What does פְּסִיל (pesel) mean in the Bible?
פְּסִיל (pesel): Idol carved from stone or wood; emphasizes physical craftsmanship and tangible form over spiritual reality
Hebrew · H6456
פְּסִיל
An idol
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פְּסִילH6456
Pronunciationpesel
What does פְּסִיל (pesel) mean in the Bible?
פְּסִיל (pesel): Idol carved from stone or wood; emphasizes physical craftsmanship and tangible form over spiritual reality
Full entry for פְּסִיל (H6456) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6456?
The BSB source-word alignment has 23 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the idols (6), the carved idols (2), the images (2), their idols (2), and idols (1).
Where does פְּסִיל (pesel) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 7:5. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Chronicles (5), Isaiah (4), Jeremiah (4), Deuteronomy (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe idols6×Deuteronomy 12:3, Judges 3:19, Judges 3:26, 2 Chronicles 33:22
the carved idols2×2 Chronicles 34:3, 2 Chronicles 34:4
the images2×Deuteronomy 7:25, Isaiah 21:9
their idols2×Deuteronomy 7:5, 2 Kings 17:41
and idols1×2 Chronicles 33:19
her carved images1×Micah 1:7
her idols1×Jeremiah 51:52
idols1×Isaiah 30:22
of graven images1×Jeremiah 50:38
the carved images1×Micah 5:13
to carved images1×Hosea 11:2
to idols1×Isaiah 42:8
whose images [surpassed]1×Isaiah 10:10
with their carved images1×Jeremiah 8:19
with their idols1×Psalms 78:58
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 7:5וּפְסִילֵיהֶ֖םtotheir idolsConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralDeuteronomy 7:25פְּסִילֵ֥יtothe imagesNoun - masculine plural constructDeuteronomy 12:3וּפְסִילֵ֥יtothe idolsConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructJudges 3:19הַפְּסִילִים֙tothe idolsArticle | Noun - masculine pluralJudges 3:26הַפְּסִילִ֔יםtothe idolsArticle | Noun - masculine plural2 Kings 17:41פְּסִֽילֵיהֶ֖םtotheir idolsNoun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural2 Chronicles 33:19וְהַפְּסִלִ֔יםtoand idolsConjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural2 Chronicles 33:22הַפְּסִילִ֗יםtothe idolsArticle | Noun - masculine plural2 Chronicles 34:3וְהַפְּסִלִ֖יםtothe carved idolsConjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural2 Chronicles 34:4וְהַפְּסִלִ֤יםtothe carved idolsConjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowDeuteronomy 7:5
Aligned rows23
Books represented9
Deuteronomy3Judges22 Kings12 Chronicles5Psalms1Isaiah4Jeremiah4Hosea1Micah2
Source forms
פְּסִילֵ֥י2xpə·sî·lêDeuteronomy 7:25, Isaiah 21:9
פְּסִילֵ֣י2xpə·sî·lêIsaiah 30:22, Jeremiah 51:47
בִּפְסִלֵיהֶ֖ם1xbip̄·si·lê·hemJeremiah 8:19
הַפְּסִילִים֙1xhap·pə·sî·lîmJudges 3:19
הַפְּסִילִ֔ים1xhap·pə·sî·lîmJudges 3:26
הַפְּסִילִ֗ים1xhap·pə·sî·lîm2 Chronicles 33:22
וּ֝בִפְסִילֵיהֶ֗ם1xū·ḇip̄·sî·lê·hemPsalms 78:58
וְהַפְּסִלִ֔ים1xwə·hap·pə·si·lîm2 Chronicles 33:19
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural4x2 Chronicles 33:19, 2 Chronicles 34:3, 2 Chronicles 34:4, 2 Chronicles 34:7
Noun - masculine plural construct4xDeuteronomy 7:25, Isaiah 21:9, Isaiah 30:22, Jeremiah 51:47
Article | Noun - masculine plural3xJudges 3:19, Judges 3:26, 2 Chronicles 33:22
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural2xDeuteronomy 7:5, Isaiah 10:10
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular2xJeremiah 51:52, Micah 1:7
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct1xDeuteronomy 12:3
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural1xPsalms 78:58
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine plural1xHosea 11:2
Evidence Summary
Creation
Hebrew word. Idol carved from stone or wood; emphasizes physical craftsmanship and tangible form over spiritual reality
Source Gloss
an idol
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Idol carved from stone or wood; emphasizes physical craftsmanship and tangible form over spiritual reality
an idol Usage: carved (graven) image, quarry.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Carved image used in worship.
Showing 1 selected witness from 24 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
פְּסִיל is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The shattering of idols exposes the impotence of Babylon’s religion.Isaiah 21:1-10
Canonical Themes
Creation