What does Deuteronomy 4:25 mean?
"¶ 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 4:25

Deuteronomy 4:25 in the King James Version of the Bible states, "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."
In this verse, Moses is giving a warning to the Israelites about the consequences of turning away from God and worshipping idols. The verse is part of Moses’ speech to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. He urges them to remain faithful to the Lord and not to turn to idols or false gods.
The verse begins by addressing the future generations of Israelites, emphasizing the importance of passing down the faith to their children and grandchildren. This demonstrates the significance of teaching the younger generation about God and the consequences of turning away from Him. It also highlights the responsibility that parents and leaders have in ensuring that their descendants follow the ways of the Lord.
Moses then warns the Israelites about the potential for corruption if they remain in the land for an extended period of time. He specifically mentions the act of creating graven images or likenesses of anything, which was a common practice among the pagan nations surrounding Israel. This prohibition against making graven images reflects the Second Commandment, which prohibits the worship of idols (Exodus 20:4-6). By creating idols and worshipping them, the Israelites would be breaking the covenant with God and provoking Him to anger.
The verse emphasizes the severity of turning away from God and the importance of remaining faithful to Him. It serves as a cautionary tale, warning the Israelites against the dangers of idolatry and the severe consequences that would result from disobeying God’s commandments.
The themes present in Deuteronomy 4:25 include faithfulness, obedience, and the consequences of disobedience. The passage underscores the importance of remaining faithful to God and warns against the lure of false gods and idols. It also emphasizes the long-term implications of disobedience, as the actions of one generation can have a lasting impact on future generations.
The context of this verse is significant, as it occurs within the larger framework of Moses’ farewell address to the Israelites. As they prepare to enter the Promised Land, Moses implores them to remember God’s faithfulness and to remain loyal to Him. The verse serves as a reminder of the covenant between God and the Israelites and the consequences of breaking that covenant.
Symbolically, the verse represents the struggle between faithfulness to God and the temptation to turn to idols and false gods. It serves as a warning against the corrupting influence of idolatry and the importance of upholding the commandments of God. The act of creating graven images or likenesses of anything symbolizes the human tendency to seek out substitutes for God and to place their trust in material objects rather than in the Creator.
Overall, Deuteronomy 4:25 conveys a powerful message about the importance of remaining faithful to God and the severe consequences of turning away from Him. It serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring relevance of the themes of faithfulness, obedience, and the dangers of idolatry in the lives of believers. The verse continues to resonate with readers today, urging them to remain steadfast in their faith and to resist the allure of false gods and idols.
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Deuteronomy 4:25 Artwork
Deuteronomy 4:25 - "¶ 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:"
"¶ 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 4:25
Deuteronomy 25:4 - "¶ Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn."
"¶ Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn." - Deuteronomy 25:4
Deuteronomy 25:13 - "¶ Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small."
Deuteronomy 31:25 - "That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,"
Deuteronomy 25:14 - "Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small."
Deuteronomy 33:25 - "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be."
Deuteronomy 25:10 - "And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed."
Deuteronomy 25:16 - "For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God."
Deuteronomy 27:25 - "Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen."
Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Deuteronomy 25:17 - "¶ Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;"
Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Genesis 25-4
Deuteronomy 3:25 - "I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon."
Deuteronomy 4:4 - "But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day."
Deuteronomy 25:1 - "If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked."
Deuteronomy 32:25 - "The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs."
Deuteronomy 25:8 - "Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;"
Deuteronomy 22:25 - "¶ But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die:"
Deuteronomy 6:25 - "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us."
Deuteronomy 25:6 - "And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel."
Deuteronomy 34:1-4 – Moses views the Promised Land from Mount Nebo.
Deuteronomy 34:1-4 – Moses views the Promised Land from Mount Nebo.
Deuteronomy 34:1-4 – Moses views the Promised Land from Mount Nebo.
Deuteronomy 4:44 - "¶ And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:"
Deuteronomy 12:25 - "Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD."
Deuteronomy 12:4 - "Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God."
Deuteronomy 33:4 - "Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob."