What is a graven image? Exodus 20:4, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” Literally it is an idol, from the Hebrew word פסל (pronounced pesél). Remembering Hebrew is an action based language, what action can an idol have? They spread hatred.