Exodus 20:23
21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.
- KJV
- Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
- WEB
- You shall most certainly not make gods of silver or gods of gold for yourselves to be alongside me.
- ASV
- Ye shall not make [other gods] with me; gods of silver, or gods of gold, ye shall not make unto you.
- DARBY
- Ye shall not make beside me gods of silver, and ye shall not make to you gods of gold.
- BLB
- You⁺ shall not make alongside Me gods of silver; and gods of gold you⁺ shall not make for yourselves.
- ÅB
- Dere skal ikke lage dere noen gud ved siden av meg; guder av sølv eller guder av gull skal dere ikke lage dere.
- OTB
- Dere skal ikke lage noen guder ved siden av meg; guder av sølv eller guder av gull, skal dere ikke lage for dere selv.
- B1930
- I skal ikke gjøre eder nogen gud ved siden av mig; guder av sølv eller guder av gull skal I ikke gjøre eder.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ezekiel 20:39
As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
Read in contextZephaniah 1:5
And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;
Read in context2 Kings 17:33
They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.
Read in contextRevelation 22:15
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Read in contextExodus 20:3–5
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Read in contextExodus 32:31
And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Read in context1 Corinthians 10:21–22
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
Read in context1 John 5:20–21
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Read in context