Deuteronomy 4:19

19 Ye and leste thou lyfte vpp thyne eyes vnto heuen, and when thou seyst the sonne and the mone and the starres and what soeuer is contayned in heauen, shuldest be disceaued and shuldest bow thi selfe vnto them ad serue the thinges which the Lorde thy God hath distributed vnto all nacions that are vnder al quarters of heauen.

Deuteronomy 4:19 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:19

And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven
The starry heaven, which to do in itself is not sinful; and may be lawfully and commendably done, to raise admiration at the wonderful works of God in them, and lead to adore the author of them: but if not guarded against may be ensnaring:

and when thou seest the sun and the moon, and the stars, [even] all the
host of heaven;
those bright luminaries, so glorious to behold, and so useful and beneficial to the earth, and the inhabitants of it:

shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them;
should have an impulse on their minds and their hearts, be inclined and drawn to the worship of them, partly by considering their splendour, glory, and usefulness, and partly by the example of others; for the worshipping of these seems to be and is the first kind of idolatry men gave into, at least it was very ancient; see ( Job 31:26 Job 31:27 ) ,

which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole
heaven;
the sun and the moon by their constant revolutions visit all the parts of the world, and stars are fixed in both hemispheres, so that all nations of the earth receive the benefit and advantage of all these heavenly bodies; but were never designed to be the objects of their worship, as might be learnt from their being divided to them, sometimes one part of the earth enjoying them, and then another, and not present with them all at one and the same time, which, if deities, would have been necessary; see ( Psalms 19:6 ) ( Matthew 5:45 ) .

Deuteronomy 4:19 In-Context

17 or any mane beest that is on the erth or of any maner fetherred foule that fleth in the ayre,
18 or of any maner worme that crepeth on the erth or of any maner fysh that is in the water beneth the erth:
19 Ye and leste thou lyfte vpp thyne eyes vnto heuen, and when thou seyst the sonne and the mone and the starres and what soeuer is contayned in heauen, shuldest be disceaued and shuldest bow thi selfe vnto them ad serue the thinges which the Lorde thy God hath distributed vnto all nacions that are vnder al quarters of heauen.
20 For the Lorde toke you and broughte you out of the yernen fornace of Egipte, to be vnto him a people of enheritaunce, as it is come to passe this daye.
21 Forthermoare, the Lorde was angrye with me for youre sakes and sware, that I shulde not goo ouer Iordane and that I shulde not goo vnto that good londe, which the Lorde thy God geueth the to enherytaunce.
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