You shall most certainly not make alongside of me gods of silver, or gods of gold for yourselves.
An altar of stone may be built, but only unhewn stones taken as they lie, not shaped by human tool or sword. The moment iron touches a stone to hew it, the altar is polluted and unfit for use. God will have no ornament, no artifice, no labor spent to make it impressive.
AI summary
Jehovah came down wrapped in cloud darkness upon Sinai and thereby declared His nature heavenly, not to be imitated in earthly material. You shall not place gods of silver and gold beside Him as if He were one god among others; to make idols of Him is precisely to make Him false, for the purely spiritual God cannot be represented.
AI summary
Commenting on Exodus 20:22-23
God spoke to you from heaven itself, not as some prince condescending to beggars, yet you turn to silver and gold images as if He were absent or unknown. This is the sin He means to crush: you have seen no form, heard only His voice, and that very silence about His shape forbids you to make one. Keep communion with God by His word, not by idols.
AI summary
Commenting on Exodus 20:22-26