Deuteronomy 4:16

Praise and worship

¹⁴ At that time the LORD commanded me to teach you the statutes and ordinances you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

¹⁵ So since you saw no form of any kind on the day the LORD spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb, be careful

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,

¹⁷ of any beast that is on the earth or bird that flies in the air,

¹⁸ or of any creature that crawls on the ground or fish that is in the waters below.

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: 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,
KJV: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
WEB: lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself a carved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
ASV: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
DARBY: lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the form of any figure, the pattern of male or female,
BLB: lest you⁺ act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female—

ÅB: at dere ikke forsynder dere med å gjøre dere noe utskåret bilde, noe slags avgudsbilde, i skikkelse av mann eller kvinne
OTB: Så dere ikke blir fordervet og lager dere et idol, et bilde av noen form, enten i form av en mann eller en kvinne,
B1930: at I ikke forsynder eder med å gjøre eder noget utskåret billede, noget slags avgudsbillede, i skikkelse av mann eller kvinne

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 17:29
Therefore, 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.
Read in context
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.
Read in context
Romans 1:22–24
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
Read in context
Deuteronomy 4:23
Be 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.
Read in context
Exodus 20:4–5
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.
Read in context
Exodus 32:7
Then 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.
Read in context
Psalms 106:19–20
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.
Read in context
Acts 20:4–5
Paul 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.
Read in context