Deuteronomy 4:23 kjv
Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.
Deuteronomy 4:23 nkjv
Take 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.
Deuteronomy 4:23 niv
Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden.
Deuteronomy 4:23 esv
Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the LORD your God has forbidden you.
Deuteronomy 4:23 nlt
So be careful not to break the covenant the LORD your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the LORD your God has forbidden this.
Deuteronomy 4 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 20:4-5 | "You shall not make for yourself a carved image... nor anything that is in heaven... nor that is in the earth beneath..." | Second Commandment against images. |
| Deut 5:8-9 | "You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven..." | Deuteronomic reiteration of Second Commandment. |
| Deut 4:15-19 | "Therefore take careful heed to yourselves... lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image..." | Immediate context; reason for no images. |
| Deut 6:12 | "then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt..." | Warning against forgetting God's deliverance. |
| Deut 8:11 | "Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments..." | Warning against forgetting God through disobedience. |
| Josh 23:6-8 | "Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses... and do not make mention of the names of their gods..." | Joshua's plea to uphold covenant, avoid idols. |
| Judg 2:10-13 | "another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done... and they forsook the Lord and served Baal and Ashtoreth." | Consequences of forgetting God: idolatry. |
| 1 Ki 11:4 | "when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods..." | Example of covenant forgetfulness leading to idolatry. |
| Ps 106:19-20 | "They made a calf in Horeb, And worshiped the molded image. Thus they exchanged their glory For the image of an ox that eats grass." | Golden Calf as breaking covenant with an image. |
| Isa 40:18-20 | "To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? The workman melts a graven image..." | God's incomparability renders images futile. |
| Isa 44:9-17 | "Those who make a carved image are all useless, And their precious things shall not profit..." | Futility and delusion of idol worship. |
| Jer 2:13 | "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns..." | Forsaking God compared to seeking worthless substitutes. |
| Rom 1:21-23 | "because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God... and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man..." | Idolatry stemming from rejecting knowledge of God. |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." | Direct New Testament admonition against idolatry. |
| 1 John 5:21 | "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." | Final New Testament warning against idols. |
| Col 3:5 | "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness... and covetousness, which is idolatry." | Covetousness identified as a form of idolatry. |
| Acts 7:41-43 | "And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands..." | Stephen's recall of Israel's idolatry and punishment. |
| Eze 6:4-6 | "Then your altars shall be desolate and your incense altars broken. I will cast down your slain before your idols... that your idols may be broken..." | God's judgment against idolatry and destruction of idols. |
| Hos 4:1 | "The Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: 'Because there is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land.'" | Lack of knowledge of God leads to moral decay. |
| Deut 30:15-20 | "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil... choose life, that both you and your descendants may live." | Choosing God and His covenant or apostasy. |
| Mat 4:10 | "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’" | Jesus quoting Deut 6:13, emphasizing exclusive worship of God. |
| Rev 2:14 | "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols..." | Warning against involvement with idolatrous practices. |
Deuteronomy 4 verses
Deuteronomy 4 23 Meaning
This verse issues a solemn warning to the Israelites, urging them to diligently guard themselves from forgetting the sacred covenant made by the Lord their God. The primary consequence of such forgetfulness is explicitly stated: making for themselves any kind of carved image, which God has strictly forbidden. It underscores the vital importance of remembering God's unique nature and His commands, particularly the prohibition against idolatry, as a fundamental aspect of their covenant relationship.
Deuteronomy 4 23 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 4 is a foundational discourse by Moses, delivered on the plains of Moab to the new generation of Israelites on the brink of entering the promised land. Moses vividly recalls the momentous event at Mount Horeb (Sinai), emphasizing that when God revealed Himself, He did so without any physical form, appearing as a voice from the midst of the fire. This powerful memory serves as the crucial rationale behind the severe prohibition against making any physical representation of God. The immediate verses leading up to 4:23 (like 4:15-19) highlight that since they saw no "form" of God, they must not corrupt themselves by attempting to create one, linking such attempts to the pagan practices of worshipping creation instead of the Creator. This prohibition stands as a stark contrast to the idolatrous cultures surrounding Israel, particularly the Canaanites, who regularly crafted images and cult statues of their deities (like Baal and Asherah) for worship. Thus, Moses warns Israel that embracing idolatry would not only be a breach of their solemn covenant with the transcendent God but also a direct consequence of forgetting who God is and the terms of their unique relationship with Him.
Deuteronomy 4 23 Word analysis
- Take heed to yourselves (שִׁמְרוּ לָכֶם - shimru lakhem): This is an imperative command, meaning "guard yourselves," "watch yourselves carefully," or "be very careful." It emphasizes personal responsibility and vigilance. It signifies a proactive effort needed to preserve one's spiritual integrity.
- lest you forget (פֶּן תִּשְׁכְּחוּ - pen tishkechu): This expresses a strong warning against the danger of neglecting or ceasing to remember. "Forget" here is more than a mere lapse of memory; it implies a failure to actively recall and apply, leading to disregard or abandonment of the covenant. It can lead to spiritual amnesia.
- the covenant (הַבְּרִית - ha'berit): Refers to the sacred, binding agreement God initiated with Israel at Horeb/Sinai (Exo 19-24). It signifies a formal, conditional relationship based on God's grace and Israel's obedience. This covenant defined Israel as God's treasured possession among all peoples.
- of the Lord your God (YHWH Eloheikhem): Emphasizes the divine source and the intimate, exclusive relationship God has with Israel as His people. "YHWH" highlights His personal, revealed name and faithfulness, while "Eloheikhem" (your God) stresses the covenantal belonging.
- which He made with you: Highlights the direct and personal nature of the covenant established between God and each individual within the nation of Israel. It was not inherited passively but a living relationship requiring active participation.
- and make for yourselves (וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם - va'asitem lakhem): Signifies a willful act of creation, a self-initiated enterprise. This is contrasted with receiving what God gives, emphasizing the human tendency to devise worship according to one's own desires rather than God's revelation.
- a carved image (פֶּסֶל - pesel): Refers specifically to a graven or sculptured image, typically an idol carved from wood or stone, or cast from metal. It is a physical representation intended for worship or veneration, explicitly prohibited in the Ten Commandments. It implies something man-made that attempts to represent the divine.
- in the form of anything (תַּבְנִית כָּל - tavnith kol): This makes the prohibition comprehensive and absolute. "Form" or "likeness" means any resemblance, shape, or pattern. The inclusion of "anything" (from heaven, earth, or sea as elaborated in 4:16-18) means the command covers all potential idolatrous representations, leaving no loophole. This stresses God's transcendent nature; He cannot be contained or represented by any finite created thing.
- which the Lord your God has forbidden you (asher tsivvah YHWH Eloheikha): Directly connects the act of image-making to God's express command, making it an act of direct disobedience. It underscores the divine authority and the clear boundaries of acceptable worship set by God Himself.
Words-group analysis:
- "Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God": This phrase stresses internal vigilance. It highlights that the root of apostasy is not merely ignorance but a conscious failure to keep God and His binding relationship foremost in one's mind and heart. Forgetfulness leads to departure from Him.
- "make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything": This clause condemns human attempts to redefine or visualize God according to their own imaginations. It's a proactive, human-centered endeavor to create a tangible representation of the divine, which directly infringes upon God's uniqueness and the nature of spiritual worship.
- "which the Lord your God has forbidden you": This powerfully reinforces the prohibition, anchoring it in divine decree. It makes it clear that the act of making an idol is not a cultural preference but a direct transgression against God's explicit and unchangeable command, central to the covenant's integrity.
Deuteronomy 4 23 Bonus section
The warning in Deuteronomy 4:23 extends beyond physical carved images. In the New Testament, we learn that idolatry can take spiritual forms, encompassing anything that replaces God as the ultimate object of our devotion, trust, or desire (Col 3:5). Covetousness, for instance, is identified as idolatry, highlighting that desires for possessions or earthly comforts can effectively become "gods" in one's life. The principle is about loyalty to God: anything that rivals Him in our hearts or thoughts is a form of idolatry, whether it is an object, money, power, fame, or even a particular ideology or philosophy. God's injunction to "take heed" reminds us that true worship necessitates constant vigilance of the heart, ensuring that only the Living God holds the supreme position He rightly deserves. Because God is Spirit (Jn 4:24), He cannot be limited by or confined to any created form or concept, reinforcing the continuous relevance of the warning against making anything into an idol.
Deuteronomy 4 23 Commentary
Deuteronomy 4:23 is a profound admonition against idolatry, serving as a core tenet for Israel's unique identity and relationship with God. Moses' urgent plea to "take heed" underscores the human responsibility to actively guard their spiritual lives, recognizing that spiritual forgetfulness is often a precursor to disobedience. This forgetfulness is not merely a mental lapse, but a neglect of God's revealed character and covenant terms, particularly the absolute prohibition against representing Him through any created form. The very essence of the covenant at Sinai involved God's self-revelation without an image (Deut 4:15), signifying His transcendence and incomparability. To fashion an image, therefore, is to diminish God to something humanly comprehensible, finite, and manipulable—a profound betrayal of His infinite nature. It reflects a desire to control the divine rather than to submit to it. This verse lays the groundwork for understanding idolatry not just as a physical act but as a profound spiritual alienation, exchanging the living God for a lifeless substitute, ultimately leading to a breach of the divine covenant and the loss of God's blessings. The command to refrain from making images speaks to God's jealousy for true, exclusive worship, where the heart worships Him alone in spirit and truth, without tangible intermediaries.