Deuteronomy 4:34-44

34 Or has God tried to go and take him a nation from the midst of [another] nation, by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Mitzrayim before your eyes?

35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD he is God; there is none else besides him.

36 Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and on eretz he made you to see his great fire; and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.

37 Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought you out with his presence, with his great power, out of Mitzrayim;

38 to drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as at this day.

39 Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above and on the eretz beneath; there is none else.

40 You shall keep his statutes, and his mitzvot, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD your God gives you, forever.

41 Then Moshe set apart three cities beyond the Yarden toward the sunrise;

42 that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unawares, and didn't hate him in time past; and that fleeing to one of these cities he might live:

43 [namely], Betzer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Re'uveni; and Ramot in Gil`ad, for the Gadi; and Galon in Bashan, for the Manashshi.

44 This is the law which Moshe set before the children of Yisra'el:

Deuteronomy 4:34-44 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.