Leviticus 26:1 kjv
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 26:1 nkjv
'You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 26:1 niv
"?'Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 26:1 esv
"You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 26:1 nlt
"Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 26 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 20:3-5 | You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above... You shall not bow down to them... | First two commandments against idolatry and graven images. |
| Deut 4:15-19 | Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, since you saw no form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb... lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves. | Warning against images based on God's invisible nature at Sinai. |
| Deut 5:8-9 | You shall not make for yourself a carved image... You shall not bow down to them... | Restatement of the Second Commandment. |
| Isa 44:9-20 | All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in will not profit... their idols cannot deliver, nor do they understand. | Mockery of idols and the folly of idolatry. |
| Ps 115:4-8 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see... Those who make them become like them. | Description of lifeless idols and their detrimental effect on worshippers. |
| Jer 10:3-5 | For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree from the forest... and overlays it with gold. They cannot speak; they must be carried... Be not afraid of them. | Declares pagan idol practices as futile and warns against fear of false gods. |
| Hab 2:18-19 | What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! | Highlights the deceptive and impotent nature of idols. |
| 1 Cor 10:14 | Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. | New Testament exhortation to avoid idolatry. |
| Rom 1:22-23 | Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. | Describes the exchange of God's glory for creation as the root of idolatry. |
| Eph 5:5 | For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. | Broadens the definition of idolatry to include covetousness. |
| Col 3:5 | Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. | Explicitly identifies covetousness as idolatry. |
| 1 Thess 1:9 | For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. | Conversion from paganism involved turning away from idols to God. |
| 1 John 5:21 | Little children, keep yourselves from idols. | Final warning in John's first epistle against idolatry. |
| Acts 17:29 | Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. | Paul's sermon highlighting God's nature being beyond human imagery. |
| Isa 42:8 | I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. | God's declaration of His unique glory not shared with idols. |
| Exo 20:2 | I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. | Establishes God's identity as the redeemer and basis for His commands. |
| Lev 19:4 | Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God. | Repeated prohibition against idols within Leviticus itself. |
| Lev 25:1 | The LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying... | Contextual reminder of divine origin of the law given at Sinai. |
| Pss 97:7 | All worshipers of images are put to shame, who boast in lifeless idols; worship him, all you gods! | Shame associated with worshipping images, call to worship the true God. |
| Eze 14:3 | Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces... | Internalization of idolatry beyond physical objects. |
| Matt 6:24 | No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. | Principle of exclusive allegiance; applies to any master taking God's place. |
Leviticus 26 verses
Leviticus 26 1 Meaning
Leviticus 26:1 lays down foundational commands for Israel concerning worship, serving as a preamble to the blessings and curses for obedience or disobedience outlined in the rest of the chapter. It unequivocally prohibits the making and worshipping of any form of idol, graven image, standing pillar, or carved stone within their land. The verse emphasizes exclusive devotion to the one true God by stating, "For I am the Lord your God," thereby establishing the divine authority behind these prohibitions and highlighting God's sole claim to their worship, contrasting sharply with the polytheistic practices of surrounding nations.
Leviticus 26 1 Context
Leviticus 26:1 serves as a crucial preface to the blessings and curses covenant in the chapter. Prior to this, Leviticus details specific laws concerning offerings, priesthood, purity, and festivals. This verse functions as a reassertion of the fundamental covenant requirement of exclusive monotheistic worship, building directly upon the Ten Commandments, particularly the first two. Historically and culturally, Israel was constantly exposed to polytheistic Canaanite and other Near Eastern religions. These religions extensively used physical objects like carved images, standing pillars, and sculpted stones as foci for worship, fertility rites, and divination. By explicitly prohibiting these, Yahweh underscored Israel's distinct identity and its radical commitment to a God who cannot be contained or represented by physical forms. This prohibition establishes a clear boundary against syncretism and polytheistic practices prevalent among their neighbors, emphasizing God's transcendence and His covenant demand for exclusive fealty.
Leviticus 26 1 Word analysis
- Ye shall make you no idols:
- make: Refers to the creation or fabrication of something.
- you: The Israelites are addressed directly; it is a personal command.
- no idols: Hebrew
ʾelilim(אֱלִילִים) - Often translated as "idols," "worthless things," or "things of naught." It is a derogatory term derived from a root meaning "to be nothing," signifying that these so-called gods are non-existent or powerless. This term emphasizes the nullity and impotence of pagan deities. It serves as a direct polemic against the supposed power and existence of other gods.
- neither cast you up a graven image:
- cast you up: While often implying pouring metal, the broader sense includes shaping or molding.
- graven image: Hebrew
pesel(פֶּסֶל) - Refers specifically to a carved, sculpted, or hewn image, typically made of wood or stone, often overlaid with precious metals. It's a common term for cultic statues in the Ancient Near East. This prohibition targets the anthropomorphic or zoomorphic representations used in pagan worship.
- neither rear you up a standing image:
- rear you up: To erect or set up.
- standing image: Hebrew
matzevah(מַצֵּבָה) - A "standing pillar" or "pillar." While matzevot were sometimes erected legitimately in Israel for memorial purposes (Gen 28:18) or as covenant markers (Gen 31:45), here the prohibition is clearly against their use in idolatrous worship, often associated with Baal or Asherah cults as sacred poles or phallic symbols in Canaanite religion. It's the context of worship ("bow down unto it") that renders it idolatrous.
- neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it:
- set up: To place or establish.
- image of stone: Hebrew
ʾeven maskith(אֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית) - Translated as "figured stone," "sculptured stone," or "stone image."Maskithspecifically implies a "figured," "carved," or "inscribed" stone, possibly one decorated with religious symbols, astronomical representations, or figures for worship, magical purposes, or divination. This term suggests more elaborately decorated stones than simple pillars. The inclusion here signifies a broad prohibition against any stone used for cultic purposes. - in your land: Emphasizes that idolatry should not be permitted anywhere within the holy land God has given them. This underscores the need to purge the land of foreign cultic practices.
- to bow down unto it: This phrase clarifies the purpose of the prohibition, indicating that any act of reverence or worship directed towards these objects constitutes idolatry. It emphasizes the internal disposition and act of homage.
- for I am the LORD your God:
- I am the LORD your God: Hebrew
ʾAni YHWH Eloheikhem(אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם) - This self-declaration serves as the supreme basis for all divine commands. It invokes God's covenant name YHWH (the Self-Existent One, the covenant-keeping God) and emphasizes His unique relationship (your God) with Israel. This declaration establishes His exclusive sovereignty, authority, and demand for singular devotion, fundamentally contrasting His nature with the powerless idols described previously.
- I am the LORD your God: Hebrew
Leviticus 26 1 Bonus section
The term maskith (מַשְׂכִּית) found in Leviticus 26:1 also appears elsewhere in scripture with varied meanings, primarily "figured" or "imaginative." Its use here points to artistic, crafted stones likely depicting astral symbols, deities, or magical inscriptions used in Canaanite rituals, which stood in stark contrast to the Israelite understanding of an invisible God who forbade any graven image. The consistent biblical emphasis against such items reflects a deep theological resistance to any attempt to contain or define the Creator through creation. The inclusion of various types of images (elilim, pesel, matzevah, even maskith) indicates a thorough and specific dismantling of every known form of pagan idolatry, ensuring clarity on God's uncompromising demand for exclusive worship.
Leviticus 26 1 Commentary
Leviticus 26:1 initiates a section detailing the covenant consequences by unequivocally asserting the core demand of the Israelite faith: exclusive worship of the one true God. The verse is a strong reiteration of the Decalogue's first two commandments (Exo 20:3-5; Deut 5:7-9), demonstrating that freedom from idolatry is paramount for receiving God's blessings. By systematically outlawing idols (elilim), graven images (pesel), standing pillars (matzevah), and carved stones (even maskith), the text directly confronts the pervasive cultic practices of Israel's neighbors, which involved physical representations of deities, fertility rites, and astrological veneration. The repeated phrase "to bow down unto it" explicitly defines the prohibited act: any worship directed towards man-made objects. The divine self-declaration, "For I am the Lord your God," provides the irrefutable authority for these commands. It highlights that Israel's identity is intrinsically linked to Yahweh, who redeemed them and justly demands their singular allegiance, contrasting His living, active presence with the dead, inert objects of pagan worship. The prohibition is comprehensive, leaving no room for syncretism or compromises with the idolatry of the surrounding cultures. For believers, this extends beyond physical objects to anything that replaces God as the ultimate object of our devotion, such as money, power, or personal desires (Col 3:5).