Deuteronomy 4:18

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

The likeness {H8403} of any thing that creepeth {H7430} on the ground {H127}, the likeness {H8403} of any fish {H1710} that is in the waters {H4325} beneath {H8478} the earth {H776}:

Complete Jewish Bible

or a representation of anything that creeps along on the ground, or a representation of any fish in the water below the shoreline.

Berean Standard Bible

or of any creature that crawls on the ground or fish that is in the waters below.

American Standard Version

the likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 4:18 stands as a pivotal prohibition within Moses' final address to the Israelites before their entry into the Promised Land. This verse specifically forbids the creation of any image or "likeness" of creatures that move on the ground or fish inhabiting the waters beneath the earth for the purpose of worship. It serves as a profound theological statement, underscoring God's absolute transcendence, His incomparable nature, and the exclusive devotion required by His covenant with Israel, thereby safeguarding them from the pervasive idolatry of surrounding nations and preserving the purity of their relationship with the one true God.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is deeply embedded within a critical section of Deuteronomy 4, where Moses passionately reiterates the Law and issues stark warnings against idolatry to the new generation poised to enter Canaan. The immediate context begins with Moses' emphasis on the unique revelation at Mount Horeb (Sinai), where God manifested Himself through fire and voice but without any visible form, as highlighted in [Deuteronomy 4:15](/deuteronomy/4-15 "Deuteronomy 4:15 - No Form Seen at Horeb"). The comprehensive prohibition against making images unfolds systematically: first, against the likeness of male or female in [Deuteronomy 4:16](/deuteronomy/4-16 "Deuteronomy 4:16 - Prohibition Against Human Idols"); then extending to creatures of the air in [Deuteronomy 4:17](/deuteronomy/4-17 "Deuteronomy 4:17 - Prohibition Against Bird Idols"); and finally, in [Deuteronomy 4:18](/deuteronomy/4-18 "Deuteronomy 4:18 - Prohibition Against Creeping Things and Fish Idols"), encompassing creatures of the ground and water. This meticulous enumeration underscores the all-encompassing nature of God's command, leaving no category of creation as an acceptable object for representation or worship. The dire consequences of disobedience, specifically exile and dispersion, are vividly outlined in [Deuteronomy 4:25-28](/deuteronomy/4-25-28 "Deuteronomy 4:25-28 - Consequences of Idolatry").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Israelites were on the precipice of entering Canaan, a land steeped in polytheistic practices and pervasive idolatry. The surrounding cultures, such as the Egyptians and Canaanites, routinely incorporated animal deities or anthropomorphic representations into their religious systems. Egyptian gods like Sobek (crocodile-headed) or Thoth (ibis-headed) were common, while Canaanite religions featured deities associated with fertility and nature, frequently represented by sculpted images or cultic symbols. Moses’ impassioned warnings served as a vital spiritual bulwark, designed to inoculate Israel against the syncretism and spiritual corruption endemic to the ancient Near East. The command to make no likeness was a revolutionary departure from the prevailing religious norms, emphatically asserting Israel’s unique covenant with an invisible, transcendent God who could not be confined to or represented by any created thing. This prohibition was foundational to Israel's distinct identity as God's chosen people, set apart to bear witness to the one true God amidst a world of false gods.
* **Key Themes:** The overarching theme permeating [Deuteronomy 4](/deuteronomy/4 "Deuteronomy 4 - Warnings Against Idolatry") is the **Prohibition of Idolatry**, which serves as a profound re-emphasis and elaboration of the [Second Commandment found in Exodus 20:4-5](/exodus/20-4-5 "Exodus 20:4-5 - The Second Commandment"). Specifically, [Deuteronomy 4:18](/deuteronomy/4-18 "Deuteronomy 4:18 - Prohibition Against Creeping Things and Fish Idols") reinforces the absolute **Uniqueness and Incomparability** of God; no creature, regardless of its majesty or perceived insignificance, can adequately capture or represent the essence of the Creator. This prohibition underscores that God is distinct from His creation and infinitely superior to it. Furthermore, unwavering adherence to this command was a cornerstone of Israel's **Covenant Loyalty**. Idolatry was not merely a ritualistic error but a profound act of spiritual adultery, a betrayal of their exclusive devotion to Yahweh, the God who had miraculously delivered them from slavery in Egypt and established a sacred covenant with them at [Mount Sinai](/exodus/19 "Exodus 19 - God's Covenant at Sinai"). The collective warnings throughout this chapter, including the specific enumeration in [Deuteronomy 4:18](/deuteronomy/4-18 "Deuteronomy 4:18 - Prohibition Against Creeping Things and Fish Idols"), emphasize the critical importance of remembering God's unique self-revelation and maintaining an uncompromised faithfulness to Him alone.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Likeness (Hebrew, _tabnîyth'_):** From the Hebrew H8403, _tabnîyth_ refers to a "structure," "model," "resemblance," "figure," "form," "pattern," or "similitude." Its use here signifies a prohibition not merely against worshipping the creature itself, but against the very act of creating any image that *resembles* or *represents* a created thing for cultic purposes. This emphasizes that God's nature is beyond any human artistic or conceptual representation, reinforcing His transcendence and unique spiritual essence.
* **Creepeth (Hebrew, _râmas'_):** Derived from the Hebrew H7430, _râmas_ is a primitive root meaning "to glide swiftly," "to crawl," or "to move with short steps"; by analogy, "to swarm." It encompasses a wide range of small land animals, reptiles, and insects that move close to the ground. Including these "creeping things" in the prohibition highlights the comprehensive scope of God's command: no part of creation, from the most majestic to the most seemingly humble or even repulsive, is to be elevated to an object of worship or used to represent the Creator.
* **Fish (Hebrew, _dâgâh'_):** From the Hebrew H1710, _dâgâh_ is the feminine form of _dâg_ and refers to "a fish," often used collectively. This term specifically extends the prohibition to aquatic life. By explicitly mentioning "fish" alongside "creeping things," the verse ensures that the divine command covers all realms of creation—sky (implied from [Deuteronomy 4:17](/deuteronomy/4-17 "Deuteronomy 4:17 - Prohibition Against Bird Idols")), land, and sea—leaving no loophole for idolatrous representation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground":** This clause explicitly forbids the creation of images resembling small land animals, reptiles, or insects. The phrase "on the ground" specifically differentiates these creatures from birds of the air, which were already forbidden in the preceding verse. This command directly counters the pagan practices prevalent in the ancient Near East, where various land animals were deified or utilized as cultic symbols, thereby ensuring that Israel's worship remained distinct and untainted by such idolatrous customs.
* **"the likeness of any fish that [is] in the waters beneath the earth":** This second clause comprehensively extends the prohibition to aquatic life, specifically "fish" and, by extension, any creature found "in the waters beneath the earth" (referring to rivers, lakes, and seas). This all-encompassing coverage ensures that no aspect of the natural world, from the depths of the sea to the surface of the land, is to be used as a medium for idolatrous worship or as a representation of the invisible God. It includes even the most obscure or seemingly insignificant creatures, reinforcing the absolute scope of the command and God's incomparable nature.

#### Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 4:18, in conjunction with the preceding and succeeding verses, powerfully employs **Merism** to convey the absolute and comprehensive nature of the prohibition against idolatry. By systematically listing creatures from the heavens (birds, as seen in [Deuteronomy 4:17](/deuteronomy/4-17 "Deuteronomy 4:17 - Prohibition Against Bird Idols")), the earth (creeping things, in [Deuteronomy 4:18](/deuteronomy/4-18 "Deuteronomy 4:18 - Prohibition Against Creeping Things and Fish Idols")), and the waters (fish, also in [Deuteronomy 4:18](/deuteronomy/4-18 "Deuteronomy 4:18 - Prohibition Against Creeping Things and Fish Idols")), Moses uses extremes to encompass all categories of creation. This literary device emphatically underscores that *nothing* within the created order is suitable for representing the Creator. Furthermore, the repeated phrase "the likeness of any thing" or similar constructions from [Deuteronomy 4:16-18](/deuteronomy/4-16-18 "Deuteronomy 4:16-18 - Comprehensive Prohibition of Idols") functions as a subtle yet effective form of **Anaphora**, reinforcing the central prohibition and its universal application across all forms of life, thereby driving home the singular and unparalleled nature of Yahweh.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 4:18 articulates a profound theological truth about the very nature of God, emphatically asserting His absolute transcendence and incomparability. By strictly forbidding the creation of any likeness of created things for worship, the verse declares that God cannot be confined, limited, or adequately represented by anything within His own creation. He stands eternally distinct from and infinitely superior to all that He has made. This prohibition serves as a crucial safeguard for the purity of worship, preventing the reduction of the infinite, incomprehensible God to a finite, tangible object. It underscores that true worship must be directed solely towards the invisible, living God, who revealed Himself not through a static image, but through His dynamic, powerful acts of deliverance and His authoritative, spoken word. This foundational principle protects against anthropomorphic or zoomorphic distortions in divine representation, ensuring that Israel's understanding of God remained elevated, uncompromised, and truly monotheistic.

* [Exodus 20:4-5](/exodus/20-4-5 "Exodus 20:4-5 - The Second Commandment")
* [Isaiah 40:18](/isaiah/40-18 "Isaiah 40:18 - God's Incomparability")
* [Romans 1:22-23](/romans/1-22-23 "Romans 1:22-23 - Exchanging God's Glory for Images")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the literal carving of images of reptiles or fish for worship may seem anachronistic to many modern believers, the profound underlying principle of Deuteronomy 4:18 remains acutely relevant. This verse serves as a timeless challenge, compelling us to introspectively examine our hearts and lives for more subtle, insidious forms of idolatry. Anything that subtly displaces God from His rightful, supreme position in our affections, trust, and ultimate devotion effectively becomes an idol. This can manifest as an excessive pursuit of wealth, an all-consuming focus on career success, an inordinate desire for social status, an unhealthy attachment to personal comfort, an idolatry of relationships, or even an over-reliance on intellectual achievements. The command calls us to a radical, holistic monotheism of the heart, where God alone is truly revered, sought, and served. It powerfully reminds us that authentic worship is not about external forms or human-made representations, but about an inward posture of complete surrender and adoration toward the invisible, living God, as Jesus Himself taught in [John 4:24](/john/4-24 "John 4:24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth"). Our contemporary application of this verse necessitates constant self-assessment, humble repentance, and a conscious, deliberate effort to re-center our lives on God's glory above all else, ensuring that nothing competes with His preeminence.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "likenesses" or created things, even those seemingly good or benign, might be subtly taking God's rightful place in my life, affections, or ultimate trust?**
* **How does my daily life, my priorities, and my deepest desires demonstrate that God alone is truly incomparable and worthy of my exclusive and undivided devotion?**
* **In what practical ways can I cultivate a deeper, more authentic worship of the invisible God, moving beyond reliance on tangible comforts, achievements, or human approval?**

### FAQ

**Does this verse mean we can't have pictures or statues of animals at all?**

Answer: No, this verse, and the broader context of the Second Commandment, specifically prohibits making "likenesses" for the *purpose of worship* or as a representation of God. It is not a blanket ban on art, decorative items, or scientific illustrations in general. The context is unequivocally about idolatry—creating images to bow down to, serve, or use as a substitute for the true God. The Israelites were surrounded by cultures that worshipped animal deities and used their images in cultic practices. This command was a strong, counter-cultural statement emphasizing the uniqueness, transcendence, and invisibility of Yahweh. Therefore, having a picture of a fish, a statue of a reptile, or a zoological illustration for aesthetic, educational, or artistic purposes is not a violation of this command, as long as it is not an object of veneration or a substitute for the living God. The intent and purpose behind the creation and use of the image are paramount.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 4:18, with its stringent prohibition against making any likeness of created things for worship, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound clarification in the person of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament consistently emphasizes God's invisibility and incomparability, declaring that "No one has ever seen God" ([John 1:18](/john/1-18 "John 1:18 - No One Has Seen God")). This creates a fundamental tension: how can humanity truly know or relate to an invisible, transcendent God? The answer is revealed in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. He is uniquely described as "the image of the invisible God" ([Colossians 1:15](/colossians/1-15 "Colossians 1:15 - Christ, the Image of the Invisible God")) and "the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being" ([Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Hebrews 1:3 - Christ, the Radiance of God's Glory")). While the Old Testament strictly forbade human-made images of created things to represent God, the New Testament proclaims that God Himself has provided the perfect, living "image" in His Son. In Christ, God has made Himself truly visible and intimately knowable, not through a created object, but through the Incarnate Word, who is God in the flesh. Therefore, true worship for the New Covenant believer is no longer directed towards physical representations, but towards the Father through the Son, "in spirit and truth" ([John 4:24](/john/4-24 "John 4:24 - Worship in Spirit and Truth")), recognizing that in Christ "all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" ([Colossians 2:9](/colossians/2-9 "Colossians 2:9 - Fullness of Deity in Christ")). The prohibition in Deuteronomy thus serves as a prophetic pointer, anticipating the perfect and complete revelation of God in Christ, who alone is the true, living, and unblemished representation of the Father's glory.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.