Deuteronomy4
New Living Translation
1“And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.
2Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you.
3“You saw for yourself what the Lord did to you at Baal-peor. There the Lord your God destroyed everyone who had worshiped Baal, the god of Peor.
4But all of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today—every one of you.
5“Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy.
6Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’
7For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him?
8And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?
9“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.
10Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’
11“You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while flames from the mountain shot into the sky. The mountain was shrouded in black clouds and deep darkness.
12And the Lord spoke to you from the heart of the fire. You heard the sound of his words but didn’t see his form; there was only a voice.
13He proclaimed his covenant—the Ten Commandments—which he commanded you to keep, and which he wrote on two stone tablets.
14It was at that time that the Lord commanded me to teach you his decrees and regulations so you would obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy.
15“But be very careful! You did not see the Lord’s form on the day he spoke to you from the heart of the fire at Mount Sinai.
16So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form—whether of a man or a woman,
17an animal on the ground, a bird in the sky,
18a small animal that scurries along the ground, or a fish in the deepest sea.
19And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth.
20Remember that the Lord rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today.
21“But the Lord was angry with me because of you. He vowed that I would not cross the Jordan River into the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession.
22You will cross the Jordan to occupy the land, but I will not. Instead, I will die here on the east side of the river.
23So be careful not to break the covenant the Lord your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the Lord your God has forbidden this.
24The Lord your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God.
25“In the future, when you have children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time, do not corrupt yourselves by making idols of any kind. This is evil in the sight of the Lord your God and will arouse his anger.
26“Today I call on heaven and earth as witnesses against you. If you break my covenant, you will quickly disappear from the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will live there only a short time; then you will be utterly destroyed.
27For the Lord will scatter you among the nations, where only a few of you will survive.
28There, in a foreign land, you will worship idols made from wood and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
29But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.
30“In the distant future, when you are suffering all these things, you will finally return to the Lord your God and listen to what he tells you.
31For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.
32“Now search all of history, from the time God created people on the earth until now, and search from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything as great as this ever been seen or heard before?
33Has any nation ever heard the voice of God speaking from fire—as you did—and survived?
34Has any other god dared to take a nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, war, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts? Yet that is what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes.
35“He showed you these things so you would know that the Lord is God and there is no other.
36He let you hear his voice from heaven so he could instruct you. He let you see his great fire here on earth so he could speak to you from it.
37Because he loved your ancestors, he chose to bless their descendants, and he personally brought you out of Egypt with a great display of power.
38He drove out nations far greater than you, so he could bring you in and give you their land as your special possession, as it is today.
39“So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other.
40If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”
41Then Moses set apart three cities of refuge east of the Jordan River.
42Anyone who killed another person unintentionally, without previous hostility, could flee there to live in safety.
43These were the cities: Bezer on the wilderness plateau for the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead for the tribe of Gad; Golan in Bashan for the tribe of Manasseh.
44This is the body of instruction that Moses presented to the Israelites.
45These are the laws, decrees, and regulations that Moses gave to the people of Israel when they left Egypt,
46and as they camped in the valley near Beth-peor east of the Jordan River. (This land was formerly occupied by the Amorites under King Sihon, who ruled from Heshbon. But Moses and the Israelites destroyed him and his people when they came up from Egypt.
47Israel took possession of his land and that of King Og of Bashan—the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan.
48So Israel conquered the entire area from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon Gorge all the way to Mount Sirion, also called Mount Hermon.
49And they conquered the eastern bank of the Jordan River as far south as the Dead Sea, below the slopes of Pisgah.)
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 4.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Earnest exhortations to obedience, and dissuasives from idolatry. (1–23). Warnings against disobedience, and promises of mercy. (24–40). Cities of refuge appointed. (41–49).
vv1-23
The power and love of God to Israel are here made the ground and reason of a number of cautions and serious warnings; and although there is much reference to their national covenant, yet all may be applied to those who live under the gospel. What are laws made for but to be observed and obeyed? Our obedience as individuals cannot merit salvation; but it is the only evidence that we are partakers of the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ, Considering how many temptations we are compassed with, and what corrupt desires we have in our bosoms, we have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. Those cannot walk aright, who walk carelessly. Moses charges particularly to take heed of the sin of idolatry. He shows how weak the temptation would be to those who thought aright; for these pretended gods, the sun, moon, and stars, were only blessings which the Lord their God had imparted to all nations. It is absurd to worship them; shall we serve those that were made to serve us? Take heed lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God. We must take heed lest at any time we forget our religion. Care, caution, and watchfulness, are helps against a bad memory.
vv24-40
Moses urged the greatness, glory, and goodness of God. Did we consider what a God he is with whom we have to do, we should surely make conscience of our duty to him, and not dare to sin against him. Shall we forsake a merciful God, who will never forsake us, if we are faithful unto him? Whither can we go? Let us be held to our duty by the bonds of love, and prevailed with by the mercies of God to cleave to him. Moses urged God's authority over them, and their obligations to him. In keeping God's commandments they would act wisely for themselves. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Those who enjoy the benefit of Divine light and laws, ought to support their character for wisdom and honour, that God may be glorified thereby. Those who call upon God, shall certainly find him within call, ready to give an answer of peace to every prayer of faith. All these statutes and judgments of the Divine law are just and righteous, above the statutes and judgments of any of the nations. What they saw at mount Sinai, gave an earnest of the day of judgment, in which the Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire. They must also remember what they heard at mount Sinai. God manifests himself in the works of the creation, without speech or language, yet their voice is heard, Ps 19:1, 3; but to Israel he made himself known by speech and language, condescending to their weakness. The rise of this nation was quite different from the origin of all other nations. See the reasons of free grace; we are not beloved for our own sakes, but for Christ's sake. Moses urged the certain benefit and advantage of obedience. This argument he had begun with, verse 1, That ye may live, and go in and possess the land; and this he concludes with, verse 40, That it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee. He reminds them that their prosperity would depend upon their piety. Apostacy from God would undoubtedly be the ruin of their nation. He foresees their revolt from God to idols. Those, and those only, shall find God to their comfort, who seek him with all their heart. Afflictions engage and quicken us to seek God; and, by the grace of God working with them, many are thus brought back to their right mind. When these things are come upon thee, turn to the Lord thy God, for thou seest what comes of turning from him. Let all the arguments be laid together, and then say, if religion has not reason on its side. None cast off the government of their God, but those who first abandon the understanding of a man.
vv41-49
Here is the introduction to another discourse, or sermon, Moses preached to Israel, which we have in the following chapters. He sets the law before them, as the rule they were to work by, the way they were to walk in. He sets it before them, as the glass in which they were to see their natural face, that, looking into this perfect law of liberty, they might continue therein. These are the laws, given when Israel was newly come out of Egypt; and they were now repeated. Moses gave these laws in charge, while they encamped over against Beth-peor, an idol place of the Moabites. Their present triumphs were a powerful argument for obedience. And we should understand our own situation as sinners, and the nature of that gracious covenant to which we are invited. Therein greater things are shown to us than ever Israel saw from mount Sinai; greater mercies are given to us than they experienced in the wilderness, or in Canaan. One speaks to us, who is of infinitely greater dignity than Moses; who bare our sins upon the cross; and pleads with us by His dying love.
Key Words
עַתָּה: at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
חֹק: an enactment; hence, an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage)
מִשְׁפָּט: properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
לָמַד: properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive)
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
מַעַן: properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that
חָיָה: to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive
Cross References
Deuteronomy 4Direct parallel forbidding adding to or diminishing from God's commands.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The historical account of the judgment at Baal-peor referenced by Moses.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Directly quotes 'our God is a consuming fire' in the context of the Sinai revelation.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct historical fulfillment of Moses setting apart these three specific cities of refuge east of Jordan.
Explicitly links Egypt with the metaphor of the iron furnace.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Solomon's prayer repeating the 'iron furnace' description of the Exodus.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels God's self-revelation as a 'jealous God' who demands exclusive worship.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Deuteronomy's ultimate promise of restoration and gathering when seeking God from captivity.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic fulfillment of finding God when searched for with all the heart in exile.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The original command from Yahweh to designate three cities of refuge on this side of Jordan.
Wisdom literature parallel warning against adding to God's words.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jesus condemns teaching human commandments as divine doctrines.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The original historical account of the fire, thick cloud, and darkness at Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The explicit covenant warning of being scattered and serving gods of wood and stone.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Classic polemic detailing the utter helplessness of idols made by human hands.
Supported by Matthew Henry
New Testament comparison to the terrifying sights and sounds of the fire at Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Expands on election based purely on God's love and oath to the patriarchs.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stresses that driving out mightier nations was God's work, not Israel's righteousness.
Supported by John Calvin
Elaborates the legal definition of manslaughter without prior hatred or intent, matching the terminology here.
Historical account of the defeat of Sihon, king of the Amorites, in the land mentioned here.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Historical account of the defeat of Og, king of Bashan, whose land was possessed.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Queen of Sheba's confession exemplifies nations recognizing Israel's wisdom.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Wisdom literature defining the fear of the Lord as true understanding.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Internal repetition warning against forgetting the covenant and making graven images.
Supported by Matthew Henry
New Testament description of the terrifying physical phenomena at Sinai/Horeb.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Second Commandment prohibiting the creation of any graven image.
Supported by JFB
Paul describes the pagan corruption of God's glory into animal images.
Supported by JFB
Provides the background for Moses being barred from Jordan because of the people.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses formally summons heaven and earth as perpetual legal witnesses against Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Affirms God's merciful nature and commitment to covenant loyalty despite rebellion.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The historical account of the voice speaking out of the thick cloud.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The foundational Shema affirming that the Lord is one and there is none else.
Supported by JFB
Reiterates the core Deuteronomic promise of prolonged life and blessing through obedience.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the introductory statement of Moses declaring or setting forth the law beyond Jordan.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel geographical description of the Salt Sea under the slopes of Pisgah eastward.
Parallel summary of Israel's duty to fear, walk with, and serve God.
Supported by Matthew Henry