KJV ORIGINAL
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:
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
You must not make any carved idols or statues to worship—not images of anything in the sky above, or on the earth below, or in the waters beneath the earth.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is commanding His people not to create or worship any physical objects or images as gods, because He alone deserves their worship.
📚 Historical Context
This is the second of the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai around 1400 BC. The Israelites had just been freed from Egypt, where they were surrounded by idol worship and countless statues of gods. God was establishing clear boundaries to set His people apart from the pagan nations around them who worshiped carved images and statues.
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