The Bible Project

The 10 Commandments E5 — In the ancient world, gods (or elohim in Hebrew) were associated with transcendent forces of nature, and humans created statues (mostly of animals) to represent these forces, known as idols. But in Exodus 20:4-6, Yahweh forbids Israel from making idols of himself or any other spiritual being. Why? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the 2nd Commandment to discover how idols diminish the identity of both God and humans. FULL SHOW NOTES For chapter-by-chapter summaries, biblical words, referenced Scriptures, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode. CHAPTERS Recap and Setup for the 2nd Commandment (0:00-14:43) Biblical Words for Idols (14:43-29:25) Ancient Idols Represented as Animals (29:25-39:57) Why Are Idols Prohibited? (39:57-51:57) Be the Image (51:57-1:05:26) OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT View this episode’s official transcript. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BIBLEPROJECT TRANSLATION View our full translation of the 10 Commandments. REFERENCED RESOURCES