Deuteronomy 4:20-30

20 "But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of 1the iron furnace, from Egypt, to 2be a people for His own possession, as today.
21 "3Now the LORD was angry with me on your account *, and swore that I would not cross the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
22 "For 4I will die in this land, I shall not cross the Jordan, but you shall cross and take possession of this 5good land.
23 "So watch yourselves, 6that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and 7make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you.
24 "For the LORD your God is a 8consuming fire, a 9jealous God.
25 "When you become the father of children and children's children and have remained long in the land, and 10act corruptly, and 11make an idol in the form of anything, and 12do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD your God so as to provoke Him to anger,
26 I 13call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will 14surely perish quickly from the land where * you are going over the Jordan to possess it. You shall not live long * on it, but will be utterly destroyed.
27 "The LORD will 15scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where * the LORD drives you.
28 "16There you will serve gods, the work of man's hands, 17wood and stone, 18which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
29 "19But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him 20with all your heart and all your soul.
30 "When you 21are in distress and all these things have come upon you, 22in the latter days 23you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice.

Deuteronomy 4:20-30 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 23

  • 1. 1 Kings 8:51; Jeremiah 11:4
  • 2. Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; Deuteronomy 14:2; Deuteronomy 26:18; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9
  • 3. Numbers 20:12; Deuteronomy 1:37
  • 4. Numbers 27:13, 14
  • 5. Deuteronomy 3:25
  • 6. Deuteronomy 4:9
  • 7. Deuteronomy 4:16
  • 8. Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 9:3; Isaiah 30:27; Isaiah 33:14; Hebrews 12:29
  • 9. Deuteronomy 5:9; Deuteronomy 6:15
  • 10. Deuteronomy 4:16
  • 11. Deuteronomy 4:23
  • 12. 2 Kings 17:17
  • 13. Deuteronomy 30:19; Deuteronomy 31:28; Deuteronomy 32:1; Isaiah 1:2; Micah 6:2
  • 14. Deuteronomy 7:4; Deuteronomy 8:19, 20
  • 15. Leviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 28:64; Deuteronomy 29:28; Nehemiah 1:8
  • 16. Deuteronomy 28:36, 64; Jeremiah 16:13
  • 17. Deuteronomy 29:17
  • 18. Psalms 115:4-8; Psalms 135:15-18; Isaiah 44:12-20
  • 19. Deut 30:1-3, 10; 2 Chronicles 15:4; Isaiah 55:6; Jeremiah 29:13
  • 20. Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12
  • 21. Psalms 18:6; Psalms 59:16; Psalms 107:6, 13
  • 22. Deuteronomy 31:29; Jeremiah 23:20; Hosea 3:5; Hebrews 1:2
  • 23. Jeremiah 4:1, 2

Footnotes 3

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