Verses¶
Primary Verses¶
A. Core Commandment Text¶
Exodus 20:1-6 (The Commandment with Preamble)¶
20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 20:2 I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 20:4 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: 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Context (Exo 20:22-23):
20:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 20:23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
Deuteronomy 5:6-10 (Deuteronomy Restatement)¶
5:6 I [am] the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 5:7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me. 5:8 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: 5:9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me, 5:10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Context (Deu 5:22):
5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
Deuteronomy 4:12-28 (Moses' Extended Explanation: "Ye Saw No Similitude")¶
4:12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only [ye heard] a voice. 4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, [even] ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. 4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day [that] the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 4:16 Lest ye corrupt [yourselves], and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 4:17 The likeness of any beast that [is] on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 4:18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that [is] in the waters beneath the earth: 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, [even] all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. 4:23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, [or] the likeness of any [thing], which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. 4:24 For the LORD thy God [is] a consuming fire, [even] a jealous God. 4:25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt [yourselves], and make a graven image, [or] the likeness of any [thing], and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: 4:26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land... 4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations... 4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Additional Prohibitions¶
Exo 34:17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
Lev 19:4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I [am] the LORD your God.
Lev 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I [am] the LORD your God.
Deu 27:15 Cursed [be] the man that maketh [any] graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth [it] in [a] secret [place]. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
B. God-Commanded Images (The Cherubim Paradox)¶
Exodus 25:17-22 (Mercy Seat and Cherubim Instructions)¶
25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat [of] pure gold: two cubits and a half [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubims [of] gold, [of] beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. 25:19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: [even] of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 25:20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth [their] wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces [shall look] one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which [are] upon the ark of the testimony, of all [things] which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Numbers 7:89 (God Speaks from Between the Cherubim)¶
7:89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that [was] upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.
Genesis 3:24 (Cherubim at Eden)¶
3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
1 Kings 6:23-35 (Solomon's Temple Cherubim and Carvings)¶
6:23 And within the oracle he made two cherubims [of] olive tree, [each] ten cubits high. 6:24 And five cubits [was] the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other [were] ten cubits. 6:25 And the other cherub [was] ten cubits: both the cherubims [were] of one measure and one size. 6:27 And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the [one] wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house. 6:28 And he overlaid the cherubims with gold. 6:29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without. 6:32 The two doors also [were of] olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid [them] with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees. 6:35 And he carved [thereon] cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered [them] with gold fitted upon the carved work.
Hebrews 9:5 (NT Reference to Cherubim)¶
9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
C. Bronze Serpent (God-Commanded Then Later Destroyed)¶
Numbers 21:4-9 (Bronze Serpent Narrative)¶
21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
2 Kings 18:1-6 (Hezekiah Destroys Nehushtan)¶
18:1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, [that] Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 18:3 And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. 18:5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor [any] that were before him. 18:6 For he clave to the LORD, [and] departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
John 3:14-15 (Jesus References Bronze Serpent as Type)¶
3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
1 Corinthians 10:9 (Paul References Serpent Incident)¶
10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
D. Prophetic Satire on Idolatry¶
Isaiah 44:9-20 (Extended Satire: Half the Tree for Fuel, Half for a God)¶
44:9 They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. 44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image [that] is profitable for nothing? 44:12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. 44:13 The carpenter stretcheth out [his] rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. 44:14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish [it]. 44:15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth [it], and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth [it]; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. 44:16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth [himself], and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: 44:17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, [even] his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth [it], and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou [art] my god. 44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand. 44:19 And none considereth in his heart, neither [is there] knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten [it]: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? 44:20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, [Is there] not a lie in my right hand?
Isaiah 40:18-26 (To Whom Will Ye Liken God?)¶
40:18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? 40:19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. 40:20 He that [is] so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree [that] will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, [that] shall not be moved. 40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
Isaiah 46:1-2, 5-7 (Bel and Nebo -- Carried, Cannot Answer)¶
46:1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages [were] heavy loaden; [they are] a burden to the weary [beast]. 46:2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. 46:5 To whom will ye liken me, and make [me] equal, and compare me, that we may be like? 46:6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, [and] hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. 46:7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, [one] shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.
Jeremiah 10:1-16 (Customs of the People Are Vain)¶
10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 10:3 For the customs of the people [are] vain: for [one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 10:5 They [are] upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also [is it] in them to do good. 10:10 But the LORD [is] the true God, he [is] the living God, and an everlasting king... 10:14 Every man is brutish in [his] knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image [is] falsehood, and [there is] no breath in them. 10:15 They [are] vanity, [and] the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. 10:16 The portion of Jacob [is] not like them: for he [is] the former of all [things]; and Israel [is] the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts [is] his name.
Habakkuk 2:18-19 (What Profits the Graven Image?)¶
2:18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? 2:19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it [is] laid over with gold and silver, and [there is] no breath at all in the midst of it.
Psalm 115:1-8 (Idols Are Silver and Gold)¶
115:3 But our God [is] in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 115:4 Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 115:7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.
E. NT Treatment¶
Acts 17:22-31 (Mars Hill Speech)¶
17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, [Ye] men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by [that] man whom he hath ordained; [whereof] he hath given assurance unto all [men], in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Romans 1:18-25 (Degradation of Worship)¶
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them. 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 8:4-6 (Idol Is Nothing; One God)¶
8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that [there is] none other God but one. 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 8:6 But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.
1 Corinthians 10:7, 9, 14, 19-22 (Flee Idolatry; Demons Behind Idols)¶
10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as [were] some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 10:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 10:20 But [I say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. 10:22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
Acts 14:15 (Paul at Lystra)¶
14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
Galatians 4:8 (Served Things Not Gods by Nature)¶
4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Acts 7:41 (Stephen References Golden Calf)¶
7:41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
Revelation 9:20 (Worship Idols That Cannot See, Hear, Walk)¶
9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
1 John 5:18-21 (Final Apostolic Word)¶
5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 5:19 [And] we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Revelation 14:6-12 (Three Angels' Messages)¶
14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God... 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
F. Worship in Spirit and Truth¶
John 4:19-26 (Worship in Spirit and Truth)¶
4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am [he].
Philippians 3:3¶
3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
G. "Visiting Iniquity" and Ezekiel 18¶
Exodus 20:5-6 (The Commandment Statement)¶
20:5 ...for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exodus 34:7 (Visiting Iniquity -- Repeated)¶
34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear [the guilty]; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth [generation].
Numbers 14:18 (Moses Quotes This Attribute)¶
14:18 The LORD [is] longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation].
Deuteronomy 24:16 (Judicial Law: Individual Accountability)¶
24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
2 Kings 14:6 (Amaziah Applies Deu 24:16)¶
14:6 But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
Jeremiah 31:29-30 (Sour Grapes Proverb Ended)¶
31:29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. 31:30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
Lamentations 5:7 (Our Fathers Have Sinned)¶
5:7 Our fathers have sinned, [and are] not; and we have borne their iniquities.
Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-20 (The Soul That Sinneth, It Shall Die)¶
18:1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 18:2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? 18:3 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have [occasion] any more to use this proverb in Israel. 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. 18:19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, [and] hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
H. Jealousy of God¶
Exo 20:5 ...for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God... Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous God: Deu 4:24 For the LORD thy God [is] a consuming fire, [even] a jealous God. Deu 6:15 (For the LORD thy God [is] a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. Deu 32:16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange [gods], with abominations provoked they him to anger. Deu 32:21 They have moved me to jealousy with [that which is] not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities... Psa 78:58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. 1Co 10:22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.
I. Golden Calf and Other Historical Incidents¶
Exodus 32:1-8, 19-20 (Golden Calf)¶
32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us... 32:4 And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 32:5 And when Aaron saw [it], he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow [is] a feast to the LORD. 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. 32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people... have corrupted [themselves]: 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. 32:20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt [it] in the fire, and ground [it] to powder, and strawed [it] upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink [of it].
Deuteronomy 9:12-21 (Moses Recounts the Calf Episode)¶
9:12 And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted [themselves]; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image. 9:16 And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your God, [and] had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the LORD had commanded you. 9:21 And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, [and] ground [it] very small, [even] until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.
1 Kings 12:28-33 (Jeroboam's Golden Calves)¶
12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves [of] gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went [to worship] before the one, [even] unto Dan.
Hosea 8:4-6 (Samaria's Calf)¶
8:4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew [it] not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. 8:5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast [thee] off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long [will it be] ere they attain to innocency? 8:6 For from Israel [was] it also: the workman made it; therefore it [is] not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
J. Christ as the True Image of God¶
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
K. Temunah (Similitude) Used Positively¶
Num 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Psa 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Cross-Testament Parallels¶
Exodus 20:4 -> OT Parallels¶
| Reference | Score | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Deuteronomium 5:8 | 0.818 | form, heaven, idol, part |
| Deuteronomium 4:19 | 0.384 | heaven, part |
| Ezechiel 22:4 | 0.374 | idol |
Exodus 20:5 -> OT Parallels¶
| Reference | Score | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Deuteronomium 5:9 | 0.915 | age, down, father, grandson |
| Numeri 14:18 | 0.623 | age, father, grandson, iniquity |
| Exodus 34:7 | 0.622 | age, father, grandson, iniquity |
| Ezechiel 18:20 | 0.461 | father, iniquity, miss |
| Reges_I 14:22 | 0.454 | father, iniquity, jealou, miss |
| Josua 24:19 | 0.446 | iniquity, jealou, serve |
Exodus 20:5 -> NT Parallels¶
| Reference | Score | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| GAL 1:4 | 0.372 | age, father, iniquity |
| 1JN 2:1 | 0.369 | father, iniquity |
| ROM 7:25 | 0.360 | iniquity, serve |
Romans 1:23 -> OT Parallels¶
| Reference | Score | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 1:26 | 0.418 | bird, image, likeness |
| Nehemia 9:18 | 0.324 | image |
| Jesaia 40:18 | 0.305 | likeness |
| Habakuk 2:18 | 0.289 | image |
| Genesis 5:3 | 0.287 | image, likeness |
Acts 17:29 -> OT Parallels¶
| Reference | Score | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel 11:38 | 0.482 | gold, silver, stone |
| Exodus 20:23 | 0.415 | gold, silver |
| Daniel 5:23 | 0.396 | gold, silver, stone |
| Jesaia 31:7 | 0.395 | gold, silver |
| Deuteronomium 7:25 | 0.387 | gold, silver |
| Leviticus 26:1 | 0.372 | stone |
John 4:24 -> NT Parallels¶
| Reference | Score | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| JHN 4:23 | 0.456 | spirit, truth, worship |
| ROM 8:26 | 0.431 | behoove, spirit |
| JHN 14:17 | 0.420 | spirit, truth |
| 1JN 5:6 | 0.410 | spirit, truth |