Lexical Summary semel: Image, idol, figure Original Word: סֶמֶל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance figure, idol, image Or cemel {say'-mel}; from an unused root meaning to resemble; a likeness -- figure, idol, image. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition an image, statue NASB Translation figure (1), idol (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs סֶ֫מֶל noun masculineEzekiel 8:5 perhaps originally proper name, of divinity, then Generally image, statue (Phoenician סמל id., feminine סמלת, Lzb151, 329, also פנסמלת Id329; BauRel. i. 88 understands ׳ס to be designation of foreign god); — absolute ׳הַסּ2Chronicles 33:7,15, סָ֑מֶל Deuteronomy 4:16; construct סֵ֫מֶל Ezekiel 8:3,5; — image, figure of anything, ׳מֶּסֶל תְּמוּנַת כָּלסֿ Deuteronomy 4:16; idol-image ׳מֶּסֶל הַסּ2Chronicles 33:7 and (מֶּסֶל omitted) 2 Chronicles 33:15; סֵמֶל הַקִּנְאָה Ezekiel 8:3 the statue of jealousy, i.e. that rouses ׳י's jealousy, = Ezekiel 8:5. סמם (√ of following; meaning dubious; if akin to Arabic Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Hebrew 5566, סֶמֶל (sēmel), appears only five times and always denotes a physical representation set up in defiance of the Lord’s exclusive claim to worship. Although the word can mean “image” or “likeness,” every canonical occurrence carries an undeniably negative sense: a manufactured object that rivals the living God for the heart-allegiance of His people. Occurrences in Scripture • Deuteronomy 4:16 Deuteronomy and the Covenant Warning Before Israel entered Canaan, Moses warned, “that you do not act corruptly and make for yourselves an idol in the form of any figure—the likeness of male or female” (Deuteronomy 4:16). The appearance of sēmel here anchors the prohibition against idolatry in the foundational covenant history: the God who revealed Himself without visible form at Sinai must never be reduced to man-made representation. The warning anticipates later apostasy and frames the land as a place where image-making would constantly tempt the nation. Manasseh’s Image in the Temple Centuries later King Manasseh flagrantly violated that warning: “Manasseh even put the carved image of the idol he had made in the house of God” (2 Chronicles 33:7). This was no peripheral shrine; it was a sēmel installed inside the very house where the Lord had placed His Name. The Chronicler treats the act as the theological low point of Judah’s monarchy, explaining the severity of the subsequent exile. Significantly, after Manasseh’s personal repentance he “removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 33:15), illustrating both the depth of God’s mercy and the necessity of eliminating every rival image from worship. Ezekiel’s Vision of the Image of Jealousy During the Babylonian captivity Ezekiel was transported “to the entrance to the north gate of the inner court, where the idol that provokes to jealousy stood” (Ezekiel 8:3). Twice called “the idol of jealousy” (Ezekiel 8:3, 8:5), this sēmel symbolizes Israel’s collective unfaithfulness. The vision locates the image at the very threshold of the altar, underscoring how idolatry had invaded the sacred space reserved for Yahweh alone. The ensuing chapters portray divine glory departing the temple, revealing the devastating consequence of tolerating a sēmel within God’s sanctuary. Theological Significance 1. Exclusive Worship: Every use of sēmel highlights the first commandment’s demand for exclusive devotion. Images dilute divine transcendence and distort covenant relationship. Historical Background The manufacture of cultic images was normal across the ancient Near East; Israel’s neighbors depicted their deities in stone, wood, or metal. The rarity of sēmel in Scripture reflects Israel’s counter-cultural calling. When the term does appear, it exposes moments when covenant identity was swallowed by surrounding religious practice—whether through the royal policy of Manasseh or the covert syncretism unmasked to Ezekiel. Relation to the Broader Canon While sēmel is restricted to these five verses, its theme intertwines with other biblical terminology for idols (e.g., pesel, atzab). Together they form a consistent witness: the Creator is incomparable and non-representable. New Testament writers extend the principle by identifying Jesus Christ as “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), redirecting legitimate image language to the incarnate Son rather than to inanimate objects. Implications for Worship and Ministry 1. Guarding the Heart: Modern idolatry may be materialistic, ideological, or technological, but it follows the same pattern—giving ultimate trust or affection to what is not God. Practical Application Today Believers are called to examine personal and corporate life for any “image of jealousy,” to pray for the Spirit’s illumination, and to proclaim Christ as the true and living Image whose glory outshines every counterfeit. Forms and Transliterations הַסֶּ֖מֶל הַסֶּ֙מֶל֙ הסמל סֵ֖מֶל סֵ֛מֶל סָ֑מֶל סמל has·se·mel hassemel sā·mel Samel sāmel sê·mel Semel sêmelLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 4:16 HEB: תְּמוּנַ֣ת כָּל־ סָ֑מֶל תַּבְנִ֥ית זָכָ֖ר NAS: of any figure, the likeness KJV: the similitude of any figure, the likeness INT: the form of any figure the likeness of male 2 Chronicles 33:7 2 Chronicles 33:15 Ezekiel 8:3 Ezekiel 8:5 5 Occurrences |
    |
smell Lane1593, 
any fragrant plant Id1594, then ס must be for שׂ; in that case ׳ס perhaps loan-word in Hebrew; Late Hebrew id., spice, drug (Ecclus ׳שׂ Ecclesiasticus 38:4 m.), Aramaic סַמָּא id.; 
drug, pigment; Arabic 
poison is apparently loan-word Frä262).