Deuteronomy 5:26

26 For what flesh which has heard the voice of the living God, speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we , and shall live?

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.''


FOOTNOTES:

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

Deuteronomy 5:26 In-Context

24 and ye said, Behold, the Lord our God has shewn us his glory, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: this day we have seen that God shall speak to man, and he shall live.
25 And now let us not die, for this great fire will consume us, if we shall hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, and we shall die.
26 For what flesh which has heard the voice of the living God, speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we , and shall live?
27 Do thou draw near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say, and thou shalt speak to us all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak to thee, and we will hear, and do.
28 And the Lord heard the voice of your words as ye spoke to me; and the Lord said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, even all things that they have said to thee. well all that they have spoken.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.