Deuteronomy 4:9-19

9 Be on your guard! Make certain that you do not forget, as long as you live, what you have seen with your own eyes. Tell your children and your grandchildren
10 about the day you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, when he said to me, "Assemble the people. I want them to hear what I have to say, so that they will learn to obey me as long as they live and so that they will teach their children to do the same.'
11 "Tell your children how you went and stood at the foot of the mountain which was covered with thick clouds of dark smoke and fire blazing up to the sky. 1
12 Tell them how the Lord spoke to you from the fire, how you heard him speaking but did not see him in any form at all.
13 He told you what you must do to keep the covenant he made with you - you must obey the Ten Commandments, which he wrote on two stone tablets. 2
14 The Lord told me to teach you all the laws that you are to obey in the land that you are about to invade and occupy. 3
15 "When the Lord spoke to you from the fire on Mount Sinai, you did not see any form. For your own good, then, make certain
16 that you do not sin by making for yourselves an idol in any form at all - whether man or woman, 4
17 animal or bird, 5
18 reptile or fish.
19 Do not be tempted to worship and serve what you see in the sky - the sun, the moon, and the stars. The Lord your God has given these to all other peoples for them to worship.

Deuteronomy 4:9-19 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 5

  • 1. 4.11, 12Exodus 19.16-18;Hebrews 12.18, 19.
  • 2. 4.13Exodus 31.18; 34.28;Deuteronomy 9.10.
  • 3. 4.14Exodus 21.1.
  • 4. 4.16Exodus 20.4;Leviticus 26.1;Deuteronomy 5.8; 27.15.
  • 5. 4.17, 18aRomans 1.23.

Footnotes 1

Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.