Deuteronomy 4

(Deuteronomy 11:1–7)

1HearH8085H413 nowH6258, O IsraelH3478, the statutesH2706H413 and ordinancesH4941 IH595 am teachingH3925 youH853 to followH6213, so thatH4616 you may liveH2421 and may enterH935 and take possessionH3423 of the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of your fathersH1, is givingH5414 you. 2You must notH3808 addH3254 toH5921H1697 or subtractH1639 fromH4480 whatH834 IH595 commandH6680 youH853H3808, so that you may keepH8104 the commandmentsH4687 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430 thatH834 IH595 am giving youH6680.

3Your eyesH5869 have seenH7200 whatH834 the LORDH3068 didH6213 at Baal-peorH1187, forH3588 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 destroyedH8045 from among youH7130 allH3605H376 whoH834 followedH1980H310 Baal of PeorH1187. 4But youH859 who held fastH1695 to the LORDH3068 your GodH430 are aliveH2416 to this dayH3117, every one of youH3605.

5SeeH7200, I have taughtH3925 youH853 statutesH2706 and ordinancesH4941 just asH834 the LORDH3068 my GodH430 has commanded meH6680, so that you may follow themH6213H3651 inH7130 the landH776 thatH834 youH859 are about to enterH935H8033 and possessH3423. 6Observe themH6213 carefullyH8104, forH3588 thisH1931 will show your wisdomH2451 and understandingH998 in the sightH5869 of the peoplesH5971, whoH834 will hearH8085 of allH3605 theseH428 statutesH2706 and sayH559, “SurelyH7535 thisH2088 greatH1419 nationH1471 is a wiseH2450 and understandingH995 peopleH5971.”

7ForH3588 whatH4310 nationH1471 is great enoughH1419 toH834 have a godH430 as nearH7138 to themH413 as the LORDH3068 our GodH430 is to us wheneverH3605 we callH7121 on HimH413? 8And whatH4310 nationH1471 is great enoughH1419 toH834 have righteousH6662 statutesH2706 and ordinancesH4941 like thisH2063 entireH3605 lawH8451 IH595 setH5414 before youH6440 todayH3117?

9OnlyH7535 be on your guardH8104 and diligentlyH3966 watchH8104 yourselvesH5315, so that you do notH6435 forgetH7911 the thingsH1697 your eyesH5869 have seenH7200, and so that they do notH6435 slipH5493 from your heartH3824 asH3605H3117 long as you liveH2416. Teach themH3045 to your childrenH1121 and grandchildrenH1121. 10The dayH3117 you stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 at HorebH2722,1 the LORDH3068 saidH559 to meH413, “GatherH6950 the peopleH5971 before MeH853 to hearH8085 My wordsH1697, so thatH834 they may learnH3925 to fearH3372 MeH853 allH3605 the daysH3117 theyH1992 liveH2416 onH5921 the earthH127, and thatH853 they may teach themH3925 to their childrenH1121.”

11You came nearH7126 and stoodH5975 at the baseH8478 of the mountainH2022, a mountainH2022 blazingH1197 with fireH784 toH5704H3820 the heavensH8064, with black cloudsH6051 and deepH6205 darknessH2822. 12And the LORDH3068 spokeH1696 to youH413 out ofH8432 the fireH784. YouH859 heardH8085 the soundH6963 of the wordsH1697 but sawH7200 noH369 formH8544; there was onlyH2108 a voiceH6963. 13He declaredH5046 to you His covenantH1285, whichH834 He commandedH6680 you to followH6213—the TenH6235 CommandmentsH16972 that He wroteH3789 onH5921 twoH8147 tabletsH3871 of stoneH68.

14

At thatH1931 timeH6256 the LORDH3068 commanded meH6680 to teachH3925 youH853 the statutesH2706 and ordinancesH4941 you are to followH6213 in the landH776 thatH834 youH859 are crossingH5674 the Jordan to possessH3423.

A Warning against Idolatry

(Deuteronomy 12:29–32; Ezekiel 6:1–7)

15So sinceH3588 you sawH7200 noH3808 formH8544 of any kindH3605 on the dayH3117 the LORDH3068 spokeH1696 to youH413 out ofH8432 the fireH784 at HorebH2722, be carefulH8104H5315H3966 16that you do notH6435 act corruptlyH7843 and makeH6213 an idolH6459 for yourselves of any formH8544 orH3605 shapeH5566, whether in the likenessH8403 of a maleH2145 orH176 femaleH5347, 17of anyH3605 beastH929 thatH834 is on the earthH776H8403 or birdH6833H3671 thatH834 fliesH5774 in the airH8064, 18or of anyH3605 creature that crawlsH7430 on the groundH127H8403 orH3605 fishH1710 thatH834 is in the watersH4325 belowH8478.

19When you lookH5375H5869 to the heavensH8064 and seeH7200 the sunH8121 andH853 moonH3394 and starsH3556—allH3605 the hostH6635 of heavenH8064—do not beH6435 enticedH5080 to bow downH7812 and worshipH5647 whatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 has apportionedH2505 to allH3605 the nationsH5971 underH8478 heavenH8064. 20Yet the LORDH3068 has takenH3947 youH853 and broughtH3318 youH853 out of the ironH1270 furnaceH3564, out of EgyptH4714, to beH1961 the peopleH5971 of His inheritanceH5159, as you are todayH3117H2088.

21The LORD, howeverH3068, was angryH599 with me on accountH5921 of youH1697, and He sworeH7650 that I would notH1115 crossH5674 the JordanH3383H1115 to enterH935H413 the goodH2896 landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you as an inheritanceH5159. 22For I will notH369 be crossingH5674 the JordanH3383, becauseH3588 IH595 must dieH4191 in thisH2063 landH776. But youH859 shall cross overH5674 and take possession ofH3423 thatH2063 goodH2896 landH776.

23Be carefulH8104 that you do notH6435 forgetH7911 the covenantH1285 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430 thatH834 He madeH3772 with youH5973; do not makeH6213 an idolH6459 for yourselves in the formH8544 of anythingH3605 HeH3068H430 has forbidden youH6680. 24ForH3588 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is a consumingH398H1931 fireH784,3 a jealousH7067 GodH410.

25AfterH3588 you haveH3205 childrenH1121 and grandchildrenH1121 and you have been in the landH776 a long timeH3462, if you then act corruptlyH7843 and makeH6213 an idolH6459 of anyH3605 formH8544—doingH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068 your GodH430 and provoking Him to angerH3707— 26I call heavenH8064 and earthH776 as witnessesH5749 against you this dayH3117 thatH3588 you will quicklyH4118 perishH6 fromH5921 the landH776 thatH834 youH859 are crossingH5674 the JordanH3383H8033 to possessH3423. You will notH3808 live longH748H3117 upon itH5921, butH3588 will be utterly destroyedH8045.

27Then the LORDH3068 will scatterH6327 you among the peoplesH5971, and only a few of youH4962H4557 will surviveH7604 among the nationsH1471 to whichH834 the LORDH3068 will drive youH5090. 28And thereH8033 you will serveH5647 man-madeH4639H3027H120 godsH430 of woodH6086 and stoneH68, whichH834 cannotH3808 seeH7200 or hearH8085 or eatH398 or smellH7306.

29But if from thereH8033 you will seekH1245 the LORDH3068 your GodH430, you will findH4672 HimH3588 if you seek HimH1875 with allH3605 your heartH3824 and with allH3605 your soulH5315. 30When you are in distressH6862 and allH3605 theseH428 thingsH1697 have happened to youH4672, then in laterH319 daysH3117 you will returnH7725 toH5704 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 and listenH8085 to His voiceH6963. 31ForH3588 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is a mercifulH7349 GodH410; He will notH3808 abandon youH7503 or destroy youH7843 or forgetH7911 the covenantH1285 with your fathersH1, whichH834 He swore to them by oathH7650.

The LORD Alone Is God

32IndeedH3588, askH7592 nowH4994 from one endH7097 of the heavensH8064 toH5704 the other about the daysH3117 thatH834 longH7223 precededH1961 youH6440, fromH4480 the dayH3117 thatH834 GodH430 createdH1254 manH120 onH5921 earthH776: Has anything asH2088 greatH1419 as thisH1697 ever happenedH1961 orH176 been reportedH8085? 33Has a peopleH5971 ever heardH8085 the voiceH6963 of GodH4304 speakingH1696 out ofH8432 the fireH784, asH834 youH859 haveH8085, and livedH2421? 34OrH176 has any godH430 triedH5254H935 to takeH3947 as his own a nationH1471 out ofH7130 another nationH1471—by trialsH4531, signsH226, wondersH4159, and warH4421, by a strongH2389 handH3027 and an outstretchedH5186 armH2220, and by greatH1419 terrorsH4172—asH3605 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 didH6213 for you in EgyptH4714, before your eyesH5869?

35YouH859 were shownH7200 these things so that you would knowH3045 thatH3588 the LORDH3068H1931 is GodH430; there is noH369 otherH5750 besides HimH905.

36He let you hearH8085 His voiceH6963 fromH4480 heavenH8064 to discipline youH3256, and onH5921 earthH776 He showedH7200 youH853 His greatH1419 fireH784, and you heardH8085 His wordsH1697 out ofH8432 the fireH784. 37BecauseH8478H3588 He lovedH157 your fathersH1, He choseH977 their descendantsH2233 after themH310 and brought youH3318 out of EgyptH4714 by His presenceH6440 and greatH1419 powerH3581, 38to drive outH3423 before youH4480H6440 nationsH1471 greaterH1419 and mightierH6099 than you, and to bring youH935 into their landH776 and give it to youH5414 for your inheritanceH5159, as it is thisH2088 dayH3117.

39Know thereforeH3045 this dayH3117 and takeH7725 toH413 heartH3824 thatH3588 the LORDH3068H1931 is GodH430 in heavenH8064 aboveH4605 and onH5921 the earthH776 belowH8478; there is noH369 otherH5750. 40KeepH8104 His statutesH2706 and commandmentsH4687, whichH834 IH595 am giving you todayH6680H3117, so thatH834 you and your childrenH1121 after youH310 may prosperH3190, and thatH4616 you may live longH748H3117 inH5921 the landH127 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you for allH3605 timeH3117.

Cities of Refuge

(Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 19:1–14; Joshua 20:1–9)

41ThenH227 MosesH4872 set asideH914 threeH7969 citiesH5892 acrossH5676 the JordanH3383 to the eastH4217H8121 42to whichH8033 a manslayerH7523 could fleeH5127 after killingH7523 his neighborH7453 unintentionallyH1097H1847H1931 withoutH3808 priorH8543H8032 maliceH8130.

To save one’s own lifeH2421, he could fleeH5127 toH413 oneH259 ofH4480 theseH411 citiesH5892: 43BezerH1221 in the wildernessH4057 on the plateauH4334H776 belonging to the ReubenitesH7206, RamothH7216 in GileadH1568 belonging to the GaditesH1425, or GolanH1474 in BashanH1316 belonging to the ManassitesH4520.

Introduction to the Law

44ThisH2063 is the lawH8451 thatH834 MosesH4872 setH7760 beforeH6440 the IsraelitesH1121H3478. 45TheseH428 are the testimoniesH5713, statutesH2706, and ordinancesH4941 thatH834 MosesH4872 proclaimedH1696 toH413 themH1121H3478 after they had come outH3318 of EgyptH4714, 46while they were in the valleyH1516 acrossH5676 the JordanH3383 facingH4136 Beth-peorH1047 in the landH776 of SihonH5511 kingH4428 of the AmoritesH567, whoH834 livedH3427 in HeshbonH2809 and was defeatedH5221 by MosesH4872 and the IsraelitesH1121H3478 after they had come outH3318 of EgyptH4714.

47They took possessionH3423 of the landH776 belonging to Sihon andH853 to OgH5747 kingH4428 of BashanH1316—the twoH8147 AmoriteH567 kingsH4428 acrossH5676 the JordanH3383 to the eastH4217H8121— 48extending from AroerH6177 onH5921 the rimH8193 of the ArnonH769 ValleyH5158 as far asH5704 MountH2022 SiyonH78655 (that isH1931, HermonH2768), 49including allH3605 the ArabahH6160 on the eastH4217 sideH5676 of the JordanH3383 and as far asH5704 the SeaH3220 of the ArabahH6160,6 belowH8478 the slopesH794 of PisgahH6449.