Devarim 4:28

28 And there ye shall serve elohim, the work of men’s hands, etz (wood) and even (stone), which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

Devarim 4:28 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:28

And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood
and stone
Idols made by men, cut out of wood and stone; these they should be enticed into the service of, or compelled to serve; which was still more brutish and stupid than to worship the sun, moon, and stars, which were not the works of men's hand, but the glorious works of the eternal God. But since in their captivities they were not subject to idolatry, but were cured of it thereby, another sense of the words is given by some, as by Onkelos and Jonathan, who paraphrase the words of serving the people, that serve idols; but what follows confirms the first sense:

which neither see, nor hear, nor taste, nor smell;
senseless things, which have none of the senses of seeing, hearing, and smelling, nor the faculty of eating, which they need not to support life, of which they are destitute; and therefore it must be monstrous stupidity to worship such lifeless, senseless, objects; see ( Psalms 115:4-7 ) .

Devarim 4:28 In-Context

26 I call Shomayim and HaAretz to witness against you today, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off Ha’Aretz whereunto ye go over Yarden to possess it; ye shall not prolong your yamim upon it, but shall be utterly shmad.

27 And Hashem shall scatter you among the amim; ye shall be left few in number among the Goyim, whither Hashem shall lead you.

28 And there ye shall serve elohim, the work of men’s hands, etz (wood) and even (stone), which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

29 But if from thence thou shalt seek Hashem Eloheicha, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy lev and with all thy nefesh.

30 When thou art in tzar (tribulation), and all these things are come upon thee, even in the acharit hayamim, if thou turn to Hashem Eloheicha and shalt be obedient unto His voice;