[LearsFool]

The command pretty explicitly says that violation comes with making images of these things so as to worship them.

No, it doesn't say that. Read it again, please.

It says don't make a graven image. Then it says don't bow down nor worship/serve graven images. Nowhere does it say, "Don't make a graven image that you plan to bow down and worship."

If you're driving down the road and see sign that says "Speed Limit 55" and underneath it says "No U-Turn", do you conclude that means you're not to make a U-turn going 55mph? That would be silly, wouldn't it?

No sillier, though, than saying, "Well it's okay to violate Part A of this commandment as long as you keep Part B."

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

No, it doesn't say that. Read it again, please.

It says don't make a graven image. Then it says don't bow down nor worship/serve graven images. Nowhere does it say, "Don't make a graven image that you plan to bow down and worship."

If you're driving down the road and see sign that says "Speed Limit 55" and underneath it says "No U-Turn", do you conclude that means you're not to make a U-turn going 55mph? That would be silly, wouldn't it?

No sillier, though, than saying, "Well it's okay to violate Part A of this commandment as long as you keep Part B."

Quite obviously your interpretation is simply wrong, since just a few chapters later, God commanded Israel to make a number of graven images, including two cherubim. Are you accusing God of being schizophrenic?

[dangus]

>> It says don’t make a graven image. Then it says don’t bow down nor worship/serve graven images. Nowhere does it say, “Don’t make a graven image that you plan to bow down and worship.” <<

Do you know what a “graven image” is? Most dictionary say “graven” is a past participle of “grave.” The problem is that I can’t find “grave” defined as a verb. A past participle is a form of a verb. Actually, the verb “grave” means to “dig.” So we’re not to bow down to dug images?

Turns out that’s King James’ translation of “Pcl,” which means “idol.” The Septuagint simply translated this, “god.” So unless the image is an idol, you can make it, which is why protestants carry photos of their kids in their wallet; build statues of their heroes, even, ironically, their iconoclastic heroes; and why it was perfectly fine for the Israelites to forge images of seraphim.

[Richard Kimball]

The term "graven" used in Exodus 20:4 is the Hebrew word "pecel (peh-sel)," which literally translates to a "carved idol." The Hebrew word for "image" used was "tselem," which also translates to a phantom, or a representative figure or idol. The statement is clear that the Lord is talking about creating a fetish, an image to worship. In the King James, the term 'graven image' is used, but in the New American Standard, both words are joined to simply state "an idol."

Your statement about the signs is an improper comparison, since the signs are not related at all. The speed limit has nothing to do with whether or not it's illegal to make a U turn. You are taking two unrelated things and saying it's improper to join them, but the statement in question is about splitting a sentence and making each part a whole.

A better comparison would be to say that playing checkers is the same thing as using a Ouji board since they both involve moving game pieces on a board with markings on it.