Deuteronomy 4:38-48

38 driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in and 1to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today.
39 "Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that 2the LORD, He is God in heaven above * and on the earth below *; there is no other.
40 "3So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today, that 4it may go well with you and with your children after you, and 5that you may live long * on the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time."
41 6Then Moses set apart three cities across the Jordan to the east *,
42 that a manslayer might flee there, who unintentionally * slew his neighbor without having enmity toward him in time past; and by fleeing to one of these cities he might live:
43 7Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau * for the Reubenites, and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.
44 Now this is the law which Moses set before the sons of Israel;
45 these are the testimonies and the statutes and the ordinances which Moses spoke to the sons of Israel, when they came out from Egypt,
46 across the Jordan, in the valley 8opposite Beth-peor, in the land of 9Sihon king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the sons of Israel defeated when they came out from Egypt.
47 They took possession of his land and the land of 10Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were across the Jordan to the east *,
48 from 11Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon, even as far as 12Mount Sion (that is, Hermon ),

Deuteronomy 4:38-48 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 12

  • 1. Numbers 32:4; Numbers 34:14, 15
  • 2. Deuteronomy 4:35; Joshua 2:11
  • 3. Leviticus 22:31; Deuteronomy 4:2; Psalms 105:45
  • 4. Deuteronomy 4:1; Deuteronomy 5:16, 29, 33; Deuteronomy 6:3, 18; Deuteronomy 12:25, 28; Deuteronomy 22:7
  • 5. Exodus 23:26; Deuteronomy 32:47
  • 6. Numbers 35:6; Deuteronomy 19:2-13; Joshua 20:7-9
  • 7. Joshua 20:8
  • 8. Deuteronomy 3:29
  • 9. Numbers 21:21-25
  • 10. Deuteronomy 1:4; Deuteronomy 3:3, 4
  • 11. Deuteronomy 2:36; Deuteronomy 3:12
  • 12. Deuteronomy 3:9; Psalms 133:3

Footnotes 6

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