Exodus 20:4

You must not make for yourself any kind of idol, whether in the form of anything in the heavens above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters below.

Free Bible Version

In The 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:

In Context

3You must not have any other gods except me.

5You must not bow down before them or worship them; for I am the Lord your God and I am passionately exclusive. I lay the consequences of the sin of those who hate me on their sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons;

Read all of Exodus 20

Cross References

Exodus 32:1When the people realized how long Moses was taking before he came back down the mountain, they went together to see Aaron. They told him, “Get up! Make some gods for us who can lead us because this man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt—we don't know what's happened to him!”

Exodus 32:8They have been so quick to abandon the way I ordered them to follow. They have made a metal bull calf idol for themselves, bowing before it in worship and offering sacrifices to it. They're saying, ‘These are the gods that brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”

Exodus 34:17Don't make any idols for yourselves.

Leviticus 26:1“Don't make yourselves idols anywhere in your land and bow down to worship them, whether they are images or sacred pillars or stone sculptures. For I am the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 4:16that you don't spoil your relationship with the Lord by making an idol for yourselves in any shape or form, whether it looks like a male or female,

Deuteronomy 4:25After you have been living in the country for a long time and have had children and grandchildren, you may then spoil the relationship you have with the Lord and make an idol in some form. The Lord your God sees this as evil and it makes him angry.

Matthew Henry on Exodus 20:2-12

The Ten Commandments. ( b. c. 1491.) 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… Read the whole commentary →

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