פֶּסֶל
An idol
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What does פֶּסֶל (pesel) mean in the Bible?
פֶּסֶל (pesel) is a Hebrew word meaning "an idol". an idol BDB: idol Usage: carved (graven) image. The smashing of the pesel dramatizes the impotence of idols and affirms that only the LORD is worthy of worship. This term runs through the canonical themes of Creation, Faith.
Meaning
A carved image shaped by human hands, emphasizing idolatry's dependence on visible, tangible craftsmanship rather than invisible divine presence
an idol BDB: idol Usage: carved (graven) image.
Why This Word Matters
The smashing of the pesel dramatizes the impotence of idols and affirms that only the Lord is worthy of worship. Isaiah 41:1-7
Contrasts lifeless craftsmanship with the living God. Isaiah 42:10-17
Represents misplaced trust that leads to shame. Isaiah 44:9-20
Represents human-made objects wrongly given divine honor. Micah 1:6-9
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Showing 8 of 30 occurrences in the biblical text.
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.