New International Version Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. New Living Translation So be careful not to break the covenant the LORD your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the LORD your God has forbidden this. English Standard Version Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the LORD your God has forbidden you. Berean Standard Bible Be careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you; do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything He has forbidden you. Berean Literal Bible Take heed to yourselves, lest you⁺ forget the covenant of YHWH your⁺ God that He made with you⁺, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything that YHWH your God has forbidden you. King James Bible 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. New King James Version Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. New American Standard Bible So be careful yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you. NASB 1995 “So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you. NASB 1977 “So watch yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you. Legacy Standard Bible So keep yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of Yahweh your God which He cut with you and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which Yahweh your God has commanded you. Amplified Bible So be on your guard and watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He has made with you, and make for yourselves a carved or sculpted image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. Berean Annotated Bible Be careful that you⁺ do not forget the covenant of the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem} that He made with you⁺; do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything He has forbidden you. Christian Standard Bible Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you, and make an idol for yourselves in the shape of anything he has forbidden you. Holman Christian Standard Bible Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you, and make an idol for yourselves in the shape of anything He has forbidden you. American Standard Version Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image in the form of anything which Jehovah thy God hath forbidden thee. Contemporary English Version Always remember the agreement that the LORD your God made with you, and don't make an idol in any shape or form. English Revised Version 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 in the form of any thing which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. GOD'S WORD® Translation Be careful that you don't forget the promise that the LORD your God made to you. Don't make your own carved idols or statues that represent anything the LORD your God has forbidden. Good News Translation Be certain that you do not forget the covenant that the LORD your God made with you. Obey his command not to make yourselves any kind of idol, International Standard Version Be careful! Otherwise, you will forget the covenant of the LORD your God, who established that covenant with you. Don't make carved images of any likeness in violation of everything that you were commanded by the LORD your God. NET Bible Be on guard so that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he has made with you, and that you do not make an image of any kind, just as he has forbidden you. New Heart English Bible Be careful, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you an engraved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. Webster's Bible Translation Take heed to 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBe careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you; do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything He has forbidden you. World English Bible Be careful, lest you forget the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he made with you, and make yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which Yahweh your God has forbidden you. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionTake heed to yourselves lest you forget the covenant of your God YHWH which He has made with you, and have made a carved image for yourselves, a likeness of anything [concerning] which your God YHWH has charged you; Berean Literal Bible Take heed to yourselves, lest you⁺ forget the covenant of YHWH your⁺ God that He made with you⁺, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything that YHWH your God has forbidden you. Young's Literal Translation Take heed to yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which He hath made with you, and have made to yourselves a graven image, a similitude of anything concerning which Jehovah thy God hath charged thee: Smith's Literal Translation Watch for yourselves lest ye shall forget the covenant of Jehovah your God which he cut out with you, and ye make to you any carved thing, the appearance of any thing which Jehovah thy God commanded thee. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBeware lest thou ever forget the covenant of the Lord thy God, which he hath made with thee: and make to thyself a graven likeness of those things which the Lord hath forbid to be made: Catholic Public Domain Version Be careful, lest you at sometime forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he has formed with you, and lest you make for yourselves a graven likeness of those things which the Lord has prohibited to be made. New American Bible Be careful, therefore, lest you forget the covenant which the LORD, your God, has made with you, and fashion for yourselves against his command an idol in any form whatsoever. New Revised Standard Version So be careful not to forget the covenant that the LORD your God made with you, and not to make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything that the LORD your God has forbidden you. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTake heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and corrupt yourselves, and make for yourselves images, or the likeness of anything, which the LORD your God has forbidden you. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Beware that you do not forget the covenant of LORD JEHOVAH your God which he covenanted with you and you make an image for yourselves or a form of anything that LORD JEHOVAH your God commanded you. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you, and make you a graven image, even the likeness of any thing which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. Brenton Septuagint Translation Take heed to yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord our God, which he made with you, and ye transgress, and make to yourselves a graven image of any of the things concerning which the Lord thy God commanded thee. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Warning Against Idolatry…22For I will not be crossing the Jordan, because I must die in this land. But you shall cross over and take possession of that good land. 23Be careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you; do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything He has forbidden you. 24For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.… Cross References Be careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God Deuteronomy 8:11 Be careful not to forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes, which I am giving you this day. Psalm 103:18 to those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts. Psalm 105:8 He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— that He made with you; Exodus 24:8 So Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Deuteronomy 9:9 When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I ate no bread and drank no water. Deuteronomy 5:2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. do not make an idol for yourselves 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. Exodus 34:17 You shall make no molten gods for yourselves. 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!’ in the form of anything He has forbidden you. Exodus 20:4 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. Deuteronomy 5:8 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. Isaiah 40:18 To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him? Deuteronomy 6:14-15 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you. / For the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God. Otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth. Joshua 23:16 If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you.” Judges 2:12 Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger, 2 Kings 17:35-38 For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them. / Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him. / And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. … Treasury of Scripture Take heed to yourselves, lest you 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 your God has forbidden you. heed Deuteronomy 4:9,15,16 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; … Deuteronomy 27:9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. Joshua 23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. lest ye forget Deuteronomy 6:12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Deuteronomy 29:25 Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: Deuteronomy 31:20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. make you Deuteronomy 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, Exodus 20:4,5 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: … Jump to Previous Agreement Care Careful Commanded Covenant Engraved Heed Image Watch YourselvesJump to Next Agreement Care Careful Commanded Covenant Engraved Heed Image Watch YourselvesDeuteronomy 4 1. An exhortation to obedience41. Moses appoints the three cities of refuge on that side of Jordan 44. Recapitulation Be careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God Israel’s covenant with the LORD was established at Sinai, where He gave His commands and bound the nation to Himself. Forgetting it meant more than failing to recall past events; it meant neglecting the obligations of obedience that governed Israel’s life before God. The people were to guard this relationship diligently, since departure from God’s commands would bring spiritual corruption and covenant judgment. Deu 8:11 Be careful not to forget the LORD your God… that He made with you; The covenant was made with Israel as God’s chosen people, yet its demands extended to every member of the community. God had pledged His presence, protection, and blessing, while Israel was required to worship Him alone and obey His word. The covenant included blessings for faithfulness and consequences for rebellion. Exo 24:8 So Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people… do not make an idol for yourselves Idolatry directly violated Israel’s exclusive allegiance to the LORD. Surrounded by peoples who represented their gods through carved images, Israel was forbidden to adopt such worship. Making an idol was not a harmless cultural practice but a rejection of the God who had redeemed them from Egypt. Lev 26:1 You must not make idols for yourselves… in the form of anything He has forbidden you. No created thing—whether an animal, human figure, heavenly body, or other object—could rightly represent the living God. The LORD had not revealed Himself in a visible form at Sinai, and Israel was not permitted to reduce His glory to an object fashioned by human hands. Exo 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol… Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe leader of the Israelites who is delivering God's commandments and warnings to the people before they enter the Promised Land. 2. Israelites The chosen people of God, who are being reminded of their covenant with the LORD and warned against idolatry. 3. Covenant The solemn agreement between God and the Israelites, which includes the Ten Commandments and other laws given at Mount Sinai. 4. Idolatry The act of worshiping idols or false gods, which is strictly forbidden by God as it violates the first and second commandments. 5. Promised Land The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Teaching Points Remember the CovenantAs believers, we must continually remind ourselves of our commitment to God and His commandments. This involves regular study of Scripture and prayer. Guard Against Idolatry Idolatry can take many forms, not just physical idols. We must examine our lives for anything that takes precedence over our relationship with God, such as money, power, or even relationships. Obedience to God's Commands Obedience is a sign of our love and respect for God. We should strive to live according to His Word, understanding that His commands are for our good. The Danger of Forgetfulness Spiritual forgetfulness can lead to disobedience. We should establish practices that help us remember God's faithfulness and commands, such as journaling or participating in community worship. The Role of Community Being part of a faith community helps us stay accountable and encourages us to uphold our covenant with God. We should seek fellowship with other believers to strengthen our faith. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 4:23?2. How can we "watch ourselves" to avoid idolatry in our daily lives? 3. What does Deuteronomy 4:23 teach about the importance of covenant faithfulness? 4. How does Deuteronomy 4:23 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? 5. Why is remembering God's covenant crucial for maintaining a strong faith today? 6. What practical steps can we take to guard against modern forms of idolatry? 7. What does Deuteronomy 4:23 warn against, and why is it significant for believers today? 8. How does Deuteronomy 4:23 relate to the concept of idolatry in modern times? 9. Why is the covenant mentioned in Deuteronomy 4:23 crucial for understanding God's relationship with Israel? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 4? Verse 23. - A graven image, or the likeness of any thing, etc. - literally, a graven (sculptured) image of a form of all that Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee; s.c. not to make (cf. Deuteronomy 16-18 and Deuteronomy 2:37). Deuteronomy 4:23 calls for vigilant remembrance of God’s covenant and uncompromising rejection of idols. The verse moves from a heart posture (“Be careful”) to a specific danger (forgetting) and then to the visible symptom (idolatry). Remembering anchors worship; forgetting invites substitutes. God’s people thrive when they treasure His covenant, guard their affections, and refuse anything that rivals His glory. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Be carefulהִשָּׁמְר֣וּ (hiš·šā·mə·rū) Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to that you do not פֶּֽן־ (pen-) Conjunction Strong's 6435: Removal, lest forget תִּשְׁכְּחוּ֙ (tiš·kə·ḥū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 7911: To mislay, to be oblivious of, from want of memory, attention the covenant בְּרִ֤ית (bə·rîṯ) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 1285: A covenant of the LORD יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel your God אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative that אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that He made כָּרַ֖ת (kā·raṯ) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant with you; עִמָּכֶ֑ם (‘im·mā·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's 5973: With, equally with do not make וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם (wa·‘ă·śî·ṯem) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 6213: To do, make an idol פֶּ֙סֶל֙ (pe·sel) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6459: An idol, image for yourselves לָכֶ֥ם (lā·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew in the form תְּמ֣וּנַת (tə·mū·naṯ) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 8544: Something portioned, out, as a, shape, phantom, embodiment, manifestation of anything כֹּ֔ל (kōl) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every He יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel has forbidden you. צִוְּךָ֖ (ṣiw·wə·ḵā) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order Additonal Resources Deuteronomy 4:23 Blue Letter BibleDeuteronomy 4:23 Bible Gateway Deuteronomy 4:23 Bible.com Deuteronomy 4:23 NIV |
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