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,
Parallel translations
- WEB lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself an engraved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
- KJV Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
- NKJV lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,
- NASB so that you do not act corruptly and make a carved image for yourselves in the form of any figure, a representation of male or female,
- NLT So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form—whether of a man or a woman,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They must not make a carved image in any human form, male or female. It begins the list of forbidden idol forms.
Overview
Moses forbids fashioning images of God in the likeness of man or woman, a common temptation among the nations. To picture God in any created form distorts His glory and invites false worship. The prohibition upholds the second commandment and the proper reverence due to the Creator.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Acts 17:29Therefore, 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.
- Exod 20:4–5You 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.
- Rom 1:22–24Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
- Deut 5:8You 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.
- Deut 4:23Be 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.
- Exod 32:7Then 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.
- Acts 20:4–5Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
- Ps 106:19–20At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.
- John 4:24God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
- Deut 4:8–9And what nation is great enough to have righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?
- Deut 4:25After 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—
- Isa 40:18To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?
- 1 Tim 1:17Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 4:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.