Deuteronomy 4:3-13

3 "1Your eyes have seen what * the LORD has done in the case of Baal-peor, for all the men who followed * Baal-peor, the LORD your God has destroyed them from among you.
4 "But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you.
5 "See, I have taught you statutes and judgments 2just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where * you are entering to possess it.
6 "So keep and do them, 3for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'
7 "For 4what great nation is there that has a god 5so near to it as is the LORD our God 6whenever we call on Him?
8 "Or what great nation is there that has 7statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?
9 "Only 8give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart 9all the days of your life; but 10make them known to your sons and your grandsons.
10 "Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when the LORD said to me, 'Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear My words 11so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may 12teach their children.'
11 "You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, 13and 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, 14the Ten Commandments; and 15He wrote them on two tablets of stone.

Deuteronomy 4:3-13 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 15

  • 1. Numbers 25:1-9
  • 2. Leviticus 26:46; Leviticus 27:34
  • 3. Deuteronomy 30:19, 20; Deuteronomy 32:46, 47; Job 28:28; Psalms 19:7; Psalms 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 2 Timothy 3:15
  • 4. Deuteronomy 4:32-34; 2 Samuel 7:23
  • 5. Psalms 34:17, 18; Psalms 145:18; Psalms 148:14; Isaiah 55:6
  • 6. Psalms 34:18; Psalms 85:9
  • 7. Psalms 89:14; Psalms 97:2; Psalms 119:144, 160, 172
  • 8. Deuteronomy 4:23; Deuteronomy 6:12; Deuteronomy 8:11, 14, 19; Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 23:19
  • 9. Deuteronomy 6:2; Deuteronomy 12:1; Deuteronomy 16:3
  • 10. Genesis 18:19; Deuteronomy 4:10; Deuteronomy 6:7, 20-25; Deuteronomy 11:19; Deuteronomy 32:46; Psalms 78:5, 6; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4
  • 11. Deuteronomy 14:23; Deuteronomy 17:19; Deuteronomy 31:12, 13
  • 12. Deuteronomy 4:9
  • 13. Exodus 19:18; Hebrews 12:18, 19
  • 14. Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4
  • 15. Exodus 31:18; Exodus 34:1, 28

Footnotes 3

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