Deuteronomy 4:31-41

31 For the LORD your God is 1a merciful God. 2He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.

The Lord Alone Is God

32 "For 3ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of.
33 4Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live?
34 Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, 5by signs, by wonders, and 6by war, 7by a mighty hand and 8an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
35 To you it was shown, 9that you might know that the LORD is God; 10there is no other besides him.
36 11Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and 12you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.
37 And because 13he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them[a] and brought you out of Egypt 14with his own presence, by his great power,
38 15driving out before you nations greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day,
39 know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that 16the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; 17there is no other.
40 18Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, 19that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time."

Cities of Refuge

41 Then Moses 20set apart three cities in the east beyond the Jordan,

Deuteronomy 4:31-41 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 20

  • 1. Exodus 34:6; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Nehemiah 9:31; Jonah 4:2
  • 2. Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20
  • 3. Job 8:8
  • 4. ver. 12; Deuteronomy 5:24, 26; Exodus 3:6; Exodus 19:21; [Genesis 32:30; Exodus 24:11; Exodus 33:20, 23; Judges 6:22, 23; Judges 13:22]
  • 5. Deuteronomy 26:8; Exodus 7:3; Jeremiah 32:21
  • 6. See Exodus 15:3-10
  • 7. Deuteronomy 7:8; Deuteronomy 11:2; Deuteronomy 26:8; Deuteronomy 34:12
  • 8. Exodus 6:6; Jeremiah 32:21
  • 9. [Exodus 10:2]
  • 10. ver. 39; 1 Samuel 2:2; 2 Samuel 22:32; Isa. 45:5, 18, 22; Isaiah 46:9; Cited Mark 12:32
  • 11. Exodus 19:9, 19; Nehemiah 9:13
  • 12. [See ver. 33 above]
  • 13. Deuteronomy 10:15
  • 14. Exodus 33:14; [Isaiah 63:9]
  • 15. Deuteronomy 7:1; Deuteronomy 11:23; Exodus 23:27, 28; Exodus 34:24; See Deuteronomy 9:1-5
  • 16. Joshua 2:11; 1 Kings 8:23; 2 Chronicles 20:6; Ecclesiastes 5:2
  • 17. 1 Samuel 2:2; 2 Samuel 22:32; Isa. 45:5, 18, 22; Isaiah 46:9; Cited Mark 12:32
  • 18. Leviticus 22:31
  • 19. Deuteronomy 5:16; Deuteronomy 6:2, 3; Deuteronomy 11:9; Deuteronomy 12:25, 28; Deuteronomy 22:7; [Proverbs 3:1, 2; Proverbs 10:27]
  • 20. Numbers 35:6, 14

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew his offspring after him
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.