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Eastern Orthodox find the first instance of an image or icon in the Bible when God made man in His own image ( Septuagint Greek eikona ), in Genesis 1: 26-27.

In Exodus, God commanded that the Israelites not make any graven image ; but soon afterwards, he commanded that they make graven images of cherubim and other like things, both as statues and woven on tapestries.

Later, Solomon included still more such imagery when he built the first temple.

Eastern Orthodox believe these qualify as icons, in that they were visible images depicting heavenly beings and, in the case of the cherubim, used to indirectly indicate God's presence above the Ark.