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Deuteronomy Chapter
Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 4
This
chapter contains an exhortation to Israel to keep the commands
statutes
and
judgments of God
urged from the superior excellency of them to those of all
other nations
Deuteronomy 4:1
from the manner in which they were delivered
out of the midst of fire
by a
voice of words
but no similitude seen
Deuteronomy 4:9
and particularly the Israelites are cautioned against idolatry
from the
consideration of the goodness of God to them
in bringing them out of Egypt
Deuteronomy 4:16
and the rather Moses is urgent upon them to be diligent in their obedience to
the laws of God
because he should quickly be removed from them
Deuteronomy 4:21
and should they be disobedient to them
it would provoke the Lord to destroy
them
or to carry them captive into other lands
Deuteronomy 4:25
though even then
if they repented and sought the Lord
and became obedient
he
would be merciful to them
and not forsake them
Deuteronomy 4:29
and they are put in mind again of the amazing things God had done for them
in
speaking to them out of fire
and they alive; in bringing them out of another
nation
and driving out other nations to make room for them; all which he
improves
as so many arguments to move them to obedience to the divine
commands
Deuteronomy 4:32
and then notice is taken of the three cities of refuge
separated on this side
Jordan
Deuteronomy 4:41
and
the chapter is concluded with observing
that this is the law
and these the
testimonies
Moses declared and repeated to the children of Israel in the
country of Sihon and Og
who were delivered into their hands
and their lands
possessed by them
which laid them under fresh obligations to yield obedience
to God
Deuteronomy 4:44.
Deuteronomy 4:1 “Now
O Israel
listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe
that you
may live
and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you.
YLT
1`And now
Israel
hearken
unto the statutes
and unto the judgments which I am teaching you to do
so
that ye live
and have gone in
and possessed the land which Jehovah God of
your fathers is giving to you.
Now therefore hearken
O Israel
unto the statutes and unto the
judgments
.... The laws of God
moral
ceremonial
and judicial
which they
are exhorted to attend to and obey
in consideration of the great and good
things the Lord had done for them
ever since they came from Horeb
where they
were given them; such as providing for them
and feeding them in the
wilderness
preserving them from every hurtful thing
and delivering their
enemies into their hands
the two kings of the Amorites
which they are put in
mind of in the preceding chapters; hence this begins with "therefore
hearken"; for nothing is a greater incentive to obedience than the
kindness and goodness of God:
which I teach you for to do that ye may live; the law was
taught by Moses
but the Gospel of grace and truth by Jesus Christ; and it was
taught by him
as well as it was to be hearkened to by them
in order to yield
obedience to it; for not bare hearing
but doing the law
is the principal
thing of any avail; and which was to be done
that they might live; not a spiritual
and eternal life
which are not by the works of the law
but are had only from
Christ
through his grace and righteousness; but a corporeal life
and a
comfortable enjoyment of the blessings of it
and particularly that that might
be continued to them:
and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers
giveth you; the land of Canaan
which the Lord God of Abraham
Isaac
and
Jacob
had promised to give to their posterity
and which they were to hold by
their obedience to his laws.
Deuteronomy 4:2 2 You
shall not add to the word which I command you
nor take from it
that you may
keep the commandments of the Lord your God
which I command you.
YLT
2Ye do not add to the word
which I am commanding you
nor diminish from it
to keep the commands of
Jehovah your God which I am commanding you.
Ye shall not add to the word which I command you
nether shall you
diminish ought from it
.... Neither make new laws of their own
and join them to the law
of God
and set them upon a level with it
or prefer them before it; as the
Scribes and Pharisees did in Christ's time
who by their traditions made the
word of God of none effect
as do the Papists also by their unwritten
traditions; nor abrogate nor detract from the law of God
nor make void any
part of it: or else the sense is
neither do that which is forbidden
nor
neglect that which is commanded; neither be guilty of sins of omission nor
commission
nor in any way break the law of God
and teach men so to do by word
or by example; not a jot or tittle is either to be put to it
or taken from it
Proverbs 30:5.
that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God
which I
command you; in his name; or which he delivered unto them as his
commandments
and which were to be kept just as they were delivered
without
adding to them
or taking from them.
Deuteronomy 4:3 3 Your
eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal
of Peor.
YLT
3`Your eyes are seeing that
which Jehovah hath done in Baal-Peor
for every man who hath gone after
Baal-Peor
Jehovah thy God hath destroyed him from thy midst;
Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baalpeor
.... Because
of the idolatry the people of Israel fell into by worshipping that idol
being
drawn into it by the daughters of Moab and Midian
through the counsel of
Balaam
with whom they committed fornication; which led them to the other sin
and both highly provoking to God. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan
are
"what the Word of the Lord has done to the worshippers of the idol
Peor;"
for all the men that followed Baalpeor
the Lord thy God hath
destroyed them from among you; 24
000 persons died on that account; which
being a recent thing
fresh in memory
and what they were eyewitnesses of
was
a caution to them to avoid the same sins
as it is to us on whom the ends of
the world are come
Numbers 23:9.
Deuteronomy 4:4 4 But
you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today
every one of you.
YLT
4and ye who are cleaving to
Jehovah your God
[are] alive
all of you
to-day.
But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God
.... To the
worship of the Lord your God
as the Targum of Jonathan; attended the service
of the sanctuary
were observant of the laws of God
and walked in his statutes
and judgments; did not apostatize from him by idolatry or otherwise
but kept
close unto him
and followed him fully:
are alive everyone of you this day; which is very
remarkable
that in such a vast number of people not one should die in such a
space of time
it being several months since that affair happened; and besides
in that time there was a war with the Midianites
and yet not one person died in
that war
nor as it seems by this account by any disease or disaster whatever;
see Numbers 31:49.
Deuteronomy 4:5 5 “Surely
I have taught you statutes and judgments
just as the Lord my God commanded me
that you should act according to them
in the land which you go to possess.
YLT
5`See
I have taught you
statutes and judgments
as Jehovah my God hath commanded me -- to do so
in the
midst of the land whither ye are going in to possess it;
Behold
I have taught you statutes and judgments
even as the Lord
my God commanded me
.... He had faithfully delivered them
without adding them
or
diminishing from them
and had diligently instructed the Israelites in them
had taken pains to lead them into a thorough knowledge and understanding them:
that ye should do so in the land whither ye go possess it; do in like
manner as the commandments the Lord direct to; or that which is rightF5כן "rectum". ; proper and fitting to be done
by
doing which they continue in the land they were about to possess
therefore
when in it were to be careful to them; some of them could not be done till they
came into it
and all were to be done in it.
Deuteronomy 4:6 6 Therefore
be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your
understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes
and
say
‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
YLT
6and ye have kept and done
[them] (for it [is] your wisdom and your understanding) before the eyes of the
peoples who hear all these statutes
and they have said
Only
a people wise
and understanding [is] this great nation.
Keep therefore and do them
..... Observe them
take
notice of what is expressed by them
and perform them
both as to matter and
manner
as they require:
for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the
nations; that is
their wisdom and understanding would appear to other
nations by their observance of the commands of God:
which hear all these statutes; which they had a report
got knowledge of by some of the philosophers who travelled into those parts
and by the translation of the Bible into the Greek language:
and say
surely this great nation is a wise and understanding
people; that had such a body of laws
in which they were instructed
and
according to which they were governed
and in which they walked; that were so
agreeable to reason
truth
justice
and equity; insomuch that so far as they
became known they were admired and copied after
both by Greeks and Romans; and
hence it was that the oracleF6Apud Porphyr. in Euseb Evangel.
Praepar. l. 9. c. 10. p. 413. declared
that only the Chaldeans and Hebrews
were a wise people; the Hebrews came from Chaldea
as Abraham the father of
them.
Deuteronomy 4:7 7 “For
what great nation is there that has God so near to it
as the Lord our God is to us
for whatever reason we may call
upon Him?
YLT
7`For which [is] the great
nation that hath God near unto it
as Jehovah our God
in all we have called
unto him?
Not
so much for their number
for they were the fewest of all people; nor for the
largeness of their territories
for the land they were going to possess was but
a small country; nor for their wealth and riches
and warlike exploits
though
they were not contemptible in either; but for their happy constitution in
church and state
being directed and governed in both by laws which came
immediately from God himself; for their knowledge of divine things
and for
spiritual blessings and privileges they were favoured with
of which a special
instance is given:
who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is
in all
things that we call upon him for? God was nigh unto them
in respect of relation
being their covenant God and Father
and they his sons
and daughters
to whom the adoption belonged; and with respect to place and
presence
his tabernacle being in the midst of them
the seat of his Shechinah
or divine Majesty
being in the most holy place
between the cherubim over the
mercy seat; and he going before them in the pillar of cloud by day
and in the
pillar of fire by night
and who might be applied unto at all times for
whatsoever they stood in need of; and who was always near unto them
to give
them advice and counsel
help and assistance; to hear their prayers
and
communicate unto them things temporal and spiritual they stood in need of: and
so the Lord is nigh to all that call upon him in faith
with fervency
and in
sincerity and truth; and herein the glory and greatness of a people
as of
Israel
lies
in being nearly related to God
a people near unto him
both as
to union and communion; and in having a communication of good things from him.
God is both a God at hand and afar off
Jeremiah 23:23.
Deuteronomy 4:8 8 And
what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous
judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
YLT
8and which [is] the great
nation which hath righteous statutes and judgments according to all this law
which I am setting before you to-day?
And what nation is there so great
that hath statutes and
judgments so righteous
.... Founded in justice and equity
and so agreeable to right
reason
and so well calculated and adapted to lead persons in the ways of
righteousness and truth
and keep them from doing any injury to each other's
persons and properties
and to maintain good order
peace
and concord among
them:
as all this law which I set before you this day? which he then
repeated
afresh declared
explained and instructed them in; for otherwise it
had been delivered to them near forty years ago. Now there was not any nation
then in being
nor any since
to be compared with the nation of the Jews
for
the wise and wholesome laws given unto them; no
not the more cultivated and
civilized nations
as the Grecians and Romans
who had the advantage of such
wise lawgivers as they were accounted
as Solon
Lycurgus
Numa
and others;
and indeed the best laws that they had seem to be borrowed from the Jews.
Deuteronomy 4:9 9 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
YLT
9`Only
take heed to
thyself
and watch thy soul exceedingly
lest thou forget the things which
thine eyes have seen
and lest they turn aside from thy heart
all days of thy
life; and thou hast made them known to thy sons
and to thy sons' sons.
Only take heed to thyself
.... To walk according to
this law
and not swerve from it:
and keep thy soul diligently; from the transgressions
and breaches of it:
lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen; either the
statutes and judgments set before them
and the circumstances of the delivery
of them; or the punishment inflicted on the breakers of them; or the favours
bestowed on those that observed them:
and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; out of thy
mind and memory
and have no place in thy affections
through a neglect and
disuse of them:
but teach them thy sons
and thy sons' sons; their
children and grandchildren
that they may be trained up in them in their youth
and so not depart from them when grown up
and in years; see Deuteronomy 6:7.
Deuteronomy 4:10 10 especially
concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God
in Horeb
when the Lord said to me
‘Gather the people
to Me
and I will let them hear My words
that they may learn to fear Me all
the days they live on the earth
and that they may teach their
children.’
YLT
10`The day when thou hast
stood before Jehovah thy God in Horeb -- in Jehovah's saying unto me
Assemble
to Me the people
and I cause them to hear My words
so that they learn to fear
Me all the days that they are alive on the ground
and their sons they teach;
--
Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord in Horeb
.... Above all
things Moses would have them take care not to forget the day the law was given
from Mount Sinai
which was so awful and solemn
when they saw the fire
the
smoke
the lightning
and heard the thunder and the sound of the trumpet; all
which were very shocking and terrifying: and though the men of this generation
were but young then
being under twenty years of age
yet many of them were old
enough to observe these things
and which one would think should never wear out
of their minds:
when the Lord said unto me
gather me the people together; not the
elders of the people only
but the whole body of the people
as he did
and
brought them to the foot of Mount Sinai
Exodus 19:17
and I will make them hear my words; the ten commands which
were spoken by the Lord himself aloud
with an articulate voice
in the hearing
of all the people; and was such a terrible voice of words
that they that heard
it entreated it might be spoken to them no more
Hebrews 12:19.
that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live
upon the earth; to reverence him the lawgiver
who is able to save and to
destroy; to fear to offend him by breaking his laws
so holy
just
and good
and delivered in such an awful and solemn manner:
and that they may teach their children; the words
they had heard
teach them obedience to them
and to be careful not to act
contrary to them; since that would bring down judgments upon them
and deprive
them of the favour they enjoyed
of which they had seen instances.
Deuteronomy 4:11 11 “Then
you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain
and the mountain burned
with fire to the midst of heaven
with darkness
cloud
and thick darkness.
YLT
11and ye draw near and stand
under the mountain
and the mountain is burning with fire unto the heart of the
heavens -- darkness
cloud
yea
thick darkness:
And ye came near and stood under the mountain
.... At the
foot of it
in the lower part of the mountain
as the Targum of Jonathan
and
agrees with Exodus 19:17.
and the mountain burnt with fire unto the midst of heaven; the flame and
smoke went up into the middle of the air: with darkness
clouds
and thick
darkness; which thick darkness was occasioned partly by the smoke
which went
up like the smoke of a furnace
and partly by the thick clouds
which were on
the mount
and covered the face of the heavens
which were black and
tempestuous with them; the Septuagint renders it a "tempest"
Exodus 19:18
which
denotes the obscurity of the law
and the terrors it works in the minds of men.
Deuteronomy 4:12 12 And
the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of
the words
but saw no form; you only heard a voice.
YLT
12`And Jehovah speaketh unto
you out of the midst of the fire; a voice of words ye are hearing and a
similitude ye are not seeing
only a voice;
And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire
.... For the
Lord descended on Mount Sinai in a cloud
in fire
and was in the thick
darkness
from whence he delivered out the ten commands:
ye heard the voice of the words; distinctly and plainly
not only the sound of them
but the words themselves
and so as to understand
what was meant by them:
but saw no similitude; not any likeness of the
person speaking
by which they could form any idea of him in their minds
which
was purposely done to prevent idolatry:
only ye heard a voice; that was all.
Deuteronomy 4:13 13 So
He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform
the Ten
Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.
YLT
13and He declareth to you His
covenant
which He hath commanded you to do
the Ten Matters
and He writeth
them upon two tables of stone.
And he declared unto you his covenant
.... So the
law was called
because it contained
on the part of God
things which he would
have done or avoided
to which were annexed promises of long life and happiness
in the land he gave them; and they
on their part
agreed to hearken to it
and
obey it
Exodus 24:3
which he commanded you to perform
even ten commandments; which see at
large in Exodus 20:1
and in
this book afterwards repeated
Deuteronomy 5:6
and he wrote them upon two tables of stone; to denote the
durableness of them; the Targum of Jonathan says on tables of sapphire; but it
is most likely that they were written on tables of marble
since there were
great quantities of it in Mount Sinai; See Gill on Exodus 31:18.
Deuteronomy 4:14 14 And
the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments
that
you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess.
YLT
14`And me hath Jehovah
commanded at that time to teach you statutes and judgments
for your doing them
in the land whither ye are passing over to possess it;
And the Lord commanded me at that time
.... When the
ten commandments were delivered on Mount Sinai
and Moses was ordered to come
up to God in the mount:
to teach you statutes and judgments; laws ceremonial and
judicial
besides the ten commands given them:
that ye may do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it; the land of
Canaan
which was on the other side of Jordan
and over which they must go in
order to possess it; and when they came there
they were to hold the possession
of it by attending to those laws which forbad the sins for which the old
inhabitants of it were expelled out of it; and besides these
there were also
several laws
both ceremonial and judicial
which were to be peculiarly
observed in the land
as well as others they were obliged to do while without
it.
Deuteronomy 4:15 15 “Take
careful heed to yourselves
for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire
YLT
15and ye have been very
watchful of your souls
for ye have not seen any similitude in the day of
Jehovah's speaking unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire
Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves
.... As to keep
all the laws given them
so particularly to avoid idolatry:
for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day the Lord spake unto
you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire; and therefore
as they
had nothing that directed and led them
so they had nothing that could be a
temptation to them
to make any form or likeness
and worship it.
Deuteronomy 4:16 16 lest
you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any
figure: the likeness of male or female
YLT
16lest ye do corruptly
and
have made to you a graven image
a similitude of any figure
a form of male or
female –
Lest ye corrupt yourselves
.... And not themselves
only
but the word and worship of God
by idolatry
than which nothing is more
corrupting and defiling
nor more abominable to God:
and make you a graven image
the similitude of any figure; a graven
image
in the likeness of any figure
an idea of which they had formed in their
minds:
the likeness of male or female; of a man or a woman; so
some of the Heathen deities were in the likeness of men
as Jupiter
Mars
Hercules
Apollo
&c. and others in the likeness of women
as Juno
Diana
Venus
&c. Some think Osiris and Isis
Egyptian deities
the one male
the
other female
are respected; but it is not certain that these were worshipped
by them so early.
Deuteronomy 4:17 17 the
likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any
winged bird that flies in the air
YLT
17a form of any beast which
[is] in the earth -- a form of any winged bird which flieth in the heavens –
The likeness of any beast that is on the earth
.... As there
are scarce any but the likeness of them has been made and worshipped
or the
creatures themselves
as the ox by the Egyptians
the sheep by the Thebans
the
goat by the Mendesians
and others by different people:
the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air; as the hawk
and the bird called Ibis
and another by the name of Cneph by the Egyptians
and the eagle by others.
Deuteronomy 4:18 18 the
likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that
is in the water beneath the earth.
YLT
18a form of any creeping
thing on the ground -- a form of any fish which [is] in the waters under the
earth;
The likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground
.... As
serpents by many; and indeed that creature is introduced into almost all the
idolatries of the Heathens
which seems to take its rise from the serpent Satan
made use of to deceive our first parents:
the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth; as the
crocodile and hippopotamus
or river horse
by the Egyptians; and Dagon and
Derceto
supposed to be figures in the form of a fish
among the Phoenicians.
Deuteronomy 4:19 19 And
take heed
lest you lift your eyes to heaven
and when you see
the sun
the moon
and the stars
all the host of heaven
you feel driven to
worship them and serve them
which the Lord your God
has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.
YLT
19`And lest thou lift up
thine eyes towards the heavens
and hast seen the sun
and the moon
and the
stars
all the host of the heavens
and thou hast been forced
and hast bowed
thyself to them
and served them
which Jehovah thy God hath apportioned to all
the peoples under the whole heavens.
And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven
.... The
starry heaven
which to do in itself is not sinful; and may be lawfully and
commendably done
to raise admiration at the wonderful works of God in them
and lead to adore the author of them: but if not guarded against may be
ensnaring:
and when thou seest the sun and the moon
and the stars
even
all the host of heaven; those bright luminaries
so glorious to behold
and so useful
and beneficial to the earth
and the inhabitants of it:
shouldest be driven to worship them
and serve them; should have
an impulse on their minds and their hearts
be inclined and drawn to the
worship of them
partly by considering their splendour
glory
and usefulness
and partly by the example of others; for the worshipping of these seems to be
and is the first kind of idolatry men gave into
at least it was very ancient;
see Job 31:26
which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the
whole heaven; the sun and the moon by their constant revolutions visit all the
parts of the world
and stars are fixed in both hemispheres
so that all
nations of the earth receive the benefit and advantage of all these heavenly
bodies; but were never designed to be the objects of their worship
as might be
learnt from their being divided to them
sometimes one part of the earth
enjoying them
and then another
and not present with them all at one and the
same time
which
if deities
would have been necessary; see Psalm 19:6.
Deuteronomy 4:20 20 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.
YLT
20`And you hath Jehovah
taken
and He is bringing you out from the iron furnace
from Egypt
to be to
Him for a people -- an inheritance
as [at] this day.
But the Lord hath taken you
and brought you forth out of the iron
furnace
.... The allusion is to the trying and melting of metals
and
fleeing them from dross
by putting them into furnaces strongly heated
some of
which are of earth
others of iron; the word
as the Jewish writersF7Maimon.
& Bartenora in Misn. Celim. c. 8. sect. 9. & Jarchi in loc. observe
signifies such an one in which gold and silver and other things are melted; see
Psalm 12:6 even
"out of Egypt"; which is here compared to an iron furnace
because of
the cruelty with which the Israelites were used in it
the hardships they were
put under
and the misery and bondage they were kept in; but out of all the
Lord brought them
as he does all his people sooner or later out of their
afflictions
sometimes called the furnace of affliction
Isaiah 48:10 where
their graces are tried
and they are purged
purified
and refined from their
dross and tin. This the Lord did to Israel
he brought them out of their
distressed state and condition:
to be unto him a people of inheritance
as ye are this day: to be the
Lord's inheritance
as they now were
Deuteronomy 32:9 as
well as they were quickly to inherit the land of Canaan
for which they were
brought out of the land of Egypt; and indeed they were already
even that day
entered on their inheritance
the kingdom of the Amorites being delivered into
their hands.
Deuteronomy 4:21 21 Furthermore
the Lord was angry with me for your sakes
and swore that I would not cross
over the Jordan
and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
YLT
21`And Jehovah hath shewed
himself wroth with me because of your words
and sweareth to my not passing
over the Jordan
and to my not going in unto the good land which Jehovah thy
God is giving to thee -- an inheritance;
Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes
.... See Deuteronomy 3:26
and sware that I should not go over Jordan; this
circumstance of swearing is nowhere else expressed:
and that I should not go in unto that good land; the land of
Canaan; he might see it
as he did from Pisgah
but not enter into it:
which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance; to them and
to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:22 22 But
I must die in this land
I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross
over and possess that good land.
YLT
22for I am dying in this
land; I am not passing over the Jordan
and ye are passing over
and have
possessed this good land.
But I must die in this land
.... The land of Moab
in
a mountain in it he died
and in a valley there he was buried
Deuteronomy 32:50
I must not go over Jordan; this he repeats
as lying
near his heart; he had earnestly solicited to go over
but was denied it:
but ye shall go over
and possess that good land; this he
firmly believed and assures them of
relying on the promise and faithfulness of
God.
Deuteronomy 4:23 23 Take
heed to yourselves
lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you
and make for yourselves a carved image
in the form of anything which the Lord your God
has forbidden you.
YLT
23`Take heed to yourselves
lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God
which He hath made with you
and have made to yourselves a graven image
a similitude of anything [concerning]
which Jehovah thy God hath charged thee:
Take heed unto yourselves
.... Since he should not
be long with them
to advise
instruct
and caution them:
lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God
which he made
with you; what that required of them
and what was promised unto them on the
performance of it
and what they must expect should they break it
and
particularly be so forgetful of it
and the first articles in it
as follows:
and make you a graven image
or the likeness of anything which the
Lord thy God hath forbidden thee; a graven image in the
likeness of men or women
of any beast on the earth
or fowl in heaven
or fish
in the sea.
Deuteronomy 4:24 24 For
the Lord your God is a consuming fire
a jealous God.
YLT
24for Jehovah thy God is a
fire consuming -- a zealous God.
For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire
.... To his
enemies; his wrath is like fire to burn up and destroy all that oppose him and
break his commands
and especially idolaters; whose sin of all others is the
most provoking to him
since it strikes at his being
his honour and glory;
wherefore it follows:
even a jealous God; who is jealous of his honour in matters of
worship
and will not suffer his glory to be given to another
nor his praise
to graven images
without resenting it or punishing for it.
Deuteronomy 4:25 25 “When
you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land
and act
corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything
and do evil in the
sight of the Lord your God to provoke Him to anger
YLT
25`When thou begettest sons
and sons' sons
and ye have become old in the land
and have done corruptly
and have made a graven image
a similitude of anything
and have done the evil
thing in the eyes of Jehovah
to provoke Him to anger: --
When thou shall beget children
and children's children
.... Children
and grandchildren
and several ages and generations have passed:
and shalt have remained long in the land; many years
and even ages
or have grown oldF8נושנ־תאם
"inveteraveritis"
Montanus: "veteres facti fueritis"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "senueritis"
Vatablus. in it: now
they were in their infancy
and as such they were about to enter into it;
during the times of the judges
they were in their childhood
or youth; in the
times of David and Solomon
they were in their manhood; after that
in their
decline; and in the times of Jeconiah and his brethren in their old age
when
for their sins they were carried captive:
and shall corrupt yourselves
and make a graven image
or the
likeness of anything; See Gill on Deuteronomy 25:16.
and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God
to provoke him
to anger; that sin of idolatry
that God provoking sin
is chiefly
intended.
Deuteronomy 4:26 26 I
call heaven and earth to witness against you this day
that you will soon
utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you
will not prolong your days in it
but will be utterly destroyed.
YLT
26I have caused to testify
against you this day the heavens and the earth
that ye do perish utterly
hastily from off the land whither ye are passing over the Jordan to possess it;
ye do not prolong days upon it
but are utterly destroyed;
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day
.... Should
they be guilty of such a sin
since they were so strongly and publicly
cautioned against it; and even the heaven and the earth were called upon as
witnesses of the law being set before them
which so expressly forbids it
Deuteronomy 30:19.
that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you
go over Jordan to possess it; though they were now about to go over
Jordan and inherit the land of Canaan
yet they would not enjoy it long
but be
taken and carried captive out of it; as the ten tribes were by Shalmaneser king
of Assyria
and the two tribes by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
and both for
their idolatry and other crimes.
Deuteronomy 4:27 27 And
the Lord will scatter you among the peoples
and you will be left few in
number among the nations where the Lord will drive
you.
YLT
27and Jehovah hath scattered
you among the peoples
and ye have been left few in number among the nations
whither Jehovah leadeth you
And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations
.... As they
were by both captivities; the ten tribes were dispersed among the cities of the
Medes
and the two tribes throughout the empire of Babylon:
and ye shall be left few in number among the Heathen
whither the
Lord shall lead you; or be "men of number"F9מתי
מספר "viri numeri"
Montanus
Drusius.
so
few that they might be easily numbered; which intimates that it should be other
wise with them than when in Egypt; there they were multiplied and increased the
more they were afflicted
but in these captivities they should be greatly
diminished.
Deuteronomy 4:28 28 And
there you will serve gods
the work of men’s hands
wood and stone
which
neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
YLT
28and ye have served there
gods
work of man's hands
wood and stone
which see not
nor hear
nor eat
nor smell.
And there ye shall serve gods
the work of men's hands
wood and
stone
.... Idols made by men
cut out of wood and stone; these they
should be enticed into the service of
or compelled to serve; which was still
more brutish and stupid than to worship the sun
moon
and stars
which were
not the works of men's hand
but the glorious works of the eternal God. But
since in their captivities they were not subject to idolatry
but were cured of
it thereby
another sense of the words is given by some
as by Onkelos and
Jonathan
who paraphrase the words of serving the people
that serve idols; but
what follows confirms the first sense:
which neither see
nor hear
nor taste
nor smell; senseless
things
which have none of the senses of seeing
hearing
and smelling
nor the
faculty of eating
which they need not to support life
of which they are
destitute; and therefore it must be monstrous stupidity to worship such
lifeless
senseless
objects; see Psalm 115:4.
Deuteronomy 4:29 29 But
from there you will seek the Lord your God
and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all
your soul.
YLT
29`And -- ye have sought from
thence Jehovah thy God
and hast found
when thou seekest Him with all thy
heart
and with all thy soul
But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God
.... By prayer
and supplication
acknowledging and confessing sin
and desiring that God would
be gracious and forgive it
and bring them out of their miserable condition;
even if out of those depths of affliction and distress
and though scattered
about in the world
and in the uttermost parts of it:
thou shalt find him; to be a God hearing and
answering prayer
gracious and merciful
ready to help and deliver:
if they seek him with all their heart and with all their soul; sincerely and
affectionately.
Deuteronomy 4:30 30 When
you are in distress
and all these things come upon you in the latter days
when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice
YLT
30in distress [being] to
thee
and all these things have found thee
in the latter end of the days
and
thou hast turned back unto Jehovah thy God
and hast hearkened to His voice;
When thou art in tribulation
.... In a strange land
in the power of a foreign enemy
and used ill:
and all these things are come upon thee; captivity
thraldom
hard labour
and want of the necessaries of life:
even in the latter
days: in their present captivity for the rejection of the Messiah:
if thou turn to the Lord thy God; as the Jews will when
they are converted and brought to a sense of their sin
and of their need of
Christ
and seek to him as their Saviour
as they will do in the latter day
Hosea 3:5.
and shall be obedient unto his voice; not of the
law only
but of the Gospel also
proclaiming peace
pardon
righteousness
and
salvation by him whom they have pierced.
Deuteronomy 4:31 31 (for
the Lord your God is a merciful God)
He will not forsake you nor
destroy you
nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.
YLT
31for a merciful God [is]
Jehovah thy God; He doth not fail thee
nor destroy thee
nor forget the
covenant of thy fathers
which He hath sworn to them.
For the Lord thy God is a merciful God
.... In
Christ
in whom he has proclaimed his name as such
of which Moses had a
comfortable view
Exodus 34:6 and
therefore could attest it from his own knowledge and experience:
he will not forsake thee; though in a strange
country
but bring them from thence into their own land again
and favour them
with his gracious presence in his house and ordinances:
neither destroy thee; from being a people; and
in a very wonderful manner are they preserved among the nations of the earth to
this day:
nor forget the covenant of thy fathers
which he sware unto them; that a
Saviour should come and turn away ungodliness from them
and take away their
sins; see Romans 11:26.
Deuteronomy 4:32 32 “For
ask now concerning the days that are past
which were before you
since the day
that God created man on the earth
and ask from one end of heaven to the
other
whether any great thing like this has happened
or anything
like it has been heard.
YLT
32`For
ask
I pray thee
at
the former days which have been before thee
from the day that God prepared man
on the earth
and from the [one] end of the heavens even unto the [other] end
of the heavens
whether there hath been as this great thing -- or hath been
heard like it?
For ask now of the days that are past
which were before thee
.... Inquire
into and consult the annals of former times
of ages past:
since the day that God created man upon the earth; trace them
quite up to the creation of the world
and men in it:
and ask from the one side of heaven to the other; traverse the
whole globe
and examine the records of every nation in it in both hemispheres:
whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing
is
or hath been heard like it? whether they can give any account of
anything seen
heard
or done like what follows; suggesting that they cannot
furnish out an instance to be mentioned with it.
Deuteronomy 4:33 33 Did
any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst
of the fire
as you have heard
and live?
YLT
33Hath a people heard the
voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire
as thou hast heard
thou --
and doth live?
Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the
midst of fire
.... None ever heard the voice of God as they did
much less
speaking such words as they heard
and still less out of the midst of fire
which was their case
Deuteronomy 4:12.
as thou hast heard
and live? which was stranger
still
when they might have expected they should
and doubtless feared they
would be
as it was wonderful they were not
consumed by it.
Deuteronomy 4:34 34 Or
did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the
midst of another nation
by trials
by signs
by wonders
by war
by a
mighty hand and an outstretched arm
and by great terrors
according to all
that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
YLT
34Or hath God tried to go in
to take to Himself
a nation from the midst of a nation
by trials
by signs
and by wonders
and by war
and by a strong hand
and by a stretched-out arm
and by great terrors -- according to all that Jehovah your God hath done to
you
in Egypt
before your eyes?
Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of
another nation
.... As he now had done
namely
the nation of Israel out of the
nation of the Egyptians; this he not only had assayed to do
but had actually
done it; whereas no such instance like it could be produced
and especially as
done in the manner this was:
by temptations
by signs
and by wonders
and by war; the word
"temptations" may be considered as a general word
as Aben Ezra
thinks
and may signify the temptations by signs
&c. or the various essays
and trials
ways
means
and methods taken by the Lord to bring about the
event; by "signs" may be meant those which were required of Moses
and done by him before the people of Israel
and before Pharaoh
as proofs of
his mission from the Lord
Exodus 4:1 and by
"wonders"
the ten plagues of Egypt
which were done by a
supernatural and miraculous operation
and were amazing things; see Psalm 78:11; and by
"war"
either the slaying of the firstborn
with the destruction of
the judges and gods of Egypt
as Aben Ezra; or the Lord's fighting for Israel
at the Red sea
as Jarchi; he saved them and destroyed the Egyptians
and
showed himself to be a man of war
Exodus 14:14.
and by a mighty hand and stretched out arm; phrases
frequently used when this affair is spoken of
and are expressive of the mighty
power of God in the above instances
and in the issue of them
bringing Israel
out of Egypt; though Aben Ezra interprets it of the pillar of fire and cloud in
which the Lord went before them:
and by great terrors; which the same writer
interprets of the drowning of Pharaoh and his host in the sea
and dividing it
for Israel; but may be understood not only of the terrors which possessed him
and his people then
but at other times
especially at the time of the thunder
and lightning
and when they sat in thick darkness
and particularly when all
their firstborn were slain; see Deuteronomy 26:8
according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt
before your eyes; among the men of Egypt
as the above writer
Pharaoh and his
courtiers: the above things were done as before them for their terror
so
before Israel for their encouragement.
Deuteronomy 4:35 35 To
you it was shown
that you might know that the Lord Himself is
God; there is none other besides Him.
YLT
35Thou
thou hast been shewn
[it]
to know that Jehovah He [is] God; there is none else besides Him.
Unto thee it was showed
.... What the Lord did in
Egypt:
that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God
there
is none else besides him; that he is the one only living and true
God
and there is no other: this phrase is often used by the Prophet Isaiah
to
express the same great article of faith.
Deuteronomy 4:36 36 Out
of heaven He let you hear His voice
that He might instruct you; on earth He
showed you His great fire
and you heard His words out of the midst of the
fire.
YLT
36`From the heavens He hath
caused thee to hear His voice
to instruct thee
and on earth He hath shewed
thee His great fire
and His words thou hast heard out of the midst of the
fire.
Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice
that he might
instruct thee
.... Thunder is the voice of God
and by which he instructs men
in the greatness of his power
Job 26:14
&c.
unless his voice in giving the law
which was for the instruction of Israel
is
meant; for that was heard on earth
on Mount Sinai
to which the following
refers:
and upon earth he showed thee his great fire; on Mount
Sinai
which burned with it:
and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire; the ten
commands
and therefore may well be called
a fiery law; see Deuteronomy 4:12.
Deuteronomy 4:37 37 And
because He loved your fathers
therefore He chose their descendants after them;
and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence
with His mighty power
YLT
37`And because that He hath
loved thy fathers
He doth also fix on their seed after them
and doth bring
thee out
in His presence
by His great power
from Egypt:
And because he loved thy fathers
.... Not their immediate
fathers
whose carcasses fell in the wilderness
and entered not into the good
land because of their unbelief
but their more remote fathers or ancestors
Abraham
Isaac
and Jacob
who had some singular testimonies of the love of God
to them
Abraham is called their friend of God
and Isaac was the son of
promise in whom the seed was called; and Jacob is particularly said to be loved
by God
when Esau was hated:
therefore he chose their seed after them; not to
eternal life and salvation
but to the enjoyment of external blessings and
privileges
to be called by his name
and to set up his name and worship among
them
and to be a special people to him above all people on the earth
as to
outward favours
both civil and ecclesiastical:
and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of
Egypt; which was done not only in the sight of the Egyptians openly
they not daring to hinder them
as the wonders wrought to oblige them to let
them go out
done in the sight of the Israelites as before observed
but in the
sight of God
he going before them in the pillar of cloud and fire
smiling
upon them the Israelites
and looking with a frown upon the host of the Egyptians
and conducting the people by the angel of his presence.
Deuteronomy 4:38 38 driving
out from before you nations greater and mightier than you
to bring you in
to
give you their land as an inheritance
as it is this day.
YLT
38to dispossess nations
greater and stronger than thou
from thy presence
to bring thee in to give to
thee their land -- an inheritance
as [at] this day.
To drive out nations from before thee
greater and mightier than
thou art
.... The seven nations of the land of Canaan
which were more in
number and mightier in power and strength than they
and particularly the
Amorites
who were already driven out and dispossessed of their country
even
the kingdoms and nations of Sihon and Og:
to bring thee in to give thee their land for an inheritance
as it
is this day; referring
as Aben Ezra observes
to the inheritance of the land
of the two kings of the Amorites
which the tribes of Reuben and Gad
and the
half tribe of Manasseh
were put into the possession of already.
Deuteronomy 4:39 39 Therefore
know this day
and consider it in your heart
that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there
is no other.
YLT
39`And thou hast known
to-day
and hast turned [it] back unto thy heart
that Jehovah He [is] God
in
the heavens above
and on the earth beneath -- there is none else;
Know therefore this day
and consider it in thine heart
.... Own and
acknowledge it now with thy mouth
and lay it up and consider it in thine heart
hereafter
as a truth of the greatest importance to be professed and held fast
and to be thought of and meditated upon continually
and never to be forgotten:
that the Lord he is God in heaven above
and upon the
earth beneath; that he has made both
and is the possessor and Lord of them
and does what he pleases with them; that the one is his throne
his dwelling
place
and the other his footstool; and that the inhabitants of both are his
creatures
and under his authority and command
and he can dispose of them as
he pleases:
there is none else; no God in
heaven or in earth beside him.
Deuteronomy 4:40 40 You
shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you
today
that it may go well with you and with your children after you
and that
you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”
YLT
40and thou hast kept His
statutes and His commands which I am commanding thee to-day
so that it is well
to thee
and to thy sons after thee
and so that thou prolongest days on the
ground which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee -- all the days.'
Thou shall keep therefore his statutes
and his commandments
.... All his
laws
moral
ceremonial
and judicial
partly being under obligation to him for
all the great and good things done by him for them before enumerated
and
partly and chiefly because he is the Lord God in heaven and in earth
and has a
right to command and ought to be obeyed:
which I command thee this day; in the name of the Lord
and which he repeated
opened
and explained
and charged them afresh to
observe; otherwise they were such that had been given long ago:
that it may go well with thee
and with thy children after thee; that they and
theirs might enjoy temporal mercies
and continue in the land of Canaan
and
partake of all the blessings in it
as follows
and of the sanctuary of the
Lord
and the privileges of it:
and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth
which the
Lord thy God giveth thee for ever; that is
that they and
theirs might live long in the land of Canaan
which the Lord gave for an
inheritance for ever
provided they kept his law
and were obedient to his
commands; see Deuteronomy 6:25
and though they have had several interruptions by their captivities
and
especially by their present very long one
yet when they shall return and seek
the Lord their God
and David their king
they shall have their land restored
to them again
and shall never more be dispossessed of it.
Deuteronomy 4:41 41 Then
Moses set apart three cities on this side of the Jordan
toward the rising of
the sun
YLT
41Then Moses separateth three
cities beyond the Jordan
towards the sun-rising
Then Moses severed three cities
.... To be cities of
refuge
according to the command of God
Numbers 35:14 this
he did when he had conquered the two kingdoms of the Amorites
that God had
given them for an inheritance to the tribes of Reuben and Gad
and the half
tribe of Manasseh
Deuteronomy 4:38
though Jarchi says
and so other Jewish writers
that persons were not received
into them until the three cities appointed in the land of Canaan were separated
for the like use; See Gill on Numbers 35:14 and
these were:
on this side Jordan
toward the rising sun; on that side
of the river on which the plains of Moab lay
and the kingdoms of the Amorites
and to the east of Jordan: so Jarchi remarks
"on that side which is on the
east of Jordan;'see Joshua 20:8.
Deuteronomy 4:42 42 that
the manslayer might flee there
who kills his neighbor unintentionally
without
having hated him in time past
and that by fleeing to one of these cities he
might live:
YLT
42for the fleeing thither of
the man-slayer
who slayeth his neighbour unknowingly
and he is not hating him
heretofore
and he hath fled unto one of these cities
and he hath lived:
That the slayer might flee thither
.... For refuge; the
slayer of a man
but not any slayer
but
which should kill his neighbour unawares; by accident
to him
without any design and intention to kill him; ignorantly
as the
Septuagint version; and so Onkelos:
and hated him not in times past; it having never appeared
that there had been a quarrel between them
and that the slayer had shown any
enmity to the man slain any time before the fact
or bore a grudge against him
or spite unto him:
and that
fleeing unto one of these cities
he might live; in peace and
safety unto his own death
or unto the death of the high priest
when he was
released from his confinement to the city of his refuge
and might return to
his tribe
house
family
and possessions.
Deuteronomy 4:43 43 Bezer
in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites
Ramoth in Gilead for the
Gadites
and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.
YLT
43Bezer
in the wilderness
in the land of the plain
of the Reubenite; and Ramoth
in Gilead
of the
Gadite; and Golan
in Bashan
of the Manassahite.
Namely
Bezer in the
wilderness
.... In Joshua 20:8
it is
added "upon the plain"; this perhaps was the wilderness of Moab
in
the plains of it
the same with Bozrah
see Jeremiah 48:24 and
in the Apocrypha:"Hereupon Judas and his host turned suddenly by the way
of the wilderness unto Bosora; and when he had won the city
he slew all the
males with the edge of the sword
and took all their spoils
and burned the
city with fire
' (1 Maccabees 5:28)it was in
the
plain country of the Reubenites
or lay in that part of
the country which was allotted to them
and which they gave to the Levites
1 Chronicles 6:78
and Ramoth in Gilead of the Gadites; it lay in that part of
Mount Gilead
and among the cities of it
which fell to the share of the tribe
of Gad
and was by them given to the Levites
1 Chronicles 6:80
this city is frequently in Scripture called Ramothgilead; see 1 Kings 4:13.
and Golan in Bashan
of the Manassites
or
"Gaulon"
as the Septuagint
and from hence the country round about
was called Gaulanitis; all Bashan
the kingdom of Og
was given to the half
tribe of Manasseh
and out of it this city was given by them to the Levites
1 Chronicles 6:71
and appointed a city of refuge: now as these cities were typical of Christ
there may be something observed in the names of them as agreeing with him.
"Bezer" signifies "a fortified place"; Christ is the
fortress
mountain
and place of defence for his people
and strong hold to
which the prisoners of hope turn
the strong tower whither the righteous run
and are safe. "Ramoth" signifies "exaltations"; which may
point both at the exaltation of Christ in human nature at the right hand of
God
and the exaltation of his people by him
who are raised by him from a low
estate to sit among princes
and to inherit the throne of glory
and by whom he
is exalted in his person
office
and grace. "Golan" signifies
"revealed" or" manifested": so Christ has been manifest in
the flesh
and is revealed to sinners
when they are called by his grace; to
whom they flee for refuge
and lay hold on him
the hope set before them.
Deuteronomy 4:44 44 Now
this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel.
YLT
44And this [is] the law which
Moses hath set before the sons of Israel;
And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel. Not the law
concerning the cities of refuge
but the law of the ten commands repeated in
the following chapter; so Jarchi remarks
"this which he should set in
order after this section;'as he does in the next chapter
where he repeats in
order the ten precepts
and makes observations on the manner of the delivery of
them
and urges obedience to them.
Deuteronomy 4:45 45 These
are the testimonies
the statutes
and the judgments which Moses spoke
to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt
YLT
45these [are] the
testimonies
and the statutes
and the judgments
which Moses hath spoken unto
the sons of Israel
in their coming out of Egypt
These are the testimonies
and the statutes
and the judgments
.... The laws
moral
ceremonial
and judicial
delivered in the following chapters; which are
renewed
repeated
and explained: which Moses spake unto the children of
Israel
after they came forth out of Egypt; in the third month after they came
from thence these laws were delivered to him at Mount Sinai
and he declared
them to them; and now afresh
near forty years after
repeated them to them in
the plains of Moab.
Deuteronomy 4:46 46 on
this side of the Jordan
in the valley opposite Beth Peor
in the land of Sihon
king of the Amorites
who dwelt at Heshbon
whom Moses and the children of
Israel defeated after they came out of Egypt.
YLT
46beyond the Jordan
in the
valley over-against Beth-Peor
in the land of Sihon
king of the Amorite
who
is dwelling in Heshbon
whom Moses and the sons of Israel have smitten
in
their coming out of Egypt
On this side Jordan
in the valley
over against Bethpeor
.... Where the
Israelites abode some time; see Deuteronomy 3:29
in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites
who dwelt at Heshbon; which was now
conquered
and in the hands of the Israelites:
whom Moses and the children of Israel smote
after they came out
of Egypt; not as soon as
or quickly after they came from thence; for it
was but a few months ago since this conquest was made
whereas it was near
forty years since they came out of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 4:47 47 And
they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan
two kings
of the Amorites
who were on this side of the Jordan
toward the rising
of the sun
YLT
47and they possess his land
and the land of Og king of Bashan
two kings of the Amorite who [are] beyond
the Jordan
[towards] the sun-rising;
And they possessed his
land
and the land of Og king of Bashan
.... Seized upon them
and took them as their own
and divided them for an inheritance among two of
their tribes and half another:
two kings of the Amorites; which is more than once
observed
that it might be taken notice of that these were of the nations of
the Canaanites Israel were to root out
and possess their land:
which were on this side Jordan
toward the sun rising; which lands
and kingdoms lay to the east of Jordan
on that side of it on which were the
plains of Moab
where Moses and Israel now were.
Deuteronomy 4:48 48 from
Aroer
which is on the bank of the River Arnon
even to Mount Sion[a] (that is
Hermon)
YLT
48from Aroer
which [is] by the
edge of the brook Arnon
even unto mount Sion
which [is] Hermon –
From Aroer
which is by
the bank of the river Arnon
.... A city of Moab
which was situated on
the bank of the river Arnon
that was on the border of Moab
Deuteronomy 2:36
even unto Mount Sion
which is Hermon; the meaning
is
that the lands of these two kings conquered by Israel reached from the city
Aroer on the river Arnon to Mount Hermon
the one being the southern
the other
the northern boundary of them. Here Hermon has another name Sion
and is to be
carefully distinguished from Mount Zion near Jerusalem; it lying in a different
country
and being written with a different letter in the Hebrew language. In
the Septuagint version it is called Seon
and by the Targums of Jonathan and
Jerusalem the mount of snow; See Gill on Deuteronomy 3:9.
Deuteronomy 4:49 49 and
all the plain on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah
below the slopes of Pisgah.
YLT
49and all the plain beyond
the Jordan eastward
even unto the sea of the plain
under the springs of
Pisgah.
And all the plain on this side Jordan eastward
.... The
plains of Moab
on that side of Jordan to the east:
even unto the sea of the plain; the sea of Sodom
the
salt sea:
under the springs of Pisgah; that rose from Mount
Pisgah
the same with Ashdothpisgah
Deuteronomy 3:17.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)