Deuteronomy 4:12-22

12 The LORD spoke to you from the fire. You heard a voice speaking but saw no one. There was only a voice.
13 The LORD told you about the terms of his promise, the ten commandments, which he commanded you to do. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets.
14 The LORD also commanded me to teach you the laws and rules you must obey after you cross [the Jordan River] and take possession of the land.
15 You didn't see the LORD the day he spoke to you from the fire at Mount Horeb. So be very careful
16 that you don't become corrupt and make your own carved idols. Don't make statues that represent men or women,
17 any animal on earth, any creature with wings that flies,
18 any creature that crawls on the ground, or any fish in the water.
19 Don't let yourselves be tempted to worship and serve what you see in the sky--the sun, the moon, the stars, or anything else. The LORD your God has given them to all people everywhere.
20 But you are the people the LORD brought out of Egypt, the iron smelter, in order to make you his own people as you still are today.
21 The LORD was angry with me because of you. So the LORD your God took an oath that I wouldn't cross the Jordan River and enter the good land he is giving you as your property.
22 I'm going to die in this land and not cross the Jordan River, but you're going to go across and take possession of that good land.

Deuteronomy 4:12-22 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.

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