Christian Standard Bible
Leviticus 26:1
1“Do not make worthless idols for yourselves, set up a carved image or sacred pillar for yourselves, or place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 26:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Ye 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.
- New International Version (NIV)“ ‘Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.
Context of Leviticus 26:1
“Do not make worthless idols for yourselves, set up a carved image or sacred pillar for yourselves, or place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God. 2Keep my Sabbaths and revere my sanctuary; I am the Lord. 3“If you follow my statutes and faithfully observe my commands,
Read all of Leviticus 26Leviticus 26:1 word by word
לֹֽא־תַעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם אֱלִילִ֗ם וּפֶ֤סֶל וּמַצֵּבָה֙ לֹֽא־תָקִ֣ימוּ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶ֣בֶן מַשְׂכִּ֗ית לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֖ת עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ye shall makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- you no idolsאֱלִיל'ĕlîyl · idolH457
- nor graven imageפֶּ֫סֶלpesel · idolH6459
- neither rear you upקוּםqûm · to arise: raiseH6965
- a standing imageמַצֵּבָהmatstsêbâh · pillarH4676
- neither shall ye set upנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- imageמַשְׂכִּיתmaώkîyth · figureH4906
- of stoneאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
- in your landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- to bow downשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Leviticus 26:1
- Leviticus 19:4Do not turn to worthless idols or make cast images of gods for yourselves; I am the Lord your God.
- Exodus 20:4Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.
- Exodus 23:24Do not bow in worship to their gods, and do not serve them. Do not imitate their practices. Instead, demolish them and smash their sacred pillars to pieces.
- Exodus 34:17“Do not make cast images of gods for yourselves.
- Deuteronomy 4:16so you don’t act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves in the shape of any figure: a male or female form,
- Deuteronomy 5:8Do not make an idol for yourself in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.
- Deuteronomy 16:21“Do not set up an Asherah of any kind of wood next to the altar you will build for the Lord your God,
- Deuteronomy 27:15‘The person who makes a carved idol or cast image, which is detestable to the Lord, the work of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret is cursed.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen!’
- Psalms 97:7All who serve carved images, those who boast in worthless idols, will be put to shame. All the gods must worship him.
- Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.
- Isaiah 2:20On that day people will throw their worthless idols of silver and gold, which they made to worship, to the moles and the bats.
- Isaiah 44:9All who make idols are nothing, and what they treasure benefits no one. Their witnesses do not see or know anything, so they will be put to shame.
- Isaiah 48:5therefore I declared to you long ago. I announced it to you before it occurred, so you could not claim, ‘My idol caused them; my carved image and cast idol control them.’
- Jeremiah 10:3for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.
- Acts 17:29Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.
- Romans 2:22You who say, “You must not commit adultery” — do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples?
Commentaries on Leviticus 26:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Ye shall make you no idols - See note on Exodus 20:4, and see the note on Genesis 28:18-19; (note), concerning consecrated stones. Not only idolatry in general is forbidden here, but also the superstitious use of innocent and lawful things. Probably the stones or pillars which were first set up, and anointed by holy men in commemoration of signal interposition of God in their behalf, were afterward abused to idolatrous and superstitious purposes, and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Idols - literally, “things of nought.” Hebrew אלילים 'ĕlı̂ylı̂m There appears to have been a play on the similarity in sound of this word to אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym (God). Compare 1 Corinthians 8:4. Standing image - Either an upright statue, or a pillar, such as an obelisk or a Celtic menhir, set up for an idolatrous purpose (compare Exodus 34:13 note). The public worship of Yahweh required, first, the exclusion of all visible symbols of deity as well as of all…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Promises upon keeping the precepts. (1-13) Threatenings against disobedience. (14-39) God promises to remember those that repent. (40-46) Verses 1-13 This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. While Israel maintained a national regard to God's worship, sabbaths, and sanctuary, and did not turn aside…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1God instructed Israel not to make idols or carved images to worship (see Exodus 20:4–6). Creating an image to worship would would insult God. It limited God to time and space and replaced the living God with a lifeless object. Early in Israel's history, people set up stones as memorials for various events (Genesis 28:18; Exodus 24:4). Yet, pillars and sculpted stones had connections to pagan worship (2 Kings 3:2; 10:26, 27). This was especially true when…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1Le 26:1, 2. Of Idolatry. 1. Ye shall make you no idols--Idolatry had been previously forbidden (Ex 20:4, 5), but the law was repeated here with reference to some particular forms of it that were very prevalent among the neighboring nations. a standing image--that is, "upright pillar." image of stone--that is, an obelisk, inscribed with hieroglyphical and superstitious characters; the former denoting the common and smaller pillars of the Syrians or…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 26:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Leviticus 26
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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