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 has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? 8And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today? “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. 10Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’ 11“You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while flames from the mountain shot into the sky. The mountain was shrouded in 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 4:15“But be very careful! You did not see the Lord’s form on the day he spoke to you from the heart of the fire at Mount Sinai.
• Proverbs 3:1My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart.
• Proverbs 4:20My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words.
• Luke 8:18“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
• Hebrews 2:3So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?
• James 2:22You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.
• Joshua 1:18Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything you command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!”
• Psalms 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
• Proverbs 4:4My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.
• Proverbs 7:1Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands.
• Hebrews 2:1So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.
• Revelation 3:3Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
• Deuteronomy 6:7Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
• Deuteronomy 11:19Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
• Deuteronomy 29:29“The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.
• Deuteronomy 31:19“So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as 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