When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger:

DEUTERONOMY 4:25KJV
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Deuteronomy 4:25 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 4:25 mean?

Deuteronomy 4:25 warns that after the Israelites have lived in the promised land for a long time and have children and grandchildren, if they become corrupt by making idols or images and do evil in God’s sight, they will provoke God’s anger. The verse sets up a warning about turning away from God after settling into a comfortable life.

Moses is speaking to the people of Israel as they prepare to enter the land God promised them. He cautions them about the danger of forgetting God’s commands over generations, especially the command against making carved images or idols. The verse highlights the seriousness of idolatry and the consequences of abandoning God’s ways, especially after experiencing His blessings for a long time.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 4:25

  • "Corrupt" (שָׁחַת, shachath): This word often means to ruin, spoil, or destroy, and here it describes a moral and spiritual decay, not just a mistake. It signals a turning point where the people’s actions fundamentally damage their relationship with God.
  • "Graven image" (פֶּסֶל, pesel) and "likeness" (תְּמוּנָה, temunah): Both words refer to physical representations or idols. The use of both terms emphasizes that any kind of image, not just statues, is forbidden, covering a wide range of possible idol-making.
  • "Do evil" (רַע, ra‘): This word for "evil" is broad and can mean anything morally wrong, but in this context, it is directly tied to idolatry, making clear that such acts are not just mistakes but are seen as serious offenses against God.

Why Deuteronomy 4:25 matters

  • Deuteronomy 4:25 clarifies that the danger of idolatry is not just an immediate threat but a long-term risk, especially as generations pass and people become comfortable or complacent.
  • The verse connects the act of making idols directly to provoking God's anger, showing that this is not a minor issue but a central concern in Israel’s relationship with God.
  • This warning fits into the larger message of Deuteronomy, where Moses repeatedly urges the people to remember God’s commands and not let prosperity or time weaken their commitment.

Where else these words appear

“likeness” Hebrew H8544 · used in 10 verses

  • Exodus 20:4 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:
  • Deuteronomy 4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
  • Deuteronomy 5:8 Thou shalt not make 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 waters beneath the earth:

“long” Hebrew H3462 · used in 19 verses

  • Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
  • Job 3:13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
  • Proverbs 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

“image” Hebrew H6459 · used in 31 verses

  • Exodus 20:4 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:
  • Judges 18:18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
  • Isaiah 44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

“anger” Hebrew H3707 · used in 53 verses

  • Deuteronomy 9:18 And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
  • 2 Kings 17:11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:
  • Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.