Bible Strands

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses delivers God’s covenant command to Israel at the plains of Moab, directly following the prohibition against other gods. The verse addresses the people on the threshold of entering the Promised Land.

The words — תַעֲשֶׂה (ta.'a.Seh) translates as "you must make," and פֶּסֶל (pe.sel) means "an idol" or "carved image." The syntax pairs the active verb with the object to define the forbidden act.

The thread — The command repeats the Decalogue’s exact prohibition in Exodus 20:4 and recalls the historical reality of Deuteronomy 4:15, where Israel saw no form at Horeb. These references anchor the rule in both covenant law and witnessed revelation.

Why it lands — The text commands the rejection of crafted physical representations for worship. It requires believers to direct devotion solely toward the invisible God who spoke 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

לֹֽ֣א־Lo'-notתַעֲשֶׂ֥ה־ta.'a.Seh-you must makeלְךָ֥֣le./Khafor/ yourselfפֶ֣֙סֶל֙׀fe.selan image ofכָּל־kol-anyתְּמוּנָ֔֡הte.mu.Nahformאֲשֶׁ֤֣ר'a.Sherwhichבַּשָּׁמַ֣֙יִם֙׀ba./sha.Ma.yim[is] in the/ heavensמִמַּ֔֡עַלmi./Ma.'al<from>/ aboveוַאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩va./'a.Sherand/ whichבָּאָ֖֨רֶץba./'A.retz[is] on the/ earthמִתָּ֑֜חַתmi./Ta.chat<from>/ beneathוַאֲשֶׁ֥רva./'a.Sherand/ whichבַּמַּ֖֣יִם׀ba./Ma.yim[is] in the/ watersמִתַּ֥֣חַתmi./Ta.chatfrom/ underלָאָֽ֗רֶץ׃la./'A.Retzto the/ earth

King James Version

Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

Cross-references