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101 Bible Verses about the Importance of Staying Away from Idols
Thou shalt have no elohim acherim in My presence.Thou shalt not make unto thee any pesel, or any temunah of any thing that is in Shomayim above, or that is in ha'aretz beneath, or that is in the mayim under ha'aretz.Thou shalt not tishtacheveh to them, nor serve them; for I Hashem Eloheicha am an El kanna, visiting the avon Avot upon the Banim unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me;
Thou shalt not make thee any pesel, or any temunah of anything that is in Shomayim above, or that is in Ha'Aretz beneath, or that is in the mayim beneath ha'aretz;Lo tishtachaveh (thou shalt not bow down thyself) unto them, nor serve them; for I Hashem Eloheicha am an El Kannah, visiting the iniquity of the avot upon the banim unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me,
Who hath formed el (g-d), or molded a pesel to no profit?Behold, all its chaverim shall be ashamed; and the charashim (craftsmen), they are only adam; let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.The charash barzel (ironsmith) with his ma'atzad (chizel) both worketh in the red-hot coals, and formeth it with hammers, and forgeth it with his zero'a ko'ach and also, he is hungry, and his ko'ach faileth; he drinketh no mayim, and grows faint.The charash etzim (carpenter) stretcheth out his [measuring line]; he marketh it out with sered (red chalk); he worketh it with planes, and he marketh it out with a compass, and maketh it after the tavnit ish (pattern of a man), according to the tiferet adam; that it may stay inside the bais (idolatrous cult shrine).He heweth down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he secureth for himself among the atzei ya'ar (trees of the forest); he planteth a pine, and geshem doth nourish it.Then shall it be for an adam to burn; for he will take thereof, and warm himself; and also, he kindleth it, and baketh lechem; and also he maketh el (g-d), and boweth down in worship to it; he maketh it a pesel, and falleth down unto it.He burneth half thereof in the eish; with the other half thereof he eateth basar; he roasteth roast meat, and is satisfied; and also, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I perceive ur (flame)!And the shererit thereof he maketh el, even his pesel; he falleth down unto it, and boweth down in worship to it, and davens unto it, and saith, Save me; for thou art Eli!They have no da'as nor binah; for their eyes are smeared over, that they cannot see; and their levavot, that they cannot understand.And none considereth in his lev, neither is there da'as nor tevunah (understanding, intelligence) to say, I have burned half of it in the eish; and, also I have baked lechem upon the hot coals thereof; I have roasted basar, and eaten it; and shall I make the rest thereof to'evah? Shall I bow down to the bul etz (product of a tree, i.e., a block of wood)?He feedeth on efer (ash); a lev hutal (a heart deceived, a deluded mind) hath led him astray, that he cannot save his nefesh, nor say: Is there not sheker (a lie, a fraud) in my yamin (right hand)?They that make a pesel are all of them tohu; and their chamudim (favorite [idols]) are worthless; and they are their own edim; they see not, nor know; so that they are put to shame.
And now they sin more and more, and have made for themselves massekhah (idol) of their kesef, and atzabim according to their faculty of binah (understanding), all of it the work of the craftsmen; they say of them: Let adam that sacrifice kiss calf-idols.
Kol adam is dull-hearted and without da'as; every goldsmith is shamed by the pesel; for his nesekh (molten image) is sheker, and there is no ruach in them.
And your [idolatrous] mizbechot shall be decimated, and your incense altars shall be demolished; and I will cast down your slain before your gillulim (idols).
And first I will recompense their avon (iniquity) and their sin mishneh (double); because they have defiled My Eretz (land), they have filled Mine nachalah with the nevelot (lifeless forms, carcasses) of their detestable and abominable idols.
In Yom Hahu a man shall cast his elilei kesef, and his elilei zahav, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
Declare ye among the Goyim, and publish, and lift up a nes (banner); publish, and conceal not; say: Bavel is captured, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her atzabim (images) are shamed, her gilulim (idols) are dismayed.
And Hashem said unto Moshe, Behold, thou shalt sleep with Avoteicha; and this people will rise up, and play the harlot going after the elohei nekhar ha'aretz (g-ds of the foreigners of the land), whither they go to be among them, and will forsake Me, and break My Brit which I have cut them.
They shall be put to shame, and also confounded, all of them; they shall go to confusion together that are charashei tzirim (crafters of images, idols).
They are upright as the tomer (palm tree), but speak not; they must needs be carried, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do rah, neither also is it in them to do tov.
And the Kasdim (Chaldeans), that fight against this city, shall come and set eish to this city, and burn it with the batim (houses), upon whose gagot (roofs) they have offered ketoret unto Ba'al, and poured out nesakhim (drink offerings) unto elohim acherim, to provoke Me to anger.
Moreover the mediums with familiar spirits, and the yidonim (spiritists), and the terafim, and the gillulim (idols), and all the shikkutzim that were seen in Eretz Yehudah and in Yerushalayim, did Yoshiyah put away, that he might confirm the Divrei HaTorah which were written in the Sefer that Chilkiyah HaKohen found in the Beis Hashem.
Enflaming yourselves among elim (oaks, big trees) under every spreading tree, slaughtering the yeladim in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?
And they shall spread them out before the shemesh, and the yarei'ach, and all the tz'va haShomayim, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have consulted, and whom they have worshiped; they shall not be gathered up, nor be buried in a kever; they shall be like domen upon the surface of ha'adamah.
They have moved Me to jealousy with that which is lo El (not G-d), they have provoked Me to anger with their vanities; and I will move them to jealousy with those which are lo Am (a non-people); I will provoke them to anger with a goy naval (foolish, senseless nation).
For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their pesilim.
Because ye have burned ketoret, and because ye have sinned against Hashem, and have not obeyed the voice of Hashem, nor walked in His torah, nor in His chukkot, nor in His edot; therefore this ra'ah has happened unto you, as at this day.
Remember the rishonot (former things) me'olam (of old); for I am El (G-d), and there is not another; Elohim, and there is none like Me.
Therefore I poured My chemah upon them for their shefach dahm upon ha'aretz, for their gillulim wherewith they had made it tameh;
For Hashem Tzva'os, that planted thee, hath pronounced ra'ah against thee, for the evil of Bais Yisroel and of Bais Yehudah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering ketoret (incense) unto Ba'al.
Ye shall not go after elohim acherim, of elohei ha'amim (the g-ds of the peoples) which are round about you;
And it came to pass, as if it had not been enough for him to walk in the chattot Yarov'am Ben Nevat, he even took as isha Izevel Bat Etba'al Melech Tzidonim, and went and served Ba'al, and worshiped him.
Yet in fact for us we have da'as that there is ADONOI ECHAD (L-rd is One), Hashem AV ECHAD L'CHULLANU (One Father of us all), from whom are all things, and we exist for Hashem, and there is Adon Echad, Moshiach Yehoshua, through whom are all things and we through him.
Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every ish the shikkutzim before his eynayim, and make not yourselves tameh with the gillulim (idols) of Mitzrayim; I am Hashem Eloheichem.
See, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought; a toevah (abomination) is he that chooseth you.
Hinei, the sound of the cry of the Bat Ami from eretz markhakim (a land of places far away): is Hashem not in Tziyon? Is her Melech not in her? Why have they provoked Me to anger with their pesilim (idols), and with alien vanities (futile foreign g-ds)?
He feedeth on efer (ash); a lev hutal (a heart deceived, a deluded mind) hath led him astray, that he cannot save his nefesh, nor say: Is there not sheker (a lie, a fraud) in my yamin (right hand)?
And turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after hatohu (the vain, empty thing, idol), which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are tohu (vain, empty).
They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in pesel, that say to the masekhah (molten images): You (plural) are eloheinu (our g-ds).
Let the siftei sheker (lying lips) be put to silence; which speak insolent things with ga'avah (pride) and contemptuously against the tzaddik.
I have even from long ago preached it to thee; before it came to pass I caused thee to hear it; lest thou shouldest say: Mine atzav (idol) hath done them, and my pesel, and my nesech (molten idol, metal image) hath commanded them.
For as many as the mispar (number) of thy towns were thy elohim, O Yehudah; and according to the mispar (number) of the streets of Yerushalayim have ye set up mizbechot to that boshet (shameful ), even mizbechot to burn ketoret unto Ba'al.
Thus saith Hashem Melech Yisroel, and His Go'el, Hashem Tzva'os; I am the Rishon, and I am the Acharon; and apart from Me there is no Elohim.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not be the ones serving as deity thy g-ds, nor worship the golden tzelem which thou hast set up.
The banim gather wood, and the avot kindle the eish, and the nashim knead their batzek (dough), to make cakes to the Malkat HaShomayim (Queen of Heaven), and to pour out nesakhim (drink offerings) unto elohim acherim, that they may provoke Me to anger.
Now the ma'asei habasar are manifest, dehainu (being): zenut (fornication), tum'ah (impurity), zimmah (licentiousness),Avodah zarah (idolatry), kashefanut (sorcery, witchcraft), eivot (enmities), merivah (strife), kinah (jealousy), rogez (anger), anochiyut (selfishness), machalokot (dissensions), kitot (sects),Tzarut ayin (envyings), shichrut (drunkenness), holelut (carousing) and things like these, of which I tell you beforehand, as I said previously, that the ones practicing such things will not receive the nachalah (inheritance) of the Malchut Hashem.
Thou shalt have no elohim acherim in My presence.Thou shalt not make unto thee any pesel, or any temunah of any thing that is in Shomayim above, or that is in ha'aretz beneath, or that is in the mayim under ha'aretz.
When thou criest for help, let thy kibutzim (heaps, collections) save thee; but the ruach shall carry them all away; hevel shall take them; but he that putteth his trust in Me shall inherit eretz, and shall inherit My Har Kodesh;
The idols of the Goyim are kesef and zahav, the ma'aseh yedei adam.They have mouths, but they speak not; einayim have they, but they see not;They have oznayim, but they hear not; neither is there any ruach in their mouths.They that oseihem (make them) will be like them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
And Shmuel spoke unto kol Bais Yisroel, saying, If ye do return unto Hashem with all your hearts, put away the elohei hanekhar and Ashtarot from among you, commit your hearts unto Hashem, serve Him only; and He will deliver you out of the yad Pelishtim.
But where are thy elohim that thou hast made for thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble; for as many as are the mispar (number) of thy towns are thy elohim, O Yehudah.
They that dwell under his tzel (shade) shall return; they shall revive as the dagan, and grow as the gefen; the remembrance thereof shall be as the yayin of Levanon.
With whom Hashem had cut a Brit, and commanded them, saying, Ye shall not fear elohim acherim, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor offer zevakhim to them;
What profiteth the pesel (graven image) that the maker thereof hath shaped it; the molten image, and moreh sheker, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb elilim (idols)?
And ye shall overthrow their mizbechot, and break their matzeivot, and burn their Asherim with eish; and ye shall hew down peselim of their elohim, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
Who hath formed el (g-d), or molded a pesel to no profit?They that make a pesel are all of them tohu; and their chamudim (favorite [idols]) are worthless; and they are their own edim; they see not, nor know; so that they are put to shame.
Be shomer over yourselves, lest ye forget the Brit Hashem Eloheichem, which He cut with you, and make you a pesel (idol, image), or the likeness of anything, which Hashem Eloheicha hath forbidden thee.For Hashem Eloheicha is a consuming eish, even an El Kannah.
And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect; and make no mention of the shem elohim acherim, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
The peselim of eloheihem shall ye burn with eish; thou shalt not desire the kesef or zahav that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is a to'evah (abomination) to Hashem Eloheicha.Neither shalt thou bring a to'evah (abomination) into thine bais, lest thou be a cherem like it; but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cherem.
Their atzabim (idols) are kesef and zahav, the ma'aseh (work) of the hands of adam.Peh (mouth) they have, but they speak not; einayim (eyes) have they, but they see not;Oznayim (ears) they have, but they hear not; af (nose) have they, but they smell not;They have hands, but they handle not; raglayim (feet) have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their garon (throat).They that make them will be like them; so is kol asher bote'ach (every one that trusteth) in them.
I am Hashem, that is Shmi; and My kavod will I not give to another, neither My tehillah (praise) to pesilim.
Kol Adam is stupid in his da'as; every goldsmith is shamed by the pesel (idol); for his nesekh (molten image) is sheker, and there is no ruach in them.They are hevel (vanity, delusion), and the ma'aseh (work) of delusion; in the time of their pekudat (visitation, punishment) they shall perish.
Turn ye not unto elilim, nor make to yourselves elohei massekhah (cast metal g-ds); I am Hashem Eloheichem.
They bear him upon the katef (shoulder), they carry him, and set him up in his place, and he standeth, from his makom shall he not move; yes, though one shall cry out unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his tzoros.
Then shall the towns of Yehudah and inhabitants of Yerushalayim go, and cry out unto the elohim unto whom they offer ketoret; but they shall not save them at all in the time of their ra'ah (disaster).
Arur (cursed) be the ish that maketh any pesel (graven image) or massekhah (molten image), a to'evah (abomination) unto Hashem, the work of the hands of the charash (craftsman), and sets it up in a secret place. And kol HaAm shall answer and say, Omein.
Shamed be all they that serve pesel, that boast themselves of elilim; worship Him, kol elohim.
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are fugitives escaped of the Goyim; they have no da'as (knowledge, rationality) that burden themselves with their etz pesel (wooden idol), the ones davening to an el lo yoshia (g-d who cannot save).
As for you, O Bais Yisroel, thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Go ye, serve ye every one his gillulim, and hereafter since ye will not pay heed unto Me; and do not profane Shem Kodshi anymore with your gifts, and with your gillulim.
Because Menasheh Melech Yehudah hath done these to'avot, hath done wickedly more than all that HaEmori did, which were before him, hath made Yehudah also to sin with his gillulim (idols);
For Ami have committed shtayim ra'ot (two evils): they have forsaken Me, the fountain of Mayim Chayim, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no mayim.
And the shererit thereof he maketh el, even his pesel; he falleth down unto it, and boweth down in worship to it, and davens unto it, and saith, Save me; for thou art Eli!
Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that Hashem He is HaElohim; there is none else beside Him.
Take heed to yourselves, that your lev be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve elohim acherim, and worship them;
Thou shalt not bow down to their elohim, nor serve them, nor follow after their works; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and completely break down their matztzvot (memorial columns dedicated to idols).
Therefore say unto Bais Yisroel, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Make teshuvah, and turn yourselves away from your gillulim (idols); and turn away your faces from all your to'avot (abominations).
Now concerning the eating of the okhel (food) at the mizbe'ach of avodah zarah which is sacrificed to an elil (idol), we have da'as that an elil is nothing in the world, and that there is no G-d but ECHAD.
Neither shalt thou go up by stairs unto Mine Mizbe'ach, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
Ye shall defile also the covering of thy peselim of kesef, and the clothing of thy massekhot (cast idols) of zahav; thou shalt throw them away like a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee from here.
And it came to pass through the lightness with which she took her zenut (whoredom), that she defiled HaAretz, and committed adultery with HaEven (the Stone) and with HaEtz (the Wood).
Go and cry unto the elohim which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
Claiming to be chachamim (wise ones), they became kesilim (fools),And traded in the kavod (glory) of the incorruptible G-d for the mere likeness of the demut (image, icon) of corruptible man, birds, beasts, and reptiles.
But for those of morech lev (cowardliness) and those without emunah (faith) and the ones having become vile and ratzchaniyot (murderers) and zonim (fornicators) and mekhashfim (sorcerers) and ovdei haelilim (idolaters) and all the shakranit (liars), their chelek will be in the Agam (Lake) burning with Eish (fire) and Gofrit (sulfur), which is HaMavet HaSheyni (the Second Death).”
When Hashem Eloheicha shall cut off the Goyim from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou displace them, and dwellest in their land;Be shomer to thyself that thou be not ensnared to follow them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their elohim, saying, How did these Goyim serve their elohim? Even so will I do likewise.Thou shalt not do so unto Hashem Eloheicha; for kol to'avat Hashem (every abomination to Hashem), which He hateth, have they done unto their elohim; for even their banim and their banot they have burned in the eish to their elohim.
For the [religious] chukkot (customs, statutes) of the nations are vain delusions; for one cutteth etz out of the ya'ar (forest), the ma'aseh (handiwork) of the hands of the charash (workman, artisan), with the axe.They deck it with kesef and with zahav; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it topple not.They are upright as the tomer (palm tree), but speak not; they must needs be carried, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do rah, neither also is it in them to do tov.
Bel boweth down, Nevo stoopeth low, their atzabim (idols) were upon the beasts, and upon the behemah; your litters were heavy laden; they are a massa (burden) to the weary beast.They stoop, they bow down together; they could not save the massa (burden), but their own selves are gone into shevi (captivity, Golus).
Therefore, put to death your evarim (members) in the Olam Hazeh: zenut (fornication), debauchery, sensuality, zimmah (licentiousness), and chamdanut (covetousness), which is avodah zarah (idolatry).
And what agreement has the Heikhal of Hashem with elilim? For we are a Heikhal of the Elohim Chayyim as G-d said, V'HITHALLACHTI B'TOCHCHEM (And I will walk in the midst of you), IT WILL BE MISHKANI ALEHEM (dwelling place of me with them), V'HAYU LI L'AM VAANI EHEYEH LAHEM LELOHIM (And they will be to me as people and I will be to them as G-d).Therefore, SURU (Depart!), come out from the midst of them and be separated, says Adoneinu, and a TAMEH AL TIGAU (unclean thing do not touch); ERTZEH ETCHEM (and I will receive you),
Trust in Hashem with all thine lev, and lean not unto thine own binah (understanding).In all thy drakhim acknowledge Him, and He shall make yosher thy orkhot (paths).
No one is able to serve two adonim (masters). For either he will have sinah (hatred) for the one and ahavah (love) for the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve Hashem and Mammon (Money).
No'efot (adulterers)! Do you not have da'as that to have shaichus (closeness, friendship, intimacy) with the Olam Hazeh is eyvah im Hashem (enmity with G-d)? Therefore, whoever chooses to make the Olam Hazeh his Oihev is made an Oyev (Enemy) of Hashem.
For many, of whom I was often telling you, and now also I say with weeping, walk as oyvim (enemies) of Moshiachʼs Etz.Their destined end is churban (destruction, Gehinnom). Their g-d is their appetite, and their kavod, what they glory in, is their bushah (shame). Their machshavot are set on the Olam Hazeh.
The Yirat Hashem is a makor chayyim (fountain of life) to turn one away from the snares of mavet.
Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after other g-ds; their nesakhim (drink offerings) of dahm will I not offer, nor take up their shmot (names) on my lips.
And do not involve yourself in the ma'asei haChoshech (works of darkness), those works without p'ri; but rather even expose them.
Are there any among the havalim (vanities, false g-ds) of the Goyim that can cause geshem? Or can HaShomayim give showers? Art not Thou He, Hashem Eloheinu? Therefore we will hope in and wait upon Thee; for Thou hast made all these things.
Do not think that I have come to bring shalom al haaretz (peace on the earth); I have not come to bring shalom but a cherev (sword).For I came to divide a man against his Av, and a bat against her Em, and a kallah (bride) against her chamot (mother-in-law, shviger).And the OIYVEI ISH ANSHEI VEITO (the enemies of a man will be the members of his own household).