King James Version

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:

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Hebrew

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לֹֽ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨הtaasehdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “do”, an unfinished actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…לְךָ֥lekhatoלְךָ֥preposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “to”toפֶ֨סֶל֙feselcarved imageפֶּסֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “carved image”, the ordinary formH6459an idolcarved (graven) image.וְכָלvekhaland allכֹּלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).תְּמוּנָ֔הtemunahimageתְּמוּנָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “image”, the ordinary formH8544something portioned (i.e. fashioned) out, as ashape, i.e. (indefinitely) phantom, or (specifically) embodiment, or (figuratively) manifestation (of favor)image, likeness, similitude.אֲשֶׁ֤רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…בַּשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙bashamayimin heavenשָׁמַיִםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “in heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).מִמַּ֔עַלmimaalfrom aboveמַעַלpreposition, adverb — “from above”H4605properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.above, exceeding(-ly), forward, on ([idiom] very) high, over, up(-on, -ward), very.וַאֲשֶׁ֥רvaasherand becauseאֲשֶׁרconjunction, particle, relative — “and because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…בָּאָ֖רֶץbaaretsin earthאֶרֶץpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.מִתָּ֑חַתmitachatfrom withתַּחַתpreposition, adverb — “from with”H8478the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.as, beneath, [idiom] flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, [idiom] unto, [idiom] when...was mine, whereas, (where-) fore, with.וַאֲשֶׁ֥רvaasherand becauseאֲשֶׁרconjunction, particle, relative — “and because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…בַּמַּ֖יִםbamayimin waterמַיִםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “in water”, the ordinary formH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).מִתַּ֥חַתmitachatfrom withתַּחַתpreposition, preposition — “from with”H8478the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.as, beneath, [idiom] flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, [idiom] unto, [idiom] when...was mine, whereas, (where-) fore, with.לָאָֽרֶץlaaretsto earthאֶרֶץpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “to earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of 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;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor 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:

Young’s Literal Translation

'Thou dost not make to thyself a graven image, or any likeness which [is] in the heavens above, or which [is] in the earth beneath, or which [is] in the waters under the earth.

World English Bible

“You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Darby Translation

Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, or any form of what is in the heavens above, or what is in the earth beneath, or what is in the waters under the earth:

Douay-Rheims

Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of 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;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Thou shalt not make to thyself an idol, nor likeness of anything, whatever things are in the heaven above, and whatever are in the earth beneath, and whatever are in the waters under the earth.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ εἴδωλον, οὐδὲ παντὸς ὁμοίωμα, ὅσα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ ὅσα ἐν τῇ γῇ κάτω, καὶ ὅσα ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς.