gods for yourselves.
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.
Leviticus 19:4 Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God.
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.
Deuteronomy 5:8 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.
Exodus 20:23 You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.
Deuteronomy 4:16 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,
Hosea 13:2 Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!”
1 Corinthians 14:16 Otherwise, if you speak a blessing in spirit, how can someone who is uninstructed say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?
Genesis 9:25 he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”