Deuteronomy 4:16

Deuteronomy 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
• New International Version (NIV)so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman,
• English Standard Version (ESV)beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
• New Living Translation (NLT)So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form—whether of a man or a woman,

Context of Deuteronomy 4:16

14And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess. 15“Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, 17the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth.

Deuteronomy 4:16 word by word

פֶּ֨ן־תַּשְׁחִת֔וּן וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם פֶּ֖סֶל תְּמוּנַ֣ת כָּל־סָ֑מֶל תַּבְנִ֥ית זָכָ֖ר א֥וֹ נְקֵבָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Lest ye corruptשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• and makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• you a graven imageפֶּ֫סֶלpesel · idolH6459
• the similitudeתְּמוּנָהtemûnâh temûnâh · likenessH8544
• of any figureסֶ֫מֶלsemel sêmel · idolH5566
• the likenessתַּבְנִיתtabnîyth · patternH8403
• of maleזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145
• or femaleנְקֵבָהneqêbâh · femaleH5347

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 4:16

• Deuteronomy 4:8And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
• Exodus 20:4“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
• Exodus 32:7And the Lord said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
• Psalms 106:19They made a calf in Horeb, And worshiped the molded image.
• Romans 1:22Professing to be wise, they became fools,
• Deuteronomy 4:23Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you.
• Isaiah 40:18To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
• John 4:24God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
• Acts 17:29Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.
• Acts 20:4And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia—also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.
• 1 Timothy 1:17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The likeness of male or female - Such as Baal-peor and the Roman Priapus, Ashtaroth or Astarte, and the Greek and Roman Venus; after whom most nations of the world literally went a whoring.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16idol: Idolatry limited the Lord to what a human artist could imagine and make. But the Lord is greater than anything a person can create. Israel was not to make idols shaped like any of God’s creatures (4:17–18). This command protected the people from false worship. Idols and images could lead people to worship created things instead of the Creator (5:8–9; Romans 1:23–25). Instead of honoring the God who made everything, they might honor something he made.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1916-19. Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image--The things are here specified of which God prohibited any image or representation to be made for the purposes of worship; and, from the variety of details entered into, an idea may be formed of the extensive prevalence of idolatry in that age. In whatever way idolatry originated, whether from an intention to worship the true God through those things which seemed to afford the strongest…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 4:16

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Idolatry
• Obedience

In the dictionaries

• Graven image
• Add
• Consider
• Consuming
• Diminish
• Furnace
• Hearken
• Idol
• Deuteronomy
• Figure

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4

• 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