Deuteronomy Chapter 4
Moses Commands Israel to Obey
1 “Listen, Israel, to the statutes and case laws I’m teaching you so you can take over the land. 2 Don’t add to or take away from what I’m telling you. 3 You’ve seen what Yahveh did to you at Baal-peor: he destroyed everyone that followed Baal-peor. 4 But every one of you is alive today that held onto Yahveh your God. 5 I’ve taught you statutes and case laws like Yahveh commanded me so you’d do them in the land you’re entering. 6 Keep them; that’s your wisdom and understanding in front of the nations that will hear those statues and say, ‘This great nation has wisdom and understanding.’ 7 What great nation has a god as near it as Yahveh is when we call on him? 8 What great nation has statutes and case laws as good as this Law I’m setting in front of you today?
9 “Be careful not to forget what you’ve seen or let those memories ever leave your heart. Tell your sons and grandsons about them. 10 Think back to when you stood in front of Yahveh at Horeb/Sinai. He told me to gather you so you could hear what he was saying and learn to respect him all your lives and teach your children. 11 You stood at the foot of the mountain, and it burned as high as the sky—black clouds and dense darkness. 12 You heard him speak to you out of the fire, but you didn’t see any shape. 13 He declared the covenant to you, the Ten Commandments he wrote on two stone tablets. 14 He told me then to teach you statutes and case laws so you’d do them in the land.
Deut 4:1-14
Idolatry Forbidden
15 “Watch carefully 16 not to do something corrupt by making a carved image of anything male or female, 17 animal on land, bird in the sky, 18 fish in the water, or what crawls on the ground. 19 Don’t gaze at the sun, moon, and countless stars, and get drawn away into worshiping and serving what Yahveh your God has allotted to everyone under the sky. 20 He brought you out of the iron furnace (Egypt) to be his own people like you are now. [ 21 ] 22 I’ll die here, but you’ll cross over and take possession of the land. 23 Watch that you don’t forget his covenant and make a carved image of anything. He forbids it. 24 He’s a consuming fire, an exclusive God.
Deut 4:15-24
25 “Later on, if your descendants make an idol and anger Yahveh, 26 you’ll soon perish. I call earth and sky to witness against you today. You won’t live there very long. 27 He’ll scatter you among the nations, and there won’t be many of you where he drives you. 28 You’ll serve gods there made out of wood and stone, gods that can’t see, hear, eat, or smell. 29 But you’ll look to Yahveh your God from there, and you’ll find him if you look with all your heart and soul. 30 When you’re in distress and those things come on you later, you’ll come back to him. 31 He’s a merciful God. He won’t fail you, destroy you, or forget the covenant he swore with your ancestors.
Only the LORD Is God
32 “Indeed, ask about any earlier time since God created people. Ask about any other place from one end of the sky to the other. Has anything like this ever happened? Has anything like this ever been heard of? 33 Has any people heard God speak out of fire like you have, and lived? 34 Has any god taken a nation from inside another nation by trials, signs, and wonders; by warfare, a strong hand and outstretched arm; by great terrifying displays like Yahveh did for you in Egypt right in front of you? 35 Those things happened so you could know Yahveh is God. There’s no god but him. 36 From the sky he let you hear his voice to discipline you. On the earth he let you see his great fire and hear him speak out of it. 37 Because he loved your ancestors, he chose their descendants and brought you out of Egypt by his great power. 38 He’s driving out nations bigger and stronger than you, and giving you their land. 39 Take it to heart then that Yahveh is God in heaven above and on earth below. There isn’t any other. 40 Keep his statutes and commandments that I’m giving you. Then things will go well for you and your descendants, and you’ll live a long time in the land he’s giving you permanently.”
Deut 4:25-40
Cities of Refuge
41 Then Moses set aside three towns east of the Jordan 42 where a person who accidentally killed someone could flee to and live: 43 Bezar in the open country on the plateau for Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead for Gad, and Golan in Bashan for Manasseh.
44 That’s the Law Moses set in front of Israel— 45 the testimonies, statutes, and ordinances he gave them when they left Egypt. 46 He did that beyond the Jordan in the valley near Beth-peor in the land of 47 the two kings that ruled the Amorites east of the Jordan. 48 Their land stretched from Aroer on the edge of Arnon valley to Mount Sion (Hermon). 49 Their territories went all along the Arabah on the east side of the Jordan south to the Sea of Arabah at the foot of Pisgah.
Deut 4:41-49