Exodus 20:4 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 20:1-11

Here is, I. The preface of the law-writer, Moses: God spoke all these words, Exod. 20:1. The law of the ten commandments is, 1. A law of God's making. They are enjoined by the infinite eternal Majesty of heaven and earth. And where the word of the King of kings is surely there is power. 2. It is a law of his own speaking. God has many ways of speaking to the children of men (Job 33:14); once, yea twice?by his Spirit, by conscience, by providences, by his voice, all which we ought carefully to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:4

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image ,.... An image of anything graven by art or man's device, cut out of wood of stone, and so anything that was molten, or cast into a mould or form, engraved by men, and this in order to be worshipped; for otherwise images of things might be made for other uses and purposes, as the cherubim over the mercy seat, and the brazen serpent, and images and impressions on coin, which we do not find the Jews themselves scrupled to make use of in Christ's... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 20:4

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image - As the word פסל pasal signifies to hew, carve, grave, etc., פסל pesel may here signify any kind of image, either of wood, stone, or metal, on which the axe, the chisel, or the graving tool has been employed. This commandment includes in its prohibitions every species of idolatry known to have been practiced among the Egyptians. The reader will see this the more plainly by consulting the notes on the ten plagues, particularly those on... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 20:4

Verse 4 4.Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. In the First Commandment, after He had taught who was the true God, He commanded that He alone should e worshipped; and now He defines what is His Legitimate Worship. Now, since these are two distinct things, we conclude that the commandments are also distinct, in which different things are treated of. The former indeed precedes in order, viz., that believers are to be contented with one God; but it would not be sufficient for us to be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:1-17

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:1-17

The ten commandments collectivety. The ten commandments form a summary of our main duties towards God, and towards man. They stand out from the rest of the Old Testament in a remarkable way. 1 . They were uttered audibly by a voice which thousands heard—a voice which is called that of God himself ( Deuteronomy 5:26 ) and which filled those who heard it with a terrible fear ( Exodus 20:19 ). 2 . They were the only direct utterance ever made by God to man under the Old Covenant. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:1-17

The ten commandments severally. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT . To the Christian the First Commandment takes the form which our Lord gave it—"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all-thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment' ( Matthew 22:37 , Matthew 22:38 ). Not merely abstract belief, not merely humble acknowledgment of one God is necessary, but heartfelt devotion to the One Object worthy of our devotion, the One Being in all the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:1-18

The moral law-General survey. View this law of the ten commandments as— I. AUTHORITATIVELY DELIVERED . "God spake all these words, saying," etc. ( Exodus 20:1 ). An authoritative revelation of moral law was necessary— 1 . That man might be made distinctly aware of the compass of his obligations . The moral knowledge originally possessed by man had gradually been parted with. What remained was distorted and confused. He had little right knowledge of his duty to God, and very... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:3-6

The first and seceded commandments: against polytheism and image-worship. These two commandments seem to be bound together naturally by the reason given in Exodus 20:5 . There Jehovah says, " I am a jealous God;" obviously such a feeling of jealousy applies with as much force to the worship of other gods as to the making of graven images. Consider— I. THE POSSIBLE TRANSGRESSION HERE INDICATED . The having of other gods than Jehovah, and the representation of them by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:3-6

These two commandments are complementary: one God only to be worshipped, one way only in which to worship him. Consider:— I. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT . 1 . How Israel would understand it . "No foreign god in opposition to me." The natural idea would be that Jehovah was one amongst many deities; that possibly, away from Egypt, some other god might have higher authority (cf. 2 Kings 18:33-35 ). In any case it would be hard to realise that he was more than God of gods; others might... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 20:1-11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 20:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 20:4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 20:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:1-17

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:1-17

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:1-17

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:1-18

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:3-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 20:3-6

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