Deuteronomy 4:25

Threat and Blessing following Covenant Disobedience

4:25 After you have produced children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time, ¹  if you become corrupt and make an image of any kind ²  and do other evil things before the Lord your God that enrage him, ³ 

Deuteronomy 5:8

5:8 You must not make for yourself an image ⁴  of anything in heaven above, on earth below, or in the waters beneath. ⁵ 

Deuteronomy 10:1

The Opportunity to Begin Again

10:1 At that same time the Lord said to me, “Carve out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up the mountain to me; also make for yourself a wooden ark. ⁶ 

Deuteronomy 27:15

27:15 ‘Cursed is the one ⁷  who makes a carved or metal image – something abhorrent ⁸  to the Lord, the work of the craftsman ⁹  – and sets it up in a secret place.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’ ¹⁰ 

[4:25]  ¹ tn Heb “have grown old in the land,” i.e., been there for a long time.

[4:25]  ² tn Heb “a form of anything.” Cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV “an idol.”

[4:25]  ³ tn The infinitive construct is understood here as indicating the result, not the intention, of their actions.

[5:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “an image, any likeness.”

[5:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “under the earth” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV); NCV “below the land.”

[10:1]  ⁷ tn Or “chest” (so NIV, CEV); NLT “sacred chest”; TEV “wooden box.” This chest was made of acacia wood; it is later known as the ark of the covenant.

[27:15]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “man,” but in a generic sense here.

[27:15]  ¹¹ tn The Hebrew term translated here “abhorrent” (תּוֹעֵבָה, to’evah) speaks of attitudes and/or behaviors so vile as to be reprehensible to a holy God. See note on the word “abhorrent” in Deut 7:25.

[27:15]  ¹² tn Heb “craftsman’s hands.”

[27:15]  ¹³ tn Or “So be it!” The term is an affirmation expressing agreement with the words of the Levites.