New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 4:20
20Remember that the Lord rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today.
Deuteronomy 4:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
- New International Version (NIV)But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day.
Context of Deuteronomy 4:20
18a small animal that scurries along the ground, or a fish in the deepest sea. 19And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth. Remember that the Lord rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today. 21“But the Lord was angry with me because of you. He vowed that I would not cross the Jordan River into the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession. 22You will cross the Jordan to occupy the land, but I will not. Instead, I will die here on the east side of the river.
Read all of Deuteronomy 4Deuteronomy 4:20 word by word
וְאֶתְכֶם֙ לָקַ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה וַיּוֹצִ֥א אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִכּ֥וּר הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם לִהְי֥וֹת ל֛וֹ לְעַ֥ם נַחֲלָ֖ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- you, and brought you forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- out of the ironבַּרְזֶלbarzel · ironH1270
- furnaceכּוּרkûr · furnaceH3564
- out of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- to be unto him a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- of inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 4:20
- 1 Kings 8:51for they are your people—your special possession—whom you brought out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt.
- Jeremiah 11:4For I said to your ancestors when I brought them out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt, “If you obey me and do whatever I command you, then you will be my people, and I will be your God.”
- Deuteronomy 9:26I prayed to the Lord and said, ‘O Sovereign Lord, do not destroy them. They are your own people. They are your special possession, whom you redeemed from Egypt by your mighty power and your strong hand.
- Deuteronomy 32:9“For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession.
- Exodus 19:5Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.
- Psalms 28:9Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession. Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever.
- Psalms 33:12What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.
- Psalms 135:4For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure.
- Isaiah 63:17Lord, why have you allowed us to turn from your path? Why have you given us stubborn hearts so we no longer fear you? Return and help us, for we are your servants, the tribes that are your special possession.
- Ephesians 1:18I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
- 1 Peter 2:9But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 4:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Out of the iron furnace - From this mention of the word iron furnace there can be little doubt that the Israelites were employed in Egypt in the most laborious works of metallurgy. Digging, smelting, and forging of iron in so hot a climate must have been oppressive work indeed.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20An iron-smelting furnace refines metal ores, separating pure metal from waste. Similarly, Israel's experiences in Egypt made the Israelites more spiritually and morally pure. the people of His inheritance: Israel was God's inheritance. As a result, the Israelites were ready to enter, conquer, and occupy the land (compare 1 Peter 2:9–12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace--that is, furnace for smelting iron. A furnace of this kind is round, sometimes thirty feet deep, and requiring the highest intensity of heat. Such is the tremendous image chosen to represent the bondage and affliction of the Israelites [Rosenmuller]. to be unto him a people of inheritance--His peculiar possession from age to age; and therefore for you to abandon His worship…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 4:20
In the dictionaries
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
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