Exodus 20

Exodus 20:4

"You shall not make to yourself an idol, nor likeness of anything, whatever things are in the heaven above, and whatever are in the earth beneath, and whatever are in the waters under the earth."
Manuscripts (4)Alleged Contradictions (3)Apologetics (1)
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Nash Papyrus showing Exodus 20:4 from c. 150 – 100 BC found in Faiyum, Egypt, currently housed at Cambridge University Library, Cambridge
Scroll

Nash Papyrus

1 of 4Nash Papyrus
LanguageHebrew
Earliest Date~150 BC (c. 150 – 100 BC)
Current LocationCambridge University Library, Cambridge
Found LocationFaiyum, Egypt
Scribal Context & Details

Purchased in Egypt in 1902, the Nash Papyrus was the oldest known Hebrew manuscript fragment before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It consists of a single sheet containing the Ten Commandments followed by the 'Shema Yisrael' prayer, suggesting it was used as a personal liturgical or instructional document. This ancient artifact served as a crucial paleographic benchmark that later helped scholars confirm the great antiquity of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

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4Q Reworked Pentateuch a showing Exodus 20:4 from Late 1st Century BC - Early 1st Century AD found in Qumran, Cave 4, currently housed at Rockefeller Museum, Jerusalem
Fragment

4Q Reworked Pentateuch a

2 of 44Q158
LanguageHebrew
Earliest Date~50 BC (Late 1st Century BC - Early 1st Century AD)
Current LocationRockefeller Museum, Jerusalem
Found LocationQumran, Cave 4
Scribal Context & Details

Historically referred to as a 'Biblical Paraphrase', this manuscript contains passages from the Pentateuch paired with early interpretive expansions. Housed in the Rockefeller Museum, it provides valuable insights into how biblical texts were studied and explained in antiquity.

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Codex Vaticanus showing Exodus 20:4 from Early to Mid-4th Century AD, currently housed at Vatican Library, Vatican City
Codex

Codex Vaticanus

3 of 4B
LanguageGreek
Earliest Date~AD 300 (Early to Mid-4th Century AD)
Current LocationVatican Library, Vatican City
Found LocationUnknown
Scribal Context & Details

Codex Vaticanus is one of the oldest and most valuable surviving manuscripts of the complete Greek Bible. It has been securely housed in the Vatican Library since at least the late 15th century and is celebrated for its elegant script written on very high-quality vellum.

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Codex Alexandrinus showing Exodus 20:4 from 5th Century (c. 400-440 CE) found in Alexandria, Egypt, currently housed at British Library, London
Codex

Codex Alexandrinus

4 of 4A
LanguageGreek
Earliest Date~AD 400 (5th Century (c. 400-440 CE))
Current LocationBritish Library, London
Found LocationAlexandria, Egypt
Scribal Context & Details

Codex Alexandrinus is one of the four great uncial codices of the Greek Bible. It contains the vast majority of the Septuagint and New Testament, and was the first of the great uncials to become accessible to modern scholars.

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