Deuteronomy 4:3-13

3 Youre eyes haue sene what the Lorde dyd vnto Baal Peor: for al the men that folowed Baal Peor, the Lorde youre God hath destroyed from amoge you:
4 But ye that claue vnto the Lorde youre God, are alyue euery one of you this daye.
5 Beholde, I haue taught you ordinaunces and lawes, soche as the Lorde my God commauded me, that ye shulde do eue so in the londe whether ye goo to possesse it
6 Kepe them therfore and doo them, for that is youre wisdome and vnderstandynge in the syghte of the nacyons: whiche when they haue herde all these ordinaunces, shall saye: O what a wyse and vnderstondynge people is this greate nacion.
7 For what nacyon is so greate that hath Goddes so nye vnto hym: as the Lorde oure God is nye vnto vs, in all thinges, when we call vnto hym?
8 Yee, and what nacyon is so greate that hath ordinaunces and lawes so ryghtuousse, as all thys lawe whiche I sett before you this daye.
9 Take hede to thy selfe therfore only ad kepe thy soule diligently, that thou forgett not the thinges which thyne eyes haue sene and that they departe not out of thyne harte, all the dayes of thine life: but teach them thy sonnes, ad thy sonnes sonnes.
10 The daye that I stode before the Lorde youre god in Horeb, whe he sayed vnto me, gather me the people together, that I maye make them heare my wordes that they maye lerne to fere me as longe as thei lyue vppon the erth and that they maye teache their childern:
11 ye came ad stode also vnder the hyll ad the hyll burnt with fire: euen vnto the myddes of heaue, ad there was darcknesse, clowdes ad myst.
12 And the Lorde spake vnto you out of the fire ad ye herde the voyce of the wordes: But sawe no ymage, saue herde a voyce only,
13 And he declared vnto you his couenaunt, which he commaunded you to doo, euen .x. verses and wrote them in two tables of stone.

Deuteronomy 4:3-13 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.

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