Exodus 20:25

Exodus 20:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it.

Context of Exodus 20:25

23You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold. 24You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. Now if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with stones shaped by tools; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it. 26And you must not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.’

Exodus 20:25 word by word

וְאִם־מִזְבַּ֤ח אֲבָנִים֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֔י לֹֽא־תִבְנֶ֥ה אֶתְהֶ֖ן גָּזִ֑ית כִּ֧י חַרְבְּךָ֛ הֵנַ֥פְתָּ עָלֶ֖יהָ וַתְּחַֽלְלֶֽהָ׃Read the interlinear

• Now ifאִם'im · ifH518
• you makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• an altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• of stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• you must notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• itאֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• with stones shaped by toolsגָּזִיתgâzîyth · cuttingH1496
• for ifכִּיkîy · forH3588
• you useנוּףnûph · to waveH5130
• a chiselחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• on itעַל‛al · uponH5921
• you will defile itחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: profaneH2490

Cross-references for Exodus 20:25

• Deuteronomy 27:5Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them.
• Joshua 8:31just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings.

Commentaries on Exodus 20:25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25Thou shalt not build it of hewn stone - Because they were now in a wandering state, and had as yet no fixed residence; and therefore no time should be wasted to rear costly altars, which could not be transported with them, and which they must soon leave. Besides, they must not lavish skill or expense on the construction of an altar; the altar of itself, whether costly or mean, was nothing in the worship; it was only the place on which the victim should be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-26Verses 22-26 Nothing could be more appropriate as the commencement of the book of the covenant than these regulations for public worship. The rules for the building of altars must have been old and accepted, and are not inconsistent with the directions for the construction of the altar of the court of the tabernacle, Exodus 27:1-8 (compare Joshua 22:26-28).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-26Verses 22-26 Moses having entered into the thick darkness, God there spake in his hearing all that follows from hence to the end of chap. 23, which is mostly an exposition of the ten commandments. The laws in these verses relate to God's worship. The Israelites are assured of God's gracious acceptance of their devotions. Under the gospel, men are encouraged to pray every where, and wherever God's people meet in his name to worship him, he will be in the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-26The Lord is beyond human understanding, as shown by his speaking to the people with a voice from heaven (20:22). This had two effects on their practices: They could not use silver or gold to make human-shaped gods (20:23). They could not carve stones for an altar (20:25). This might be to prevent them from carving stone gods. They must make the altar from earth and uncut stones (20:24, 25). The rule against revealing nakedness might have been to…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. thou shalt not build it of hewn stone, &c.--that is, carved with figures and ornaments that might lead to superstition.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 20:25

• Altar
• Art
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Book
• Commit
• Covet
• Grave
• Guiltless
• Hold
• Knife
• Likeness
• Remember
• Steal

Commentaries on Exodus 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings