Deuteronomy 4:12

12 Tell them how the Lord spoke to you from the fire, how you heard him speaking but did not see him in any form at all.

Deuteronomy 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:12

And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire
For the Lord descended on Mount Sinai in a cloud, in fire, and was in the thick darkness, from whence he delivered out the ten commands:

ye heard the voice of the words;
distinctly and plainly, not only the sound of them, but the words themselves, and so as to understand what was meant by them;

but saw no similitude;
not any likeness of the person speaking, by which they could form any idea of him in their minds, which was purposely done to prevent idolatry:

only ye heard a voice;
that was all.

Deuteronomy 4:12 In-Context

10 about the day you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, when he said to me, "Assemble the people. I want them to hear what I have to say, so that they will learn to obey me as long as they live and so that they will teach their children to do the same.'

11 "Tell your children how you went and stood at the foot of the mountain which was covered with thick clouds of dark smoke and fire blazing up to the sky.

12 Tell them how the Lord spoke to you from the fire, how you heard him speaking but did not see him in any form at all.

13 He told you what you must do to keep the covenant he made with you - you must obey the Ten Commandments, which he wrote on two stone tablets.

14 The Lord told me to teach you all the laws that you are to obey in the land that you are about to invade and occupy.