Bible Strands
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,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites following the revelation at Horeb, where God spoke from fire without any visible form. He issues a direct warning against creating physical representations of the divine.
The words — תַּשְׁחִיתוּ (tashchitu) translates literally to "you should act corruptly," and פֶּסֶל (pesel) means "an image" or carved idol.
The thread — This prohibition against crafted idols appears in Exodus 20:4, which bans images of anything in the heavens, earth, or waters. It resurfaces in Acts 17:29, which states that the Divine Being cannot be likened to gold, silver, or stone, and is reiterated in Deuteronomy 4:23 as a covenant safeguard.
Why it lands — The text commands readers to reject any physical representation of God, whether human or animal, and to worship the unseen deity who spoke directly from the fire.
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
Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Cross-references
- Acts 17:29 Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.
- 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 4:23 Be careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you; do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything He has forbidden you.
- 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.
- Romans 1:22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
- Exodus 32:7 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.
- Deuteronomy 4:8 And what nation is great enough to have righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?
- Deuteronomy 4:25 After you have children and grandchildren and you have been in the land a long time, if you then act corruptly and make an idol of any form—doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God and provoking Him to anger—
- Psalms 106:19 At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.
- Isaiah 40:18 To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?