Deuteronomy 4:9

Deuteronomy 4:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;
• New International Version (NIV)Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Only take care, and 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. Make them known to your children and your children's children—
• New King James Version (NKJV)Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,

Context of Deuteronomy 4:9

7For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God [is to us] whenever we call on Him? 8Or what great nation has statutes and judgments so righteous (upright, just) as this whole law which I am placing before you today? “Only pay attention and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your grandchildren [impressing these things on their mind and penetrating their heart with these truths]— 10especially the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb (Mount Sinai), when the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me and I will let them hear My words, so that they may learn to fear Me [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect] all the days they live on the land, and so that they may teach their children.’ 11You approached and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the [very] heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud and thick gloom.

Deuteronomy 4:9 word by word

רַ֡ק הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֩ וּשְׁמֹ֨ר נַפְשְׁךָ֜ מְאֹ֗ד פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֨ח אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וּפֶן־יָס֙וּרוּ֙ מִלְּבָ֣בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּ֑יךָ וְהוֹדַעְתָּ֥ם לְבָנֶ֖יךָ וְלִבְנֵ֥י בָנֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Only take heedשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: carefulH8104
• to thyself, and keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• diligentlyמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• lest thou forgetשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
• the thingsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• which thine eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• have seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and lest they departסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: departH5493
• from thy heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• all the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of thy lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• but teachיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• them thy sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 4:9

• Deuteronomy 4:15“So pay attention and watch yourselves carefully—for you did not see any form [of God] on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire—
• Proverbs 3:1My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments;
• Proverbs 4:20My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings.
• Luke 8:18So be careful how you listen; for whoever has [a teachable heart], to him more [understanding] will be given; and whoever does not have [a longing for truth], even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
• Hebrews 2:3how will we escape [the penalty] if we ignore such a great salvation [the gospel, the new covenant]? For it was spoken at first by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us and proved authentic by those who personally heard [Him speak],
• James 2:22You see that [his] faith was working together with his works, and as a result of the works, his faith was completed [reaching its maturity when he expressed his faith through obedience].
• Joshua 1:18Any man who rebels against your command and does not obey everything that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.”
• Psalms 119:11Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
• Proverbs 4:4He taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live.
• Proverbs 7:1My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you [so they are readily available to guide you].
• Hebrews 2:1For this reason [that is, because of God’s final revelation in His Son Jesus and because of Jesus’ superiority to the angels] we must pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth.
• Revelation 3:3So remember and take to heart the lessons you have received and heard. Keep and obey them, and repent [change your sinful way of thinking, and demonstrate your repentance with new behavior that proves a conscious decision to turn away from sin]. So then, if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
• Deuteronomy 6:7You shall teach them diligently to your children [impressing God’s precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths] and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.
• Deuteronomy 11:19You shall teach them [diligently] to your children [impressing God’s precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths], speaking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.
• Deuteronomy 29:29“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed and disclosed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may do all of the words of this law.
• Deuteronomy 31:19“Now then, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it in their mouth, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Only take heed to thyself - Be circumspect and watchful. Keep thy soul diligently - Be mindful of thy eternal interests. Whatever becomes of the body, take care of the soul. Lest thou forget - God does his work that they may be had in everlasting remembrance; and he that forgets them, forgets his own mercies. Besides, if a man forget the work of God on his soul, he loses that work. Lest they depart from thy heart - It is not sufficient to lay up Divine…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9-11Verses 9-11 A full stop should end Deuteronomy 4:9; and Deuteronomy 4:10 begin, At the time that thou stoodest, etc. Deuteronomy 4:11 then ye came near, etc. Moses, exhorting to heedful observance of the Law, strives to renew the impressions of that tremendous scene which attended its promulgation at Sinai.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-40Moses gave a long speech to the Israelites because of their recent failures and what he thought would happen in Canaan.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-97-9. what nation is there so great--Here he represents their privileges and their duty in such significant and comprehensive terms, as were peculiarly calculated to arrest their attention and engage their interest. The former, their national advantages, are described (De 4:7, 8), and they were twofold: 1. God's readiness to hear and aid them at all times; and 2. the excellence of that religion in which they were instructed, set forth in the "statutes and…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 4:9

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Backsliders
• Children
• Commandments
• Diligence
• Family
• Instruction
• Obedience
• Parents
• School
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Add
• Consider
• Consuming
• Diminish
• Furnace
• Hearken
• Champaign
• Deuteronomy
• Diligence; Diligent; Diligently
• Forget; Forgetful

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings