Deuteronomy 16:22 kjv
Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.
Deuteronomy 16:22 nkjv
You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
Deuteronomy 16:22 niv
and do not erect a sacred stone, for these the LORD your God hates.
Deuteronomy 16:22 esv
And you shall not set up a pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
Deuteronomy 16:22 nlt
And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the LORD your God hates them.
Deuteronomy 16 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 20:4-5 | "You shall not make for yourself a carved image... for I the LORD your God am a jealous God..." | General prohibition of idols |
| Exod 23:24 | "You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them... nor break in pieces their sacred pillars." | Breaking down pagan pillars |
| Exod 34:13 | "But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherim." | Specific destruction of pagan worship sites |
| Lev 26:1 | "You shall not make idols for yourselves... neither set up for yourselves a sacred pillar..." | Prohibition against making or setting up |
| Deut 7:5 | "But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars..." | Command to destroy pagan structures in Canaan |
| 1 Kings 14:23 | "For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree." | Israel's fall into pagan practices |
| 1 Kings 15:13 | "Also he removed Maacah his grandmother from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah..." | Asa removing idolatry; Maacah's sacred object |
| 2 Kings 3:2 | "He did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made." | Jehoram's partial reform of idolatry |
| 2 Kings 10:26-27 | "And they brought out the sacred pillars of the temple of Baal and burned them... and demolished the sacred pillar of Baal..." | Jehu's decisive destruction of Baal worship |
| 2 Kings 17:10 | "They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree." | Reasons for Israel's exile; widespread idolatry |
| 2 Chron 14:3 | "For he removed the foreign altars and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim." | King Asa's reforms; active removal of pillars |
| Jer 2:28 | "But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise..." | Idolatry condemned as making one's own gods |
| Hos 3:4 | "For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar..." | Prophecy of future desolation without pillars |
| Ps 97:7 | "Let all who serve carved images be put to shame, who boast of idols." | Shame for idol worship; direct polemic |
| Isa 2:8 | "Their land is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands..." | Condemnation of pervasive idolatry |
| Jer 10:3-5 | "For the customs of the peoples are futile... it cannot do evil, nor can it do good." | Futility and impotence of idols |
| Hab 2:18-19 | "What profit is an image... or a molded image, a teacher of lies, that its maker trusts in it..." | Idols as deceitful and lifeless |
| Rom 1:23 | "And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man..." | Changing God's glory into images |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." | New Testament command to avoid idolatry |
| Col 3:5 | "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." | Broadening the concept of idolatry (spiritual) |
| 1 Jn 5:21 | "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." | Simple, direct NT command against idols |
Deuteronomy 16 verses
Deuteronomy 16 22 Meaning
Deuteronomy 16:22 prohibits the Israelites from setting up any standing stone or pillar (maṣṣēḷâ) for worship, explicitly stating that the LORD God detests such objects. This commandment reinforces the purity of monotheistic worship, distinguishing Israel's practices from the idolatrous rituals of surrounding pagan nations.
Deuteronomy 16 22 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 16 outlines regulations for Israel's worship, particularly focusing on the three annual pilgrim festivals: Passover/Unleavened Bread, Weeks (Pentecost), and Tabernacles (Booths). It emphasizes the centrality of the single, chosen place for worship (later Jerusalem) and proper offerings. Following these festival instructions, verses 18-22 provide principles for righteous governance and pure worship. This specific verse (16:22), along with the preceding verse prohibiting Asherim, functions as a direct command against adopting foreign cultic practices. It stresses that Israel's worship must be distinct and unadulterated by pagan influences prevalent in Canaan. Historically, this command serves to maintain Israel's unique identity as a people set apart by the LORD and dedicated solely to Him, rejecting any physical representations that could limit or misrepresent the invisible, sovereign God.
Deuteronomy 16 22 Word analysis
- Neither shalt thou set thee up: An emphatic negative command. It is an absolute prohibition, not merely a recommendation. The Hebrew indicates a direct and personal action, "you yourself shall not set up."
- any standing image: The Hebrew word is maṣṣēḇâ (מַצֵּבָה).
- Maṣṣēḇâ refers to an upright stone pillar. In early Israelite history, before the Mosaic Law's detailed commands for communal worship, patriarchs like Jacob used such pillars legitimately as memorials of covenant or divine encounter (Gen 28:18, 31:45, 35:14). However, in the context of the Canaanite nations, these pillars became symbols of their pagan deities, serving as cultic objects, altars, or points of worship for fertility gods and other false gods. This evolution in usage and the proliferation of their idolatrous function led to their unequivocal prohibition in later Mosaic Law to safeguard Israel's monotheism. It stands in contrast to the Asherim (wooden poles) prohibited in the preceding verse (Deut 16:21), yet both relate to pagan cultic objects.
- which the LORD thy God hateth: This phrase highlights the divine source of the prohibition and the depth of God's disapproval. The term "hateth" (sānēʾ, שָׂנֵא) conveys strong antipathy and utter rejection. It indicates that such objects are not merely forbidden, but are abhorrent to God's nature and holiness, as they represent a challenge to His unique sovereignty and spiritual character. This makes the prohibition a fundamental aspect of Israel's relationship with the invisible and living God.
Deuteronomy 16 22 Bonus section
The evolving understanding of maṣṣēḷâ from an acceptable memorial stone in the patriarchal narratives to an anathema in Deuteronomic law reflects the progressive nature of God's revelation and the specific challenges Israel faced upon entering Canaan. This progression emphasizes God's proactive measures to protect His people from spiritual corruption. The command isn't arbitrary but flows from the very character of God, who is Spirit (John 4:24) and therefore cannot be confined or adequately represented by physical forms. Any attempt to do so is seen as an affront to His transcendence and an implicit questioning of His unseen, pervasive presence. This prohibition against physical representations fosters a more mature faith rooted in spiritual communion and obedience to God's word rather than reliance on tangible objects.
Deuteronomy 16 22 Commentary
Deuteronomy 16:22 is a concise yet profound declaration reinforcing God's demand for uncompromised, pure worship. The prohibition against setting up a maṣṣēḇâ (standing pillar) is critical for distinguishing Yahwistic monotheism from the prevalent polytheistic, idolatrous practices of the ancient Near East. While historically, pillars served legitimate mnemonic purposes in early Israel (e.g., Jacob's pillar commemorating an encounter with God), by the time of Deuteronomy, their association with pagan Canaanite cults — where they embodied deities or served as objects of veneration (especially in fertility cults) — necessitated a strict ban.
God’s strong declaration that He "hateth" such objects underscores His exclusive claim over Israel's worship and His nature as an unseen, incomparable Spirit, not to be confined or represented by man-made objects. Such pillars inherently competed with His absolute uniqueness and spiritual nature, leading to syncretism and the degradation of true worship. The command therefore serves to preserve the theological integrity of Israel's faith, preventing the contamination of their worship and reminding them that true adoration is directed to a personal God, not a static stone. This principle extends into the New Testament, where any act, object, or allegiance that displaces God from His supreme position in one's life is recognized as idolatry, highlighting the continued necessity of wholehearted devotion.