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;
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.

Context of Deuteronomy 4:9

7What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? 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. 10Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.” 11You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.

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 4:15You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully,
• Proverbs 3:1My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
• Proverbs 4:20My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
• Luke 8:18Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”
• Hebrews 2:3how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
• James 2:22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
• Joshua 1:18Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”
• Psalms 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
• Proverbs 4:4Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.
• Proverbs 7:1My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
• Hebrews 2:1We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
• Revelation 3:3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
• Deuteronomy 6:7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
• Deuteronomy 11:19Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
• Deuteronomy 29:29The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
• Deuteronomy 31:19“Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.

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