Add parallel Print Page Options

15 Be very careful, for you saw no kind of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you in Horeb out of the middle of the fire, 16 lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself a carved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth; 19 and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Yahweh your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky. 20 But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as it is today. 21 Furthermore Yahweh was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance; 22 but I must die in this land. I must not go over the Jordan, but you shall go over and possess that good land. 23 Be careful, lest you forget the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he made with you, and make yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which Yahweh your God has forbidden you. 24 For Yahweh your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

Read full chapter

15 “So you must be very careful for yourselves,[a] because you did not see[b] any form on the day Yahweh spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, 16 so that you do not ruin yourselves[c] and make for yourselves a divine image in a form of any image, a replica of male or female, 17 a replica of any animal that is upon the earth, a replica of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18 a replica of any creeping thing on the ground, a replica of any fish that is in the water below[d] the earth. 19 And do this so that you do not lift[e] your eyes toward heaven and observe[f] the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of the heaven, and be led astray and bow down to them and serve them, things that Yahweh your God has allotted to all of the peoples under all of the heaven. 20 But Yahweh has taken you and brought you out from the furnace of iron, from Egypt, to be a people of inheritance to[g] him, as it is this day.[h]

21 “And Yahweh was angry with me because of you,[i] and he swore that I would not cross the Jordan[j] and that I would not go to the good land[k] that Yahweh your God is giving you as an inheritance. 22 For I am going to die in this land; I am not going to cross the Jordan, but you are going to cross, and you are going to take possession of this good land. 23 Watch out for yourselves so that you do not forget the covenant of Yahweh your God that he had made[l] with you and make for yourselves a divine image of the form of anything that Yahweh your God has forbidden,[m] 24 for Yahweh your God is a devouring fire, a jealous[n] God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 4:15 Literally “watch yourselves diligently with respect to your souls”
  2. Deuteronomy 4:15 Or “have not seen”
  3. Deuteronomy 4:16 Literally “corrupt yourselves”
  4. Deuteronomy 4:18 Literally “under”
  5. Deuteronomy 4:19 Literally “And lest you lift up”
  6. Deuteronomy 4:19 Literally “see”
  7. Deuteronomy 4:20 Or “for”; a people of inheritance = a people who is his very own possession
  8. Deuteronomy 4:20 Literally “as the day the this” = as you are now
  9. Deuteronomy 4:21 Literally “because of your matter”
  10. Deuteronomy 4:21 Literally “not I to cross the Jordan”
  11. Deuteronomy 4:21 Literally “not I going to the land”
  12. Deuteronomy 4:23 Literally “cut”
  13. Deuteronomy 4:23 Literally “has commanded you about
  14. Deuteronomy 4:24 Or “zealous” or “impassioned”