Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, March 8th, 2026
the Third Sunday of Lent
There are 28 days til Easter!
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Green's Literal Translation

Deuteronomy 4:16

that you not deal corruptly, and make for yourselves a graven image, a likeness of any figure, the form of a male or female,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Idolatry;   Obedience;   The Topic Concordance - Alertness;   Idolatry;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Heedfulness;   Idolatry;   Reptiles;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Idol, Idolatry;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - God;   Idol, idolatry;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Idol, Idolatry;   Israel;   Jesus Christ, Name and Titles of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Polytheism;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Idol;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Baptism of Fire;   Deuteronomy, the Book of;   Likeness;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Deuteronomy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Quotations;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Similitude;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Figure;   Form;   Similitude;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ethics;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself an engraved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
King James Version
Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Lexham English Bible
so that you do not ruin yourselves and make for yourselves a divine image in a form of any image, a replica of male or female,
English Standard Version
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 Century Version
Don't sin by making idols of any kind, and don't make statues—of men or women,
New English Translation
I say this so you will not corrupt yourselves by making an image in the form of any kind of figure. This includes the likeness of a human male or female,
Amplified Bible
so that you do not act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved or sculpted image [to worship] in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
New American Standard Bible
so that you do not act corruptly and make a carved image for yourselves in the form of any figure, a representation of male or female,
Geneva Bible (1587)
That ye corrupt not your selues, and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure: whither it be the likenes of male or female,
Legacy Standard Bible
lest you act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Contemporary English Version
not to commit the sin of worshiping idols. Don't make idols to be worshiped, whether they are shaped like men, women,
Complete Jewish Bible
do not become corrupt and make yourselves a carved image having the shape of any figure — not a representation of a human being, male or female,
Darby Translation
lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the form of any figure, the pattern of male or female,
Easy-to-Read Version
So be careful! Don't sin and destroy yourselves by making false gods or statues in the shape of any living thing. Don't make an idol that looks like a man or a woman,
George Lamsa Translation
Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make for yourselves images and the forms of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Good News Translation
that you do not sin by making for yourselves an idol in any form at all—whether man or woman,
Christian Standard Bible®
so you don’t act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves in the shape of any figure: a male or female form,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and make you eny ymage, that is like a man, or woman,
American Standard Version
lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Bible in Basic English
So that you may not be turned to evil ways and make for yourselves an image in the form of any living thing, male or female,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Lest ye marre your selues, & make you a grauen image, & picture of any maner of figure, whether it be the likenesse of man or woman.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
lest ye deal corruptly, and make you a graven image, even the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
King James Version (1611)
Lest yee corrupt your selues, and make you a grauen image, the similitude of any figure, the likenes of male, or female,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
lest ye transgress, and make to yourselves a carved image, any kind of figure, the likeness of male or female,
English Revised Version
lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Berean Standard Bible
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,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
lest perauenture ye be disseyued and make to you a grauun licnesse, ether an ymage of male, ether of female;
Young's Literal Translation
lest ye do corruptly, and have made to you a graven image, a similitude of any figure, a form of male or female --
Update Bible Version
Or else you will corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
Webster's Bible Translation
Lest ye corrupt [yourselves], and make to you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
World English Bible
Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself an engraved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
New King James Version
lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,
New Living Translation
So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form—whether of a man or a woman,
New Life Bible
Do not become sinful and make a false god for yourselves that looks like a body or object, like a male or female,
New Revised Standard
so that you do not act corruptly by making an idol for yourselves, in the form of any figure—the likeness of male or female,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
lest ye should break faith, and make you an image, a form of any likeness, - a model of male or female;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Lest perhaps being deceived you might make you a graven similitude, or image of male or female,
Revised Standard Version
beware lest you act corruptly by making a graven image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

Contextual Overview

1 And now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the judgments which I am teaching you to do, so that you may live and go in, and possess the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers is giving to you. 2 You shall not add to the Word which I command you, nor take from it, to keep the commandments of Jehovah your God which I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen that which Jehovah has done in Baal-peor. For Jehovah your God has destroyed them from among you, the men that followed Baal-peor. 4 And you who held fast to Jehovah your God are alive today, all of you. 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as Jehovah my God has commanded me, to do them , in the midst of the land where you are going in, to possess it, 6 and you shall keep and do them , for it shall be your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these statutes. And they shall say, This great nation is a people wise and understanding. 7 For who is a great nation whose God is coming near to them, as Jehovah your God is , in all our calling on Him? 8 And who is a great nation whose statutes and judgments are as righteous as all this Law which I set before you today? 9 Only, be on guard for yourself and keep your soul carefully, that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen; and that they not depart from your heart all the days of your life. And you shall make them known to your sons, and to your sons' sons. 10 The day that you stood before Jehovah your God in Horeb, when Jehovah said to me, Gather the people to Me, and I will make them hear My Words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days thatthey live on the earth; and that they mayteach their sons.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

corrupt: Deuteronomy 4:8, Deuteronomy 4:9, Exodus 20:4, Exodus 20:5, Exodus 32:7, Psalms 106:19, Psalms 106:20, Romans 1:22-24

the likeness: Such as Baal-peor, the Roman Priapus; Ashtaroth or Astarte, the Greek and Roman Venus, and many others. Deuteronomy 4:23, Isaiah 40:18, John 4:24, Acts 17:29, Acts 20:4, Acts 20:5, 1 Timothy 1:17

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:1 - Ye shall Deuteronomy 4:25 - corrupt Deuteronomy 9:12 - corrupted Deuteronomy 27:15 - maketh Deuteronomy 32:5 - They have corrupted themselves Psalms 78:58 - with Isaiah 44:13 - he marketh Zephaniah 3:7 - corrupted Acts 7:43 - figures

Cross-References

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the sound of Jehovah God walking up and down in the garden at the breeze of the day. And the man and his wife hid themselves from the face of Jehovah God in the middle of the trees of the garden.
Genesis 4:14
Behold! You have driven me out from the face of the earth today. And I shall be hidden from Your face. And I shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the earth. And it will be that anyone who finds me shall kill me.
Exodus 20:18
And all the people saw the thunders, and the lightnings, and the sound of the ram's horn, and the smoking mountain. And the people looked, and they trembled, and they stood from a distance.
2 Kings 13:23
And Jehovah was gracious to them, and pitied them, and turned toward them, for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and was not willing to destroy them, nor to cast them out from His presence as yet.
2 Kings 24:20
For through the anger of Jehovah it happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He had cast them out from His face, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Job 1:12
And Jehovah said to Satan, Behold, all that is his is in your hand! Only, do not lay your hand on him. And Satan went out from the face of Jehovah.
Job 2:7
And Satan went out from before the face of Jehovah. And he struck Job with bad burning ulcers from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.
Job 20:17
He shall not see the rivers, the flowings of torrents of honey and curd;
Psalms 5:11
But let all who put their trust in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever, because You cover them. And let those who love Your name be joyful in You.
Psalms 68:2
As smoke is driven away, You drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, the wicked perish in God's presence.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Lest ye corrupt yourselves,.... And not themselves only, but the word and worship of God, by idolatry, than which nothing is more corrupting and defiling, nor more abominable to God:

and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure; a graven image, in the likeness of any figure, an idea of which they had formed in their minds;

the likeness of male or female; of a man or a woman; so some of the Heathen deities were in the likeness of men, as Jupiter, Mars, Hercules, Apollo, c. and others in the likeness of women, as Juno, Diana, Venus, &c. Some think Osiris and Isis, Egyptian deities, the one male, the other female, are respected but it is not certain that these were worshipped by them so early.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 4:16. The 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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile