Deuteronomy 4:1-14
English Standard Version
Moses Commands Obedience
4 “And now, O Israel, listen to (A)the statutes and the rules[a] that I am teaching you, and do them, (B)that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 (C)You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord did (D)at Baal-peor, for the Lord your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal of Peor. 4 But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today. 5 See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 6 (E)Keep them and do them, for (F)that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For (G)what great nation is there that has (H)a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so (I)righteous as all this law that I set before you today?
9 (J)“Only take care, and (K)keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. (L)Make them known to your children and your children's children— 10 how on (M)the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, (N)‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, (O)so that they may learn to fear (P)me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ 11 And (Q)you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while (R)the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. 12 Then (S)the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, (T)but saw no form; (U)there was only a voice. 13 (V)And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, (W)the Ten Commandments,[b] (X)and he wrote them on two tablets of stone. 14 And (Y)the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and rules, that you might do them in the land that you are going over to possess.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 4:1 Or just decrees; also verses 5, 8, 14, 45
- Deuteronomy 4:13 Hebrew the ten words
Deuteronomy 4:1-14
New King James Version
Moses Commands Obedience
4 “Now, O Israel, listen to (A)the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and [a]possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you. 2 (B)You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at (C)Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. 4 But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you.
5 “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is (D)your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
7 “For (E)what great nation is there that has (F)God[b] so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8 And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? 9 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently (G)keep yourself, lest you (H)forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And (I)teach them to your children and your grandchildren, 10 especially concerning (J)the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’
11 “Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12 (K)And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no [c]form; (L)you only heard a voice. 13 (M)So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, (N)the Ten Commandments; and (O)He wrote them on two tablets of stone. 14 And (P)the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might [d]observe them in the land which you cross over to possess.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Deuteronomy 4:1 take possession of
- Deuteronomy 4:7 Or a god
- Deuteronomy 4:12 similitude
- Deuteronomy 4:14 do or perform
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
