Leviticus 26:1

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Do not make idols for yourselves, or set up a carved image or a sacred pillar for yourselves, and do not place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the LORD your God.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לֹֽא־תַעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם אֱלִילִ֗ם וּפֶ֤סֶל וּמַצֵּבָה֙ לֹֽא־תָקִ֣ימוּ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶ֣בֶן מַשְׂכִּ֗ית לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֖ת עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

Transliteration

Not taʿaśû to-you ʾelîlîm and-pesel and-maṣṣēbâ not tāqîmû to-you and-ʾeben maśkît not tittenû in-ʾarṣekem to-hištaḥăwōt upon-it for I YHWH ʾĕlōhêkem

Grammar Details

• *taʿaśû*: verb, qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural - you shall make
• *ʾelîlîm*: noun, masculine plural - idols/worthless things
• *pesel*: noun, masculine singular - carved image/idol
• *maṣṣēbâ*: noun, feminine singular - pillar/standing stone
• *tāqîmû*: verb, hiphil imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural - you shall set up/erect
• *ʾeben*: noun, feminine singular construct - stone of
• *maśkît*: noun, feminine singular - carved figure/imagery
• *tittenû*: verb, qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural - you shall put/place
• *ʾarṣekem*: noun, feminine singular + 2nd person masculine plural suffix - your land
• *hištaḥăwōt*: verb, hitpael infinitive construct - to bow down/worship
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the divine name
• *ʾĕlōhêkem*: noun, masculine plural + 2nd person masculine plural suffix - your God

Word Meanings

• *ʾelîlîm*: idols/worthless gods/nothings
• *pesel*: carved image/graven image/idol
• *maṣṣēbâ*: pillar/standing stone/sacred pillar
• *ʾeben maśkît*: figured stone/stone with imagery/decorated stone
• *hištaḥăwōt*: to bow down/prostrate oneself/worship

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  You shall make no idols nor carved image, neither set up a standing image, nor shall you set up any image of stone in your land to bow down to it: for I am the LORD your God.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Ye shall make{H6213} you no idols,{H457} neither shall ye rear you up{H6965} a graven image,{H6459} or a pillar,{H4676} neither shall ye place{H5414} any figured{H4906} stone{H68} in your land,{H776} to bow down{H7812} unto it: for I am Jehovah{H3068} your God.{H430}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Ye shall make{H6213}{(H8799)} you no idols{H457} nor graven image{H6459}, neither rear you up{H6965}{(H8686)} a standing image{H4676}, neither shall ye set up{H5414}{(H8799)} any image{H4906} of stone{H68} in your land{H776}, to bow down{H7812}{(H8692)} unto it: for I am the LORD{H3068} your God{H430}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Ye shall make you no ydolles nor grauen ymage nether rere you vpp any piler nether ye shall sett vp any ymage of stone in youre lande to bowe youre selues there to: for I am the Lorde youre God.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Ye shall make you no Idols ner ymage, and ye shal reare you vp no piler, ner set vp eny markstone in youre londe, to bowe youre selues therto. For I am the LORDE youre God.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Ye shall make you none idoles nor grauen image, neither reare you vp any pillar, neither shal ye set any image of stone in your land to bow downe to it: for I am the Lord your God.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Ye shall make you no idols nor graue image, neither reare you vp any piller, neither shall ye set vp any image of stone in your lande to bowe downe vnto it: for I am the Lorde your God.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ 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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  "'You shall make for yourselves no idols, neither shall you raise up an engraved image or a pillar, neither shall you place any figured stone in your land, to bow down to it: for I am Yahweh your God.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `Ye do not make to yourselves idols; and graven image or standing image ye do not set up to yourselves; and a stone of imagery ye do not put in your land, to bow yourselves to it; for I `am' Jehovah your God.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am Jehovah your God.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am Jehovah your God.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Do not make images of false gods, or put up an image cut in stone or a pillar or any pictured stone in your land, to give worship to it; for I am the Lord your God.

• World English Bible (2000)

  "'You shall make for yourselves no idols, neither shall you raise up an engraved image or a pillar, neither shall you place any figured stone in your land, to bow down to it: for I am Yahweh your God.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Exhortation to Obedience“‘You must not make for yourselves idols, so you must not set up for yourselves a carved image or a pillar, and you must not place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down before it, for I am the LORD your God.

Referenced Verses

• Lev 19:4 : 4 Do not turn to idols or make gods of cast metal for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.
• Exod 23:24 : 24 Do not bow down to their gods or worship them or follow their practices. Instead, you must demolish them completely and shatter their sacred pillars.
• Exod 20:4-5 : 4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
• Exod 20:23 : 23 You shall not make gods of silver to be alongside Me, nor shall you make gods of gold for yourselves.
• Num 33:52 : 52 you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you, destroy all their stone images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.
• Deut 16:21-22 : 21 You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah pole of any tree beside the altar of the Lord your God that you will set up for yourself. 22 And you shall not set up for yourself a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates.
• Deut 27:15 : 15 Cursed is anyone who makes a carved or cast idol, an abomination to the LORD, the work of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret. Then all the people shall say, 'Amen.'
• Ps 97:7 : 7 All who serve carved images and boast in idols are put to shame; bow down to Him, all you gods!
• Ps 115:4-8 : 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see. 6 They have ears but cannot hear, noses but cannot smell. 7 They have hands but cannot touch, feet but cannot walk, nor can they make a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.
• Isa 2:20 : 20 On that day, people will throw away their silver idols and their gold idols, which they made to worship, to the moles and bats.
• Isa 44:9-9 : 9 All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses see nothing and know nothing, so they will be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that can profit nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, and the craftsmen are mere men. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will be terrified and put to shame together. 12 The blacksmith works with iron, shaping it in the coals. He hammers it with his tools and works it with the strength of his arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and becomes faint. 13 The carpenter measures out wood; he marks it with a stylus. He shapes it with chisels and marks it with a compass. He crafts it in the form of a man, a human figure, to dwell in a house. 14 He cuts down cedars or chooses a cypress or an oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain makes it grow. 15 It becomes fuel for a man; he takes part of it to warm himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also makes a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. 16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire; he roasts meat over it, eats, and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, 'Ah, I am warm; I see the fire.' 17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol, and bows down to it. He worships it and prays to it, saying, 'Save me, for you are my god.' 18 They have no knowledge or understanding; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their hearts so they cannot understand. 19 No one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, 'Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals, roasted meat, and ate. Now, should I make an abomination of the rest? Should I bow down to a block of wood?' 20 He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has led him astray, and he cannot save himself or say, 'Isn't there a lie in my right hand?'
• Isa 48:5-8 : 5 I declared it to you long ago; before it happened, I made you hear of it, so you could not say, 'My idol has done this; my carved and molten images have commanded it.' 6 You have heard it—now see all of it! And will you not declare it? From now on I will make you hear new things, hidden things that you have not known. 7 They are created now, not long ago; before today, you didn’t hear of them, so that you cannot say, 'Behold, I knew them.' 8 Indeed, you neither heard nor understood; beforehand, your ear had not been open. For I knew that you were treacherous and a transgressor from the womb.
• Jer 10:3-8 : 3 For the customs of the nations are worthless. They cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel. 4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so it will not totter. 5 They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field; they cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm—nor can they do any good. 6 There is no one like You, Lord. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power. 7 Who should not fear You, King of the nations? This is Your due. Among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like You. 8 They are all senseless and foolish; their instruction comes from worthless idols.
• Acts 17:29 : 29 Therefore, since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone—an image formed by human skill and imagination.
• Rom 2:22-23 : 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?
• 1 Cor 10:19-20 : 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or that food sacrificed to idols is anything? 20 No, but what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become participants with demons.
• Rev 13:14-15 : 14 It deceives those who dwell on the earth by the signs it was allowed to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 It was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could speak and cause all who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
• Rev 22:15 : 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
• Deut 4:16-19 : 16 Do not act corruptly by making for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure, whether male or female. 17 Or in the form of any animal on the earth, or any bird that flies in the sky, 18 Or any creature that moves along the ground, or any fish in the waters below the earth. 19 And be careful not to lift your eyes toward the heavens and see the sun, the moon, and the stars—all the host of heaven—and be led astray to bow down to them and worship them, things the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.
• Deut 5:8-9 : 8 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. 9 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the iniquity of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me.
• Exod 34:17 : 17 Do not make any molten gods for yourselves.