# god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry

## Definition:

A false god is something that people worship instead of the one true God. The term “goddess” refers specifically to a female false god.

* These false gods or goddesses do not exist. Yahweh is the only God.
* People sometimes make objects into idols to worship as symbols of their false gods.
* In the Bible, God’s people frequently turned away from obeying him in order to worship false gods.
* Demons often deceive people into believing that the false gods and idols they worship have power.
* Baal, Dagon, and Molech were three of the many false gods that were worshiped by people in Bible times.
* Asherah and Artemis (Diana) were two of the goddesses that ancient peoples worshiped.

An idol is an object that people make so they can worship it. Something is described as “idolatrous” if it involves giving honor to something other than the one true God.

* People make idols to represent the false gods that they worship.
* These false gods do not exist; there is no God besides Yahweh.
* Sometimes demons work through an idol to make it seem like it has power, even though it does not.
* Idols are often made of valuable materials like gold, silver, bronze, or expensive wood.
* An “idolatrous kingdom” means a “kingdom of people who worship idols” or a “kingdom of people who worship earthly things.”
* The term “idolatrous figure” is another word for a “carved image” or an “idol.”

## Translation Suggestions:

* There may already be a word for “god” or “false god” in the language or in a nearby language.
* The term “idol” could be used to refer to false gods.
* In English, a lower case “g” is used to refer to false gods, and upper case “G” is used to refer to the one true God. Other languages also do that.
* Another option would be to use a completely different word to refer to the false gods.
* Some languages may add a word to specify whether the false god is described as male or female.

(See also: [God](../kt/god.md), [Asherah](../names/asherim.md), [Baal](../names/baal.md), [Molech](../names/molech.md), [demon](../kt/demon.md), [image](../other/image.md), [kingdom](../other/kingdom.md), [worship](../kt/worship.md))

## Bible References:

* [Genesis 35:02](rc://en/tn/help/gen/35/02)
* [Exodus 32:01](rc://en/tn/help/exo/32/01)
* [Psalms 031:06](rc://en/tn/help/psa/031/06)
* [Psalms 081:8-10](rc://en/tn/help/psa/081/008)
* [Isaiah 44:20](rc://en/tn/help/isa/44/20)
* [Acts 07:41](rc://en/tn/help/act/07/41)
* [Acts 07:43](rc://en/tn/help/act/07/43)
* [Acts 15:20](rc://en/tn/help/act/15/20)
* [Acts 19:27](rc://en/tn/help/act/19/27)
* [Romans 02:22](rc://en/tn/help/rom/02/22)
* [Galatians 04:8-9](rc://en/tn/help/gal/04/08)
* [Galatians 05:19-21](rc://en/tn/help/gal/05/19)
* [Colossians 03:05](rc://en/tn/help/col/03/05)
* [1 Thessalonians 01:09](rc://en/tn/help/1th/01/09)

## Examples from the Bible stories:

* __[10:02](rc://en/tn/help/obs/10/02)__ Through these plagues, God showed Pharaoh that he is more powerful than Pharaoh and all of Egypt’s __gods__.
* __[13:04](rc://en/tn/help/obs/13/04)__ Then God gave them the covenant and said, “I am Yahweh, your God, who saved you from slavery in Egypt. Do not worship other __gods__.”
* __[14:02](rc://en/tn/help/obs/14/02)__ They (Canaanites) worshiped false __gods__  and did many evil things.
* __[16:01](rc://en/tn/help/obs/16/01)__ The Israelites began to worship the Canaanite __gods__  instead of Yahweh, the true God.
* __[18:13](rc://en/tn/help/obs/18/13)__ But most of Judah’s kings were evil, corrupt, and they worshiped idols. Some of the kings even sacrificed their children to false __gods__.


## Word Data:

* Strong’s: H205, H367, H410, H426, H430, H457, H1322, H1544, H1892, H2553, H3649, H4656, H4906, H5236, H5566, H6089, H6090, H6091, H6456, H6459, H6673, H6736, H6754, H7723, H8163, H8251, H8267, H8441, H8655, G1493, G1494, G1495, G1496, G1497, G2299, G2712
