Deuteronomy 4:18 Meaning and Explanation
“The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Do not make images of crawling creatures or fish in the waters.
The Context of Deuteronomy 4:18
Moses completes the prohibition against images of any living creature.
What Does Deuteronomy 4:18 Mean?
The prohibition now encompasses the lowest categories of earthly life—creatures that creep on the ground and fish dwelling in water. This exhaustive listing ensures no corner of creation is left as a potential subject for idolatrous representation. Whether above or below, on land or in water, nothing should be fashioned as an idol.
This systematic coverage of all created things serves a theological purpose. By forbidding images of every creature from the highest birds to the lowest creeping things, the law establishes that creation itself—in all its diversity—is not a proper vehicle for representing or worshipping God. Only the hearing of God's invisible, spoken word is the true path to relationship with Him.
Frequently Asked Questions About Deuteronomy 4:18
What does Deuteronomy 4:18 mean?
Do not make images of crawling creatures or fish in the waters.
What is the context of Deuteronomy 4:18?
Moses completes the prohibition against images of any living creature.