פֶּ֫סֶל31 H6459
carved image, graven idol — a hewn figure of wood, stone, or metal used in idolatrous worship
Pesel is the standard term for a carved or graven image, appearing 30 times and bearing a consistently negative charge throughout Scripture. The word enters the canon in the second commandment itself — 'you shall not make for yourself a pesel' (Exod 20:4; Deut 5:8) — setting the theological tone for every subsequent occurrence. Deuteronomy reinforces the prohibition in its covenant curses (Deut 27:15), and the Judges narrative of Micah's household shrine shows how quickly the prohibition was violated: Micah's mother commissions a pesel from silver, and the Danites steal it for their tribal sanctuary (Judg 17-18). The prophets, especially Isaiah, deploy the word with withering irony: a craftsman plants a tree, burns half for warmth, cooks dinner over the coals, and carves the rest into a god to worship (Isa 44:9-17). Nahum and Habakkuk pronounce doom on pesel-makers. French 'image taillee' and German 'Goetzenbild' preserve the carved-idol nuance.
Senses
1. carved image, idol — A physical image carved from wood, stone, or cast from metal, serving as an object of illicit worship. Prohibited in the Decalogue (Exod 20:4; Deut 5:8) and covenant curses (Deut 27:15). The Micah narrative illustrates domestic idol-making and its theft by the Danites (Judg 17:3-4; 18:14-31). Isaiah's workshop satire shows a single log split between fuel and deity (Isa 40:19-20; 44:9-17). Jeremiah indicts goldsmiths shamed by their pesel (Jer 10:14; 51:17). 30×
AR["التِّمثالُ", "التِّمْثَالَ", "الصَّنَمِ", "تِمْثَالًا", "تِمْثَالٍ", "تِمْثَالَ", "صَنَمًا", "مِنَ-التِّمْثَالِ", "وَ-تِمْثَالًا", "وَ-تِمْثَالٌ"]·ben["এবং-খোদাই-মূর্তি", "এবং-মূর্তি", "খোদাই-করা-মূর্তি", "খোদাই-মূর্তি", "প্রতিমা-থেকে", "মূর্তি", "মূর্তিকে", "মূর্তির"]·DE["Goetze", "Goetzenbild", "[פסל]", "der-geschnitzt-Bild", "ein-Goetze", "geschnitzt-Bild", "geschnitzt-Bild-von", "und-geschnitzt-Bild", "von-Goetzenbild"]·EN["a-carved-image", "an-idol", "and-carved-image", "by-his-image", "carved-image", "carved-image-of", "idol", "the-carved-image"]·FR["carved-image", "carved-image-de", "de-image-taillée", "et-carved-image", "idol", "idole", "image-taillée", "le-carved-image", "un-idol"]·heb["ה-פסל", "ו-פסל", "מ-פסל", "פסל"]·HI["अपनी-मूरत-से", "और-मूर्ति", "मूर्ति", "मूर्ति-की", "रूप"]·ID["dan-patung", "dan-patung-pahat", "karena-patung", "patung", "patung-pahat", "patung-pahatan"]·IT["[פסל]", "carved-immagine", "carved-immagine-di", "e-carved-immagine", "e-scolpito-immagine", "idolo", "il-carved-immagine", "un-idolo"]·jav["lan-reca", "lan-reca-ukiran", "reca", "reca-ukir", "reca-ukiran", "rèca", "saking-reca"]·KO["그리고-새긴-우상과", "그리고-조각상과", "새긴-우상", "새긴-우상과", "새긴-우상을", "새긴-우상이", "우상-과", "우상과", "우상에서-멀어져", "우상으로", "우상을"]·PT["a-imagem-esculpida", "de-ídolo", "e-imagem-de-escultura", "e-imagem-esculpida", "imagem", "imagem-de", "imagem-esculpida", "ídolo"]·RU["и-изваяние", "и-истукан", "идола", "идолом", "из-за-идола", "изваяние", "изваяния", "истукана", "от-истукана"]·ES["e-imagen", "e-imagen-tallada", "imagen", "imagen-tallada", "la-imagen-tallada", "la-imagen-tallada-de", "por-ídolo", "un-ídolo", "ídolo"]·SW["kutokana-na-sanamu", "na-sanamu-ya-kuchonga", "sanamu", "sanamu-ya-kuchonga", "sanamu-ya-kuchongwa"]·TR["-dan-pututla", "oyma-put", "oyma-putu", "oyma-putunu", "put", "putu", "ve-oyma-put", "ve-put"]·urd["اور-بت", "اور-تراشیدہ-مورت", "بت", "بت-کے", "بُت", "بُت-سے", "تراشیدہ-بُت"]
Exod 20:4, Lev 26:1, Deut 4:16, Deut 4:23, Deut 4:25, Deut 5:8, Deut 27:15, Judg 17:3, Judg 17:4, Judg 18:14, Judg 18:18, Judg 18:20 (+18 more)
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
פֶּ֫סֶל31 n.m. Hb 2:18 idol, image;—abs. פ׳ Ju 17:3 +, פָּ֑סֶל Is 42:17; cstr. פֶּסֶל Ju 18:31 +; sf. פִּסְלִי Is 48:5, etc.; pl. supplied by פְּסִילִים, v. foll.;—idol, as likeness of man or animal Ex 20:4 = Dt 5:8; Dt 4:16, 23, 25, also 27:15; 2 K 21:7; 2 Ch 33:7; Is 42:17; 44:9; 48:5; Na 1:14; Hb 2:18 (of wood or stone, cf. v 19); of metal Ju 17:3, 4 + 6 times 18 (cf. GFM), Is 40:19; 44:10 (c. נָסַךְ), Je 10:14; 51:17 (c. צוֹרֵף); of wood Is 40:20; 44:15, 17; 45:20.