Leviticus 19:4

4 Gij zult u tot de afgoden niet keren, en u geen gegoten goden maken; Ik ben de HEERE, uw God!

Leviticus 19:4 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 19:4

Turn ye not unto idols
From the one only true and living God to them that are not gods, as the word used signifies, who are nothing; for, as the apostle says, an idol is nothing in the world, ( 1 Corinthians 8:4 ) , is of no worth and value, of no consequence and importance, of no avail and usefulness to its devotees; wherefore to turn from the true God to such as these is the greatest stupidity, as well as wickedness: or "look not" at them F7 for help or assistance, for they are not able to give it: and to look at them so as to view them attentively, and consider their likeness, the Jews say F8 is forbidden; and even in the heart and mind, as Aben Ezra observes, to have respect unto them was not right; or in the thoughts, as Gersom: nor make to yourselves molten gods;
of gold, silver, or brass, melted and cast into a mould, as the golden calf was, to which respect may be had. These laws have a respect unto the first and second commandments, ( Exodus 20:3 Exodus 20:4 ) : I [am] the Lord, your God;
who only is to be worshipped, and who has forbid the making and worshipping any image, molten or graven, and who will therefore resent idolatry of every sort, and punish for it.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (wnpt la) "ne respiciatis", Montanus, Tigurine version, Drusius.
F8 Pesichta, Maimonides.

Leviticus 19:4 In-Context

2 Spreek tot de ganse vergadering der kinderen Israels, en zeg tot hen: Gij zult heilig zijn, want Ik, de HEERE, uw God, ben heilig!
3 Want ieder zal zijn moeder en zijn vader vrezen, en Mijn sabbatten houden; Ik ben de HEERE, uw God!
4 Gij zult u tot de afgoden niet keren, en u geen gegoten goden maken; Ik ben de HEERE, uw God!
5 En wanneer gij een dankoffer den HEERE offeren zult, naar uw welgevallen zult gij dat offeren.
6 Op den dag van uw offeren, en des anderen daags, zal het gegeten worden; maar wat tot op den derden dag overblijft zal met vuur verbrand worden.
The Dutch Staten Vertaling translation is in the public domain.