Exodus 20:23 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

You must not make silver gods to worship alongside me, and you must not make gold gods for yourselves.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is telling His people they cannot worship idols made of precious metals, He alone deserves their worship.

📚 Historical Context

This verse comes from the Book of Exodus, shortly after the Israelites escaped slavery in Egypt, a culture steeped in idol worship with gods often crafted from precious metals. God was giving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai to establish His covenant with the Israelites, emphasizing that He alone is the true God and forbidding any form of idolatry to set His people apart from surrounding polytheistic nations. This command reinforced the earlier prohibition against other gods, ensuring the Israelites' loyalty and purity in worship.

Explore Similar Verses

Revelation 22:9

Then he told me, 'Don't do that! I'm just a servant like you, and like your fellow believers who are prophets, and like everyone who follows what's written in this book. Worship God, not me.'

2 Chronicles 29:29

When they finished making their offerings, the king and everyone who was there with him bowed down and worshiped.

Daniel 3:5

When you hear the trumpet, flute, harp, horn, pipes, lyre, and basically every instrument playing together, you need to drop everything and bow down to worship that golden statue King Nebuchadnezzar put up.

Ask the AI Assistant

Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.

Share or Save

📚 Historical Context

Explore Similar Verses

Ask the AI Assistant

Translation & Methodology Sources