Deuteronomy 4:18 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Don't make idols that look like any creature that crawls on the ground, or any fish that swims in the waters under the earth.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is forbidding His people from making idols shaped like crawling creatures or fish.

📚 Historical Context

Moses was giving these commands to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land, warning them against the idol worship practices of surrounding nations. Many ancient cultures worshiped gods represented by animals, including reptiles, insects, and fish. The phrase 'waters beneath the earth' refers to the ancient understanding of underground waters and springs.

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And to every animal on the earth, and to every bird in the sky, and to every creature that crawls on the ground—everything that has life—I have given every green plant for food. And it happened just as God said.

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