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Read the Bible

Green's Literal Translation

Deuteronomy 4:17

the form of any animal in the earth; the form of any winged bird that flies in the heavens;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Idolatry;   Obedience;   The Topic Concordance - Idolatry;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Beasts;   Birds;   Idolatry;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Idol, Idolatry;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - God;   Idol, idolatry;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Idol, Idolatry;   Israel;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Polytheism;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Idol;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Baptism of Fire;   Birds;   Deuteronomy, the Book of;   Figured Stone;   Heaven;   Likeness;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Deuteronomy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Quotations;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fowl;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Animals of the Bible;   Birds;   Ethics;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
the likeness of any animal that is on the eretz, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,
King James Version
The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
Lexham English Bible
a replica of any animal that is upon the earth, a replica of any winged bird that flies in the air,
English Standard Version
the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air,
New Century Version
of animals on earth or birds that fly in the air,
New English Translation
any kind of land animal, any bird that flies in the sky,
Amplified Bible
the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, or of any winged bird that flies in the sky,
New American Standard Bible
a representation of any animal that is on the earth, a representation of any winged bird that flies in the sky,
Geneva Bible (1587)
The likenes of any beast that is on earth, or the likenesse of any fethered foule that flieth in the aire:
Legacy Standard Bible
the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,
Contemporary English Version
animals, birds,
Complete Jewish Bible
or a representation of any animal on earth, or a representation of any bird that flies in the air,
Darby Translation
the pattern of any beast that is on the earth, the pattern of any winged fowl that flieth in the heaven,
Easy-to-Read Version
or like an animal on the earth, or like a bird that flies in the sky.
George Lamsa Translation
The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flies in the air.
Good News Translation
animal or bird,
Christian Standard Bible®
or the form of any animal on the earth, any winged creature that flies in the sky,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
or beest vpon earth, or fethered foule vnder the heauen,
American Standard Version
the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flieth in the heavens,
Bible in Basic English
Or any beast of the earth, or winged bird of the air,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The likenesse of any maner of beast that is on the earth, or the likenesse of any maner fethered foule that fleeth in the ayre,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the heaven,
King James Version (1611)
The likenesse of any beast that is on the earth, the likenes of any winged foule that flieth in the aire,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
the likeness of any beast of those that are on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird which flies under heaven,
English Revised Version
the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the heaven,
Berean Standard Bible
of any beast on the earth or bird that flies in the air,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
a licnesse of alle beestis that ben on erthe, ether of bridis fleynge vndur heuene,
Young's Literal Translation
a form of any beast which [is] in the earth -- a form of any winged bird which flieth in the heavens --
Update Bible Version
the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the heavens,
Webster's Bible Translation
The likeness of any beast that [is] on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
World English Bible
the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,
New King James Version
the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air,
New Living Translation
an animal on the ground, a bird in the sky,
New Life Bible
or like an animal on the earth, or a bird with wings that flies in the sky,
New Revised Standard
the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
a model of any beast that is in the earth, - a mode of any winged bird, that flieth in the heavens;
Douay-Rheims Bible
The similitude of any beasts, that are upon the earth, or of birds, that fly under heaven,
Revised Standard Version
the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,

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

In these verses there is an evident allusion to the idolatrous worship in Egypt. Among the Egyptians, almost everything in nature was the object of their idolatry; among beasts were oxen, heifers, sheep, goats, lions, dogs, monkeys, and cats; among birds, the ibis, crane, and hawk; among reptiles, the crocodile, serpents, frogs, flies, and beetles; all the fish of the Nile, and the Nile itself; besides the sun, moon, planets, stars, fire, light, air, darkness, and night. These are all included in the very circumstantial prohibition in the text, and very forcibly in the general terms of Exodus 20:4, the reason of which prohibition becomes self-evident, when the various objects of Egyptian idolatry are considered. Romans 1:23

Reciprocal: Genesis 34:30 - and I being Jeremiah 27:5 - and have

Cross-References

Genesis 4:4
And Abel brought, he also, from the firstlings of his flocks, even from their fat. And Jehovah looked to Abel and to his offering.
Genesis 4:11
And now you are cursed more than the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
Genesis 5:18
And Jared lived one hundred and sixty two years and fathered Enoch.
Genesis 5:22
And Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he fathered Methuselah. And he fathered sons and daughters.
Genesis 11:4
And they said, Come, let us build a city and a tower with its head in the heavens, and make a name for ourselves, that we not be scattered on the face of all the earth.
2 Samuel 18:18
And during his lifetime Absalom had taken and set up for himself a standing-pillar, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, I have no son to cause my name to be remembered. And he called the standing pillar by his name and it is calledAbsalom's Monument to this day.
Psalms 49:11
Their inward thought is that their houses shall last forever, their dwelling-places to all generations; they call lands after their own names.
Daniel 4:30
The king spoke and said, Is this not great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The likeness of any beast that is on the earth,.... As there are scarce any but the likeness of them has been made and worshipped, or the creatures themselves, as the ox by the Egyptians, the sheep by the Thebans, the goat by the Mendesians, and others by different people:

the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air; as the hawk, and the bird called Ibis, and another by the name of Cneph by the Egyptians, and the eagle by others.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 4:17. The likeness of any beast, c. — Such as the Egyptian god Apis, who was worshipped under the form of a white bull the ibis and hawk, among the FOWLS, had also Divine honours paid to them; serpents and the crocodile among REPTILES; besides monkeys, dogs, cats, the scarabaeus, leeks, and onions! See this explained at large, Exodus 20:4; Exodus 20:4.


 
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