The Hebrew word maskith refers to a carved or sculptured figure, an idol image, or a picture/mental conception. It can describe literal carved stones used in pagan worship, or figuratively, the imagination and conceptions of the heart. The word appears in Leviticus in the prohibition of idolatrous images and in Ezekiel in visions of the elders' secret idolatry.
Maskith captures the Old Testament's comprehensive view of idolatry — it is not merely about external carved objects but about the images formed in the human heart and mind. Ezekiel's vision of the elders in their chambers of imagery (Ezekiel 8) shows that idolatry had penetrated Israel's leadership at the level of imagination and secret practice. The prohibition of maskith stones in Leviticus 26:1 reflects God's jealousy for exclusive worship. The New Testament carries this forward — Paul speaks of 'taking captive every thought' (2 Cor 10:5), recognizing that idolatry begins in the imagination before it manifests externally.