KJV King James Version
Thou shalt not make unto 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 water under the earth:
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Exodus 20:4
Thou shalt not make unto 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 water under the earth:
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
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.
WEB World English Bible
“You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
ASV American Standard Version
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
Thou dost not make to thyself a graven image, or any likeness which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth.
Surrounding context — Exodus 20
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto 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 water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
לֹֽ֣אH3808 · lonotתַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־H6213 · a.sahto make: doלְךָ֥֣H9031 · kayouפֶ֣֙סֶל֙׀H6459 · pe.selidolוְכָל־H3605 · kolallתְּמוּנָ֡֔הH8544 · te.mu.nahlikenessאֲשֶׁ֤ר֣H834 · a.sherwhichבַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙׀H8064 · sha.ma.yimheavenמִמַּ֡֔עַלH4605 · ma.alaboveוַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩H834 · a.sherwhichבָּאָ֖֨רֶץH776 · e.retsland: country/planetמִתַָּ֑֜חַתH8478 · ta.chatunderneath: underוַאֲשֶׁ֥֣רH834 · a.sherwhichבַּמַּ֖֣יִם׀H4325 · ma.yimwaterמִתַּ֥֣חַתH8478 · ta.chatunderneath: underלָאָֽ֗רֶץ׃H776 · e.retsland: country/planet
Cross-references
Deuteronomy 5:8Thou 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:Leviticus 26:1Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I [am] the LORD your God.Deuteronomy 4:15-19Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day [that] the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:Psalm 97:7Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all [ye] gods.Leviticus 19:4Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I [am] the LORD your God.Acts 17:29Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.Revelation 16:2And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and [upon] them which worshipped his image.Deuteronomy 27:15Cursed [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.Psalm 115:4-8Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.Jeremiah 10:14-16Every man is brutish in [his] knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image [is] falsehood, and [there is] no breath in them.Jeremiah 10:8-9But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock [is] a doctrine of vanities.Isaiah 45:16They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together [that are] makers of idols.Romans 1:23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.Isaiah 42:8I [am] the LORD: that [is] my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.Psalm 135:15-18The idols of the heathen [are] silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.Ezekiel 8:10So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.Acts 19:26-35Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:Jeremiah 10:3-5For the customs of the people [are] vain: for [one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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