The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:4

In 11 translations

BSB: 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.
KJV: Thou shalt not make unto 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 water under the earth:
WEB: “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
ASV: Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
LSV: You do not make a carved image for yourself, or any likeness which [is] in the heavens above, or which [is] in the earth beneath, or which [is] in the waters under the earth.
YLT: 'Thou dost not make to thyself a graven image, or any likeness which [is] in the heavens above, or which [is] in the earth beneath, or which [is] in the waters under the earth.
DBY: Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, or 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:
DRC: Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth.
GNV: Thou shalt make thee no grauen image, neither any similitude of things that are in heauen aboue, neither that are in the earth beneath, nor that are in the waters vnder the earth.
JPS: Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
LXXE: Thou shalt not make to thyself an idol, nor likeness of anything, whatever things are in the heaven above, and whatever are in the earth beneath, and whatever are in the waters under the earth.

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Words in brackets are English the glossers added; the Hebrew has no word for them, and they can carry a choice of tense or meaning.

Where the editions differ

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Spelling, punctuation and minor wording (13)

alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads לְךָ֣; Leningrad Codex reads לְךָ֥֣ (“for the yourself”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads תְּמוּנָ֡ה; Leningrad Codex reads תְּמוּנָ֡֔ה (“form”).
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia reads אֲשֶׁ֤ר; Leningrad Codex reads אֲשֶׁ֤ר֣ (“which”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads אֲשֶׁ֣ר; Leningrad Codex reads אֲשֶׁ֤ר֣ (“which”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads מִמַּ֡עַל; Leningrad Codex reads מִמַּ֡֔עַל (“from above”).
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia reads וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר; Leningrad Codex reads וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩ (“and which”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads וַאֲשֶׁר֩; Leningrad Codex reads וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩ (“and which”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads בָּאָ֨רֶץ; Leningrad Codex reads בָּאָ֖֨רֶץ (“[is] on the earth”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads מִתָּ֜חַת; Leningrad Codex reads מִתַָּ֑֜חַת (“from beneath”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר; Leningrad Codex reads וַאֲשֶׁ֥֣ר (“and which”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads בַּמַּ֣יִם׀; Leningrad Codex reads בַּמַּ֖֣יִם׀ (“[is] in the waters”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads מִתַּ֣חַת; Leningrad Codex reads מִתַּ֥֣חַת (“from under”).
alternative punctuation in major manuscripts reads לָאָ֗רֶץ׃; Leningrad Codex reads לָאָֽ֗רֶץ׃ (“to the earth”).

Edition differences: STEP Bible, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0). Names and codes expanded; consecutive words grouped. Comparisons follow the editions used by the source; see version details.

Original-language editions

WLC: לֹֽ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־לְךָ֥ פֶ֨סֶל֙ וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִמַּ֔עַל וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּאָ֖רֶץ מִתָּ֑חַת וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּמַּ֖יִם מִתַּ֥חַת לָאָֽרֶץ׃לְ/ךָ֥לְ/ךָ֣פֶ֨סֶל֙פֶ֣סֶל׀BHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.תְּמוּנָ֔התְּמוּנָ֡האֲשֶׁ֤ראֲשֶׁ֣רבַּ/שָּׁמַ֨יִם֙בַּ/שָּׁמַ֣יִם׀מִ/מַּ֔עַלמִ/מַּ֡עַלוַ/אֲשֶׁ֥רוַ/אֲשֶׁר֩בָּ/אָ֖רֶץבָּ/אָ֨רֶץמִ/תָּ֑חַתמִ/תָּ֜חַתBHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.וַ/אֲשֶׁ֥רוַ/אֲשֶׁ֣רבַּ/מַּ֖יִםבַּ/מַּ֣יִם׀מִ/תַּ֥חַתמִ/תַּ֣חַתלָ/אָֽרֶץלָ/אָ֗רֶץBHS has been faithful to the Leningrad Codex where there might be a question of the validity of the form and we keep the same form as BHS.
LXX-Br: Οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ εἴδωλον, οὐδὲ παντὸς ὁμοίωμα, ὅσα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ ὅσα ἐν τῇ γῇ κάτω, καὶ ὅσα ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς.

Who and where

◆ Ten Commandments Given

People, places and events the Theographic dataset links to this verse.

In the reference works topics that cite this verse

Decalogue Idolatry Quarries Commandments, the Ten Amram Fish Hammurabi, Code of Abyss Sinai Covenant, Book of the

From public-domain Bible dictionaries and topical indexes (1884–1915).

Part of

Sinai and the Ten Commandments After leaving Egypt, Israel camps at Sinai, where God gives commandments amid thunder, smoke and a trembling mountain. Beginning with his re…

Cross-references most cited first

Deuteronomy 5:8You 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.
Leviticus 26:1“You must not make idols for yourselves or set up a carved image or sacred pillar; you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it. For I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 4:15–19So since you saw no form of any kind on the day the LORD spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb, be careful that you do not act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves of any form or shape, whether in the likeness of…
Psalms 97:7All worshipers of images are put to shame— those who boast in idols. Worship Him, all you gods!
Leviticus 19:4Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 27:15‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
Acts 17:29Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.
Revelation 16:2So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
Psalms 115:4–8Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; they have hands, but…
Jeremiah 10:14–16Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of…
Romans 1:23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Isaiah 45:16They will all be put to shame and humiliated; the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.
Jeremiah 10:8–9But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood! Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz— the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their…
Isaiah 42:8I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.
Psalms 135:15–18The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. Those…
Ezekiel 8:10So I went in and looked, and engraved all around the wall was every kind of crawling creature and detestable beast, along with all the idols of the house of Israel.

From the OpenBible.info cross-reference set (votes from readers; not every link is a quotation or allusion).