Deuteronomy 4 25

Deuteronomy 4:25 kjv

When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger:

Deuteronomy 4:25 nkjv

"When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the LORD your God to provoke Him to anger,

Deuteronomy 4:25 niv

After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time?if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and arousing his anger,

Deuteronomy 4:25 esv

"When you father children and children's children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, so as to provoke him to anger,

Deuteronomy 4:25 nlt

"In the future, when you have children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time, do not corrupt yourselves by making idols of any kind. This is evil in the sight of the LORD your God and will arouse his anger.

Deuteronomy 4 verses

Deuteronomy 4 25 Meaning

Deuteronomy 4:25 serves as a prophetic warning delivered by Moses to the Israelites before their entry into the Promised Land. It foretells a future scenario where, after enjoying a long period of prosperity and multiplication in the land, they will act corruptly by creating idols or graven images. This act of idolatry, specified as "making an idol in the form of anything," is identified as intrinsically evil in God's sight, deliberately provoking Him to righteous anger and inevitably leading to divine judgment and consequences.

Deuteronomy 4 25 Context

Deuteronomy 4 is a pivotal chapter, forming part of Moses' first and most extensive address to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. The preceding verses (Deut 4:1-8) emphasize the importance of obeying God's statutes and judgments to prosper and to showcase their unique wisdom and understanding to the surrounding nations. Verse 25 then serves as a somber prophetic look into Israel's future, a pre-warning of a specific and severe act of rebellion—idolatry—that Moses, by divine inspiration, foresees they will commit.

Historically and culturally, Israel was about to enter Canaan, a land saturated with polytheistic worship, fertility cults, and pagan practices, including the widespread making and veneration of physical idols representing various gods (Baal, Asherah, Moloch, etc.). The second commandment, forbidding graven images (Exod 20:4-5; Deut 5:8-9), was a radical distinction of Israel's monotheistic faith. This verse is a direct polemic against these contemporary beliefs, stating emphatically that the uncreatable, unseen, and incomparable God of Israel cannot be reduced to a man-made "form of anything." Such an act is not merely a mistake but a profound "evil" that incites the "anger" of the uniquely sovereign God, unlike the localized or malleable gods of the nations.

Deuteronomy 4 25 Word analysis

• When you father children and children’s children (וְנוֹלַדְתֶּם בָּנִים וּבְנֵי בָנִים – wə·nō·wlăd·tem bā·nîm ū·və·nê vā·nîm): This phrase describes future generations, indicating that the prophetic warning is not about immediate apostasy upon entering the land, but a pattern that would emerge over time, even after prolonged enjoyment of God's blessings and promises of fruitfulness. It speaks of long-term settlement and population growth, signifying prosperity and security in the land (Gen 1:28, 9:1).
• and have grown old in the land (וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ – wə·nō·w·šăn·tem bā·’ā·reṣ): The Hebrew verb נָשַׁן (nashan) means "to be old," but here implies being "settled," "worn out," or even "decayed" in the land. It suggests not merely living long, but a gradual spiritual and moral complacency or erosion that develops over generations, leading to a diminished fear of God and an inclination towards syncretism with the surrounding cultures.
• and act corruptly (וְהִשְׁחַתֶּם – wə·hiš·ḥat·tem): From the root שָׁחַת (shahat), meaning "to corrupt, ruin, destroy, defile." This word implies a deep moral depravity and spiritual deterioration. It's not a superficial error but a profound betrayal of the covenant, mirroring the "corruption" that pervaded humanity before the flood (Gen 6:11-12), denoting an inherent spoiling of their relationship with God.
• making an idol (וַעֲשִׂיתֶם פֶּסֶל – wa·‘ă·śî·tem pe·sel):
  • Making (וַעֲשִׂיתֶם – wa·‘ă·śî·tem): The act of creation by human hands. It highlights the stark contrast between the uncreated God and the created idol.
  • Idol (פֶּסֶל – pe·sel): A "graven image," specifically one carved (from wood or stone) or cast (from metal). This refers directly to the Second Commandment against manufacturing divine images. It implies a deliberate, intentional act of rebellion against God's explicit instruction.
• in the form of anything (תְּמוּנַת כֹּל – tə·mū·naṯ kol):
  • Form (תְּמוּנָה – təmunah): Meaning "likeness, image, representation." This refers to a visual likeness or physical manifestation.
  • Of anything (כֹּל – kol): Emphasizes the absolute nature of the prohibition, extending to any earthly, heavenly, or watery creature (Deut 4:16-18). It underscores God's absolute uniqueness, that He cannot be depicted by any finite form, unlike the multitudinous, localized deities of pagan cultures which often had animalistic or human features.
• and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God (וַעֲשִׂיתֶם הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ – wa·‘ă·śî·tem hā·ra‘ bə·‘ê·nê Yah·weh ’ĕ·lō·heykā):
  • Evil (הָרַע – hā·ra‘): This highlights the moral repugnance of idolatry from God's perspective. It's not a neutral act, but a transgression that actively defies His moral law.
  • In the sight of the Lord your God: This emphasizes God's omnipresence, omniscience, and active judgment. It frames idolatry as a direct, personal affront to Him as their sovereign, covenantal God.
• so as to provoke him to anger (לְהַכְעִיסוֹ – lə·haḵ·‘î·sōw): From the root כָּעַס (ka‘as), meaning "to provoke, vex, irritate, make angry." This clarifies that idolatry is a deeply offensive act that elicits God's righteous wrath. It demonstrates His jealousy (Deut 4:24), His zeal for His exclusive worship and the sanctity of His covenant, not merely a human emotional outburst but a holy and just response to profound unfaithfulness.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "When you father children and children’s children, and have grown old in the land": This phrase paints a picture of fulfillment of God's blessing of prosperity and longevity in the Promised Land. Yet, it starkly juxtaposes this blessing with the eventual corruption. It sets the stage for a period of established security, which tragically becomes fertile ground for spiritual complacency and syncretism.
• "and act corruptly, making an idol in the form of anything": This sequence specifies the precise nature of the future corruption: it is centered on creating physical representations of divinity. It reveals a departure from the invisible God of Israel towards the tangible, sensory forms of pagan worship, violating the most fundamental aspects of their covenant identity and distinguishing their God from pagan deities.
• "and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger": This section elucidates the theological gravity and consequence of idolatry. It labels it unequivocally as an "evil" directly offensive to the holy, omniscient "Lord your God." The ultimate outcome is not merely His disapproval, but His active, provoked "anger," which immediately foreshadows severe judgment, as described in subsequent verses.

Deuteronomy 4 25 Bonus section

• Prophetic Foretelling: This verse demonstrates God's sovereign knowledge of the future and humanity's inherent sinful tendencies. Moses speaks of events that will transpire hundreds of years later, showcasing the predictive power of biblical prophecy (cf. Deut 31:29; Judg 2:11-15).
• Consequences Foreshadowed: The subsequent verses (Deut 4:26-28) directly tie the sin of idolatry in verse 25 to the divine punishment: being "utterly destroyed" from the land and scattered among the nations, ultimately serving the very idols they chose. This paints a picture of consequences for breaking the covenant.
• The Invisibility of God: This prohibition against making "any form of anything" reinforces the invisible and transcendent nature of Israel's God, contrasting sharply with the anthropomorphic or zoomorphic deities of paganism. God had revealed Himself through sound (voice from fire) and deed (Exod 19), not by a visible form (Deut 4:12, 15), thus any attempt to "form" Him was a gross misrepresentation and an affront.
• God's Jealousy (Deut 4:24): The reason for God being "provoked to anger" is His nature as a "consuming fire," a "jealous God" (קַנָּא אֵל, qanna’ ’el). This is not petty human jealousy, but a holy zeal for His exclusive right to worship and the purity of His covenant relationship. Idolatry strikes at the very core of His being and character.

Deuteronomy 4 25 Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:25 functions as a grave prophetic warning embedded within Moses' foundational instruction. It highlights God's foreknowledge of Israel's propensity for sin and underscores the profound seriousness of idolatry in His sight. Despite experiencing God's miraculous provision, inheriting a prosperous land, and witnessing multiple generations, Israel's hearts would gradually become corrupt, abandoning their unique, invisible God for tangible, man-made images. This act of forming an idol, whether an animal, human, or cosmic likeness, was a direct and deliberate breach of the covenant, trivializing the Almighty and incomprehensible God by attempting to contain Him in a finite form. Such actions were considered an abominable "evil" and a personal "provocation" to a holy and "jealous God," eliciting His righteous anger. The historical record, especially during the periods of the Judges and the Divided Kingdom, tragically confirms the fulfillment of this prophecy, leading to exile and suffering. For believers today, this passage serves as a perpetual reminder of God's jealousy for exclusive worship and a warning against allowing anything—be it material possessions, status, relationships, or even our own desires—to occupy the supreme place that belongs only to Him.