Deuteronomy 4:11-18

11 "You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, 1and the mountain burned with fire to the very heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud and thick gloom.
12 "Then the LORD spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but you saw no form -only a voice.
13 "So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, 2the Ten Commandments; and 3He wrote them on two tablets of stone.
14 "The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might perform them in the land where * you are going over to possess it.
15 "So 4watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any 5form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,
16 so that you do not 6act corruptly and 7make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of 8any winged bird that flies in the sky,
18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below * the earth.

Deuteronomy 4:11-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 4

This chapter contains an exhortation to Israel to keep the commands, statutes, and judgments of God, urged from the superior excellency of them to those of all other nations, De 4:1-8, from the manner in which they were delivered, out of the midst of fire, by a voice of words, but no similitude seen, De 4:9-15, and particularly the Israelites are cautioned against idolatry, from the consideration of the goodness of God to them, in bringing them out of Egypt, De 4:16-20, and the rather Moses is urgent upon them to be diligent in their obedience to the laws of God, because he should quickly be removed from them, De 4:21-24, and should they be disobedient to them, it would provoke the Lord to destroy them, or to carry them captive into other lands, De 4:25-28 though even then, if they repented and sought the Lord, and became obedient, he would be merciful to them, and not forsake them, De 4:29-31 and they are put in mind again of the amazing things God had done for them, in speaking to them out of fire, and they alive; in bringing them out of another nation, and driving out other nations to make room for them; all which he improves, as so many arguments to move them to obedience to the divine commands, De 4:32-40 and then notice is taken of the three cities of refuge, separated on this side Jordan, De 4:41-43, and the chapter is concluded with observing, that this is the law, and these the testimonies, Moses declared and repeated to the children of Israel in the country of Sihon and Og, who were delivered into their hands, and their lands possessed by them, which laid them under fresh obligations to yield obedience to God, De 4:44-49.

Cross References 8

  • 1. Exodus 19:18; Hebrews 12:18, 19
  • 2. Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4
  • 3. Exodus 31:18; Exodus 34:1, 28
  • 4. Joshua 23:11
  • 5. Isaiah 40:18
  • 6. Deuteronomy 4:25; Deuteronomy 9:12; Deuteronomy 31:29
  • 7. Exodus 20:4; Leviticus 26:1; Deuteronomy 5:8, 9; Deuteronomy 27:15; Romans 1:23
  • 8. Romans 1:23

Footnotes 1

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