Albert Barnes Commentary Deuteronomy 4
Albert Barnes Commentary
Deuteronomy 4
Albert Barnes Commentary
Deuteronomy 4
"And now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes and unto the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which Jehovah, the God of your fathers, giveth you." — Deuteronomy 4:1 (ASV)
The general entreaty contained in this chapter is pointed by special mention and enforcement of the fundamental principles of the whole covenant (Deuteronomy 4:9–40), the spiritual nature of the Deity, His exclusive right to their allegiance, His abhorrence of idolatry in every form, His choice of them for His elect people. Compare further Moses’ third and last address (Deuteronomy 27–30).
"Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children`s children; the day that thou stoodest before Jehovah thy God in Horeb, when Jehovah said unto me, Assemble me the people, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness." — Deuteronomy 4:9-11 (ASV)
A full stop should end (Deuteronomy 4:9); and (Deuteronomy 4:10) begin, At the time that you stood, etc.; (Deuteronomy 4:11) then you 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.
"And Jehovah spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of words, but ye saw no form; only [ye heard] a voice." — Deuteronomy 4:12 (ASV)
Hero worship exhibited itself in the practice of setting up images of human form as household gods (Penates, compare Genesis 31:19; Genesis 35:2), or as local and civic divinities: a practice forbidden by Deuteronomy 4:16.
Nature worship in its baser shapes is seen in the Egyptian idolatry of animals and animal figures, and is condemned in Deuteronomy 4:17-18; while its less ignoble flight, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, is forbidden in Deuteronomy 4:19.
The great legislator may be regarded as, in the passage before us, taking a complete and comprehensive survey of the various forms of idolatrous and corrupt worship practiced by the surrounding Eastern nations, and as particularly and successively forbidding every one of them.
"and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Jehovah thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven." — Deuteronomy 4:19 (ASV)
Divided - that is, “whose light God has distributed to the nations for their use and benefit, and which, therefore, being creatures ministering to human convenience, must not be worshipped as humanity’s lords.”
"When thou shalt beget children, and children`s children, and ye shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image in the form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah thy God, to provoke him to anger; I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over the Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And Jehovah will scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number among the nations, whither Jehovah shall lead you away. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men`s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell." — Deuteronomy 4:25-28 (ASV)
Compare with these verses Leviticus 26:33-40, and Deuteronomy 28:64 and following.
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