Deuteronomy 4:23

23 1Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and 2make a carved image, the form of anything that the LORD your God has forbidden you.

Deuteronomy 4:23 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:23

Take heed unto yourselves
Since he should not be long with them, to advise, instruct, and caution them:

lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God,
which he made with you; what that required of them, and what was promised unto them on the performance of it, and what they must expect should they break it, and particularly be so forgetful of it, and the first articles in it, as follows:

and make you a graven image, or the likeness of anything which the
Lord thy God hath forbidden thee;
a graven image in the likeness of men or women, of any beast on the earth, or fowl in heaven, or fish in the sea.

Deuteronomy 4:23 In-Context

21 Furthermore, the LORD was angry with me because of you, and he swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.
22 For I must die in this land; I must not go over the Jordan. But you shall go over and take possession of that good land.
23 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.
24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
25 "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,

Cross References 2

  • 1. ver. 9
  • 2. Deuteronomy 5:8; Exodus 20:4; [Acts 17:29]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.