Deuteronomy 5:26

26 What is each man, that he hear the voice of God living, that speaketh from [the] midst of the fire, as we have heard, and that he may live? (For what person hath ever heard the voice of the living God, speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and still lived to tell about it?)

Deuteronomy 5:26 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 5:26

For who [is there] of all flesh
What man was there in any age, that was ever heard of or can be named:

that hath heard the voice of the living God;
who lives in and of himself, and is the author and giver of life to all his creatures, whereby he is distinguished from and is opposed unto the lifeless deities of the Gentiles; and which makes him and his voice heard the more awful and tremendous, and especially as

speaking out of the midst of the fire:
which was the present case:

as we [have], and lived?
of this there never was the like instance; for though some had seen God and lived, as Jacob did, and therefore called the name of the place where he saw him Penuel, ( Genesis 32:30 ) , and Moses had heard the voice of the angel of the Lord out of a bush, which seemed to be burning, and was not consumed, ( Exodus 3:2 Exodus 3:4 ) , yet none ever heard the voice of the Lord out of real fire, and particularly expressing such words as he did, but the Israelites. Zoroastres, the founder of the Magi among the Persians, and of their religion, seems to have had respect to this, and to have applied falsely this to himself, which belonged to Moses and the people of Israel; for it is said ^F11,

``one reason the Persians have fire in so much veneration is, because they say that Zoroastres, being caught up to heaven, did not see God, but heard him speaking with him out of the midst of fire.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Hyde Hist. Relig. Vet. Pers. c. 8. p. 160.

Deuteronomy 5:26 In-Context

24 and ye said, Lo! our Lord God hath showed to us his majesty and greatness; we heard his voice from [the] midst of the fire, and we have proved today that a man liveth, God speaking with man. (and ye said, Lo! the Lord our God hath shown us his majesty and his greatness; we heard his voice from the midst of the fire, and we have proven today that a person can live, even after God hath spoken with him.)

25 Why therefore shall we die, and shall this greatest fire devour us? For if we hear more the voice of our Lord God, we shall die. (And so why should we risk death again? for this great fire shall devour us! Yea, if we hear the voice of the Lord our God again, surely we shall all die!)

26 What is each man, that he hear the voice of God living, that speaketh from [the] midst of the fire, as we have heard, and that he may live? (For what person hath ever heard the voice of the living God, speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and still lived to tell about it?)

27 Rather nigh thou, and hear thou all things which our Lord God shall say to thee; and thou shalt speak to us, and we shall hear, and do those words. (Instead, thou go near, and listen thou to all the things that the Lord our God shall say to thee; and thou shalt tell us, and we shall hear, and do those things.)

28 And when the Lord had heard this, he said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken to thee; they have spoken well all things. (And when the Lord had heard this, he said to me, I have heard the words of these people, that they have spoken to thee; and they have spoken all things well.)