Devarim 4:25

25 When thou shalt father banim, and bnei banim, and ye shall have remained long in Ha’Aretz, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a pesel, or the likeness of anything, and shall do evil in the sight of Hashem Eloheicha, to provoke Him to anger;

Devarim 4:25 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:25

When thou shall beget children, and children's children
Children and grandchildren, and several ages and generations have passed:

and shalt have remained long in the land;
many years and even ages, or have grown old ^F8 in it: now they were in their infancy, and as such they were about to enter into it; during the times of the judges, they were in their childhood, or youth; in the times of David and Solomon, they were in their manhood; after that, in their decline; and in the times of Jeconiah and his brethren in their old age, when for their sins they were carried captive:

and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness
of anything; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 25:16).

and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke
him to anger;
that sin of idolatry, that God provoking sin, is chiefly intended.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (Mtnvwn) "inveteraveritis", Montanus: "veteres facti fueritis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "senueritis", Vatablus.

Devarim 4:25 In-Context

23 Be shomer over yourselves, lest ye forget the Brit Hashem Eloheichem, which He cut with you, and make you a pesel (idol, image), or the likeness of anything, which Hashem Eloheicha hath forbidden thee.

24 For Hashem Eloheicha is a consuming eish, even an El Kannah.

25 When thou shalt father banim, and bnei banim, and ye shall have remained long in Ha’Aretz, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a pesel, or the likeness of anything, and shall do evil in the sight of Hashem Eloheicha, to provoke Him to anger;

26 I call Shomayim and HaAretz to witness against you today, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off Ha’Aretz whereunto ye go over Yarden to possess it; ye shall not prolong your yamim upon it, but shall be utterly shmad.

27 And Hashem shall scatter you among the amim; ye shall be left few in number among the Goyim, whither Hashem shall lead you.