Deuteronomy 4:15-31

Idolatry Forbidden

15 You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully,
16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman,
17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air,
18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.
19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
20 But as for you, the LORD took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.
21 The LORD was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance.
22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land.
23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden.
24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
25 After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time—if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and arousing his anger,
26 I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed.
27 The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
28 There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.
29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him.
31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Deuteronomy 4:15-31 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 42

  • 1. Isaiah 40:18; Isaiah 41:22-24
  • 2. S Exodus 3:1
  • 3. Joshua 23:11; Malachi 2:15
  • 4. S Genesis 6:11-12; Deuteronomy 9:12; Deuteronomy 31:29; Deuteronomy 32:5; Judges 2:19
  • 5. Exodus 20:4-5; Exodus 32:7; Deuteronomy 5:8; Romans 1:23
  • 6. Romans 1:23
  • 7. Deuteronomy 17:3; 2 Kings 23:11; Job 31:26; Jeremiah 8:2; Jeremiah 43:13; Ezekiel 8:16
  • 8. S Genesis 1:16
  • 9. S Genesis 2:1; S Genesis 37:9; 2 Kings 17:16; 2 Kings 21:3; Romans 1:25
  • 10. Deuteronomy 13:5
  • 11. S Numbers 25:3
  • 12. S Exodus 1:13; 1 Kings 8:51; Jeremiah 11:4
  • 13. S Exodus 3:10
  • 14. S Genesis 17:7; S Exodus 8:22; S Exodus 34:9; Titus 2:14; Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 9:29
  • 15. Numbers 20:12; Deuteronomy 1:37
  • 16. Numbers 27:13-14
  • 17. Deuteronomy 3:25
  • 18. ver 9; ver 9,16
  • 19. S Exodus 20:4
  • 20. S Exodus 15:7; S Exodus 19:18; Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 9:3; Hebrews 12:29
  • 21. S Exodus 20:5
  • 22. ver 16
  • 23. ver 23
  • 24. 1 Kings 11:6; 1 Kings 15:26; 1 Kings 16:25,30; 2 Kings 17:2,17; 2 Kings 21:2
  • 25. Genesis 31:50; Proverbs 14:5
  • 26. Deuteronomy 30:18-19; Deuteronomy 31:28; Deuteronomy 32:1; Psalms 50:4; Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 34:1; Jeremiah 6:19; Micah 6:2
  • 27. Deuteronomy 6:15; Deuteronomy 7:4
  • 28. S Leviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 28:36,64; Deuteronomy 29:28; 1 Kings 8:46; 2 Kings 17:6; Psalms 44:11; Psalms 106:27; Jeremiah 3:8; Micah 1:16; Nehemiah 1:8
  • 29. Isaiah 17:6; Isaiah 21:17; Obadiah 1:5
  • 30. Deuteronomy 13:2; Deuteronomy 28:36,64; 1 Samuel 26:19; Jeremiah 5:19; Jeremiah 16:13; Acts 19:26
  • 31. Deuteronomy 29:17
  • 32. Psalms 115:4-8; Psalms 135:15-18; Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 26:14; Isaiah 44:17-20; Revelation 9:20
  • 33. 1 Samuel 13:12; 2 Kings 13:4; 2 Chronicles 7:14; 2 Chronicles 15:4; 2 Chronicles 33:12; Psalms 78:34; Psalms 119:58; Isaiah 45:19,22; Isaiah 55:6; Jeremiah 26:19; Daniel 9:13; Hosea 3:5; Amos 5:4
  • 34. 1 Samuel 7:3; 1 Kings 8:48; Jeremiah 29:13
  • 35. Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 30:1-3,10
  • 36. Leviticus 26:41; Deuteronomy 31:17,21; Psalms 4:1; Psalms 18:6; Psalms 46:1; Psalms 59:16; Psalms 107:6
  • 37. Deuteronomy 31:29; Jeremiah 23:20; Hosea 3:5; Hebrews 1:2
  • 38. Deuteronomy 30:2; 1 Kings 8:48; Nehemiah 1:9; Jer 3:1,12,22; Jeremiah 4:1; Jeremiah 18:11; Joel 2:12
  • 39. Exodus 34:6; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Nehemiah 9:31; Psalms 111:4; Psalms 116:5; John 4:2
  • 40. Deuteronomy 31:6,8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Kings 8:57; 1 Chronicles 28:9,20; Psalms 9:10; Psalms 27:9; Psalms 71:9; Isaiah 42:16; Hebrews 13:5
  • 41. S Leviticus 26:44
  • 42. Leviticus 26:45
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