Deuteronomy 5:8 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 5:8 Commentary: Forbidden Images of God
Hebrew · 5 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examines the second commandment's prohibition of carved images, its original meaning in ancient Israel, and debates over religious art.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Forbids making and worshipping any carved image or likeness of the invisible God.
- Key words: pesel (carved image, idol); temunah (form, likeness, representation).
- Main debate: Whether the command forbids all religious images or only those used in worship.
- Theological theme: God's transcendence and the exclusive covenant relationship with his people.
- Best use: A guard against reducing God to a manageable object in any form.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“You shall not make a carved image for yourself—any likeness of what is in heaven above, or what is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`Thou dost not make to thee a graven image, any similitude which is in the heavens above, and which is in the earth beneath, and which is in the waters under the earth;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, any form of what is in the heavens above, or what is in the earth beneath, or what is in the waters under the earth:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt not make to thy self a graven thing, nor the likeness of any things, that are in heaven above, or that are in the earth beneath, or that abide in the waters under the earth.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No harás para ti escultura, ni imagen alguna de cosa que está arriba en los cielos, ó abajo en la tierra, ó en las aguas debajo de la tierra:
Não farás para ti escultura, nem imagem alguma de coisa que está acima nos céus, ou abaixo na terra, ou nas águas debaixo da terra:
Tu ne te feras point d’ image taillée, de représentation quelconque des choses qui sont en haut dans les cieux, qui sont en bas sur la terre, et qui sont dans les eaux plus bas que la terre.
Du sollst dir kein Bildnis machen, keinerlei Gleichnis, weder des, das oben im Himmel, noch des, das unten auf Erden, noch des, das im Wasser unter der Erde ist.
Gij zult u geen gesneden beeld maken, noch enige gelijkenis, van hetgeen boven in den hemel, of onder op de aarde is; of in het water onder de aarde is;
Non ti fare scultura alcuna né immagine alcuna delle cose che sono lassù nel cielo o quaggiù sulla terra o nelle acque sotto la terra.
Nie czyń sobie obrazu rytego, ani żadnego podobieństwa tych rzeczy, które są na niebie wzgórę, i które na ziemi nisko, i które w wodach pod ziemią;
Не делай себе кумира и никакого изображения того, что на небе вверху и что на земле внизу, и что в водах ниже земли,
「『不可 為自己 雕刻 偶像，也不可做甚麼 形像， 彷彿上 天、 下 地 和 地 底下、水中的百物。
You may not make for yourselves an image in the form of anything in heaven or on earth or in the waters under the earth:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 5:8
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Deuteronomy 5:8 prohibits making crafted representations for use in worship. The Hebrew verb ta'aseh ('you shall make') with the negative lo forms an absolute prohibition. Pesel specifically means a hewn or carved image, while temunah denotes a form or likeness of anything in the created order. Matthew Henry reads the command as protecting God's spiritual nature: no visible form can represent the invisible God. Wesley applies it inwardly, asking whether the worshipper has formed a 'gross image of God in your mind.' Lange ties the prohibition to the covenant: because Israel saw no form at Sinai (Deuteronomy 4:15), any graven image would contradict the revelation of God's word rather than his appearance. These commentators thus ground the command in God's transcendence and in the unique relationship established at Horeb.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Aniconic (strict prohibition): Emphasizes 'any likeness' and 'you saw no form' (Deuteronomy 4:15); concludes all images of God are forbidden.
- Iconodulic (veneration permitted): Distinguishes worship (latria) from veneration (dulia); notes that God commanded cherubim in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:18).
- Didactic (teaching images allowed): Permits images used for instruction but not for worship; found in some Protestant traditions.
What is clear: The commandment clearly forbids making images for the purpose of bowing down and serving them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the commandment | Christians agree it forbids the worship of images as substitutes for God. | Some traditions hold it also forbids making any image of God at all (including of Christ), while others permit images for educational or devotional purposes. |
| Definition of 'carved image' | All understand it refers to a crafted representation intended for religious use. | Some limit it to physical statues and idols; others extend it to paintings, crucifixes, and icons. |
| Application to Christian art | All oppose idolatry, giving ultimate allegiance to an object. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions allow icons and statues for veneration; many Reformed and Anabaptist traditions prohibit any images of God, including of Jesus. |
| Relation to the first commandment | Both protect exclusive loyalty to Yahweh. | Some see the second as a subset of the first; others treat it as a distinct command addressing the <em>means</em> of worship. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Deuteronomy 5:8 appears within the Ten Commandments, which form the core of Israel's covenant with Yahweh. The immediate context is the theophany at Mount Horeb: God spoke from the fire, but the people saw no form (Deuteronomy 4:15). This verbal revelation without visual manifestation set Israel apart from surrounding nations, whose gods were represented by statues and icons. The command addresses the concrete danger of idolatry, especially given Israel's recent history in Egypt, where deities like Amun, Ra, and Osiris were worshiped through images.
The phrase 'in heaven above, on earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth' covers the entire cosmos as understood in the ancient Near East: the sky, the land, and the underworld waters. This comprehensive list anticipates any possible representation, from birds and animals to fish and celestial bodies. The prohibition is not merely against foreign gods but against making any likeness of Yahweh himself, since he had not shown himself in any form.
This command is closely linked to the first ('no other gods') and to verse 9, which forbids bowing down and serving such images. The context is always worship: the command targets objects made for religious devotion, not all crafted works. The wilderness tabernacle later included cherubim and a bronze serpent, suggesting that the prohibition applied to images used as objects of worship rather than decorative or symbolic art.
Textual Notes
Deuteronomy 5:8 closely parallels Exodus 20:4. The only differences are minor: Deuteronomy lacks the conjunction before 'any likeness' and adds a final phrase clarifying 'the water under the earth.' These variations do not affect meaning. The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse.
Reception History
The second commandment sparked one of Christianity's most intense debates: the iconoclastic controversy of the 8th and 9th centuries. The Eastern Church defended icons as permissible for veneration (not worship), while many Western and later Reformed churches saw them as violations of the command. John Calvin argued that any image of God reduces his glory; the Council of Trent affirmed the use of images for instruction and devotion. Jewish and Muslim traditions consistently read the command as a total prohibition of divine images. Today, Christians still differ: some worship in simple, image-free spaces; others find icons and crucifixes helpful aids to faith. The shared conviction remains that nothing visible can fully represent the invisible God, and that our deepest worship is directed through Christ to the Father by the Spirit.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The command itself: Do not make a carved image or any likeness. The Hebrew terms pesel and temunah emphasize crafted representations made by human hands.
- The scope: The prohibition extends to anything in heaven, earth, or water, the entire created realm. Nothing visible can adequately represent the invisible God.
- The context: This command follows the declaration 'I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of Egypt.' Obedience flows from redemption, not from a list of abstract rules.
Five-point outline
- Negative prohibition: 'You shall not make', an absolute prohibition with no exceptions in the context of worship.
- Comprehensive reach: Every sphere of creation is covered, leaving no gap for a loophole.
- Worship context: Verses 9 makes clear the forbidden actions: bowing down and serving.
- God's jealousy: The command is grounded in God's exclusive claim on covenant loyalty.
- Positive corollary: Worship is to be directed to God as he has revealed himself through his word and his Son.
Illustration hooks
- Wedding ring vs. spouse: A ring represents a marriage but is not the marriage itself. The danger is treating the symbol as if it carries the same reality.
- Flat map of a mountain: A two-dimensional drawing of Everest is not the mountain. No image can capture the living God.
- A child's drawing of a parent: Cute and sincere, but the real father is far more complex and present. God is not a drawing.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it wrong to have a crucifix, cross, or icon in a home or church?
- What about paintings or movies that depict Jesus? Does this violate the commandment?
- How do I know if something has become an idol in my life?
Leading a Discussion
This command was given to a people freshly freed from a culture saturated with images of gods. It protected them from reducing the living God to a manageable, visible object. As you discuss it, consider how easy it is to create mental 'images' of God that fit our preferences. The command invites us to let God define himself through his word and his actions.
Discussion questions
- Read Deuteronomy 5:8 aloud. What stands out to you about the wording?
- Why do you think God prohibited images after declaring himself as Redeemer?
- What does Deuteronomy 4:15, 19 add to the meaning of this command?
- The command prohibits making images for worship. Does it also prohibit making images of Jesus for art or teaching? Why or why not?
- How can a good gift (like art, music, or technology) become an idol?
- What does it look like to worship God 'in spirit and truth' (John 4:24) without relying on visible aids?
- How can this command shape your private prayer and public worship this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 20:4 | “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: |
| Deuteronomy 4:15 | Be very careful, for you saw no kind of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you in Horeb out of the middle of the fire, |
| Deuteronomy 4:19 | and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Yahweh your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator argues that the common translation "showing mercy" misses the deeper meaning. The Hebrew word ḥesed conveys both affection and unwavering loyalty, making "loyal love" or "true love" a more accurate rendering for this commandment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes interpret this command as an absolute prohibition against making any physical image of God for worship. Even well-intended likenesses reduce God's glory, so the command covers all categories of creation above, on, and under the earth. No creature can represent the Creator.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the covenant at Horeb was made directly with the living generation, not with the patriarchs. He sees this as a deliberate shift: the law now takes center stage as a national code, preparing Israel for its role in bringing salvation to all nations.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry reads the Ten Commandments here as a covenant of grace, not just a legal code. He stresses that God first identifies Himself as Israel's Redeemer before giving any commands. The Sabbath command in Deuteronomy, he notes, is uniquely tied to remembering their deliverance from Egyptian slavery.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley presses the second commandment further than physical idols: he asks whether you have formed any mental image of God at all. The true God is a pure spirit, invisible, and must be worshipped with both body and spirit, never reduced to a shape in the mind.