Deuteronomy 4:12

12 The Lord spoke to you from the fire. You heard the sound of words, but you did not see him; there was only a voice.

Deuteronomy 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:12

And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire
For the Lord descended on Mount Sinai in a cloud, in fire, and was in the thick darkness, from whence he delivered out the ten commands:

ye heard the voice of the words;
distinctly and plainly, not only the sound of them, but the words themselves, and so as to understand what was meant by them;

but saw no similitude;
not any likeness of the person speaking, by which they could form any idea of him in their minds, which was purposely done to prevent idolatry:

only ye heard a voice;
that was all.

Deuteronomy 4:12 In-Context

10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai. He said to me, "Bring the people together so I can tell them what I have to say. Then they will respect me as long as they live in the land, and they will teach these things to their children."

11 When you came and stood at the bottom of the mountain, it blazed with fire that reached to the sky, and black clouds made it very dark.

12 The Lord spoke to you from the fire. You heard the sound of words, but you did not see him; there was only a voice.

13 The Lord told you about his Agreement, the Ten Commandments. He told you to obey them, and he wrote them on two stone tablets.

14 Then the Lord commanded me to teach you the laws and rules that you must obey in the land you will take when you cross the Jordan River.