Deuteronomy 4

Exhortations to the keeping of Gods commandment without altering them in any wise verse 1 &c. with proposal both of the judgments inflicted upon the disobedient 3 and a blessing and promise of the obedient 4 a relation of the giving of the law 19 a large earnest prohibition of all kind of idolatry by images and similitude with the sore threatening and comfortable promises 15 a relation of Gods special mercies bestowed upon Israel which ought to move them to obedience 32 the appointing of three cities of refugee of this side of Jordan 41 a preface concerning the ensuing repetition of the laws of God 44.

1. Now then Israel hearkened unto the statutes and unto the judgments which I teach you to do that ye may live and go in and inherit that land which the Lord god our father giveth ye.

2. Ye shall not add unto this word which I command ye neither diminish there from that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command ye.

3. Your eyes have seen what God did for Baal-Poer [that is for the idolatry committed by Baal Poer others against because of with] for all or every man that followed Baal- Poer the LORD your God have destroyed from the midst of you.

4. Ye on the contrary do call unto the LORD your God ye are all alive this day.

5. Behold I have taught ye the statutes and judgments according as the LORD my God commanded me that ye might do so in the midst of the land wither ye go to inherit it.

6. Keep them then and do them then for that shall be your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the nations which shall hear all these statutes and say this same great people alone is a wise and understanding people [that is ye shall hold this to be true wisdom and understanding and make public profession thereof among the nations round about whereby I will also work effectually that they shall hold ye alone to be truly wise and understanding people others surely or certainly this great people I &c.]

7. For what great people are there to whom the Gods are so nigh [that is so manifesting divine gracious presence with all manner of blessings and especially with most wonderful ready and powerful help in distress and difficulties] as the LORD our God is as oft as we call upon him? [In all our calling unto him that is as oft as we call upon him or in all things that we call upon him for.]

8. And that great people is there that hath statutes and judgments as righteous as all this law which I give before your face [others set before you] this day.

9. Only take heed to thy soul well [Heb. greatly and so verse 15 &c.] lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thine heart all the days of thy life and thou shalt make them known to thy children’s children.

10. On the day when thou stoodest before the face of the LORD thy God at Horeb [this must in general be understood of all people of Israel for those that stood at mount Horeb were now all dead above chapter 2.14,15,16 however it is probable that some of those that were alive at present that were very young at that time spoke likewise with their fathers at mount Horeb.] when the Lord said unto me gather me these people together and I will make them hear my word which they shall learn to fear me all days that they shall live upon the earth and shall teach them their children.

11. And he came near and stood beneath the mountain and now the mountain burnt with fire unto the midst of heaven [Heb. Unto the heart of heaven that is in the midst of the air so in the heart of the sea Exodus 15:8 Proverbs 23:34 and 30.19 so in the heart of the oak 2 Samuel 18:14 in the heart of the earth Matthew 12:40] there was darkness clouds and thick darkness.

12. So the LORD spake unto ye in the midst of the fire ye heard the voice of the words but ye saw no similitude [to wit whereby God might be presented] saving the voice [but ye only heard a voice.]

13. Then he declared unto ye his covenant which h commanded ye to do the ten words [that is commandments] and wrote them upon two tables of stones.

14. Also the LORD commanded me at that time to teach ye statutes and the judgments that ye might do them in that land wither to go out to inherit it.

15. Take ye then good heed of your souls [that is for the good of your souls take great care of your souls compare Joshua 23:11 Jeremiah 17:21 Malachi 2:15,16.] For ye saws no similitude on the day when the LORD spake unto ye in Horeb out of the midst of fire.

16. Lest ye corrupt yourselves [others corrupt it] and make ye some carved thing the likeness of any image [to wit for a religious use for this concerneth not the civil necessary and moderate use of pictures statutes maps coins &c. neither also the ornament of the tabernacle which God himself commanded] the shape of male or female.

17. The shape of any beast that is on the earth the shape of any winged fowl that flieth through heaven [that is through or in the air.]

18. The shape of anything that creepeth on the earth the shape of any fish that is in the water under the earth.

19. Lest thou also lift thine eyes unto heaven and behold the sun and the moon and the stars and all the hosts of heaven and be driven to bow down thyself before them which the LORD thy God hath delivered unto all nations under the whole heaven [that is because they are not God but gods creatures which he created for the common use and service of man.]

20. But the Lord hath taken ye and brought ye forth out of the iron furnace out of Egypt [understand a melting furnace kettle wherein iron is melted see 1 Kings 8:51 Egypt is compared to such a furnace in regard of affliction and misery that Israel had sustained and suffered there] that ye might be unto him a people of inheritance [see Exodus 19:5 Titus 2:14] as it is this day.

21. Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes [see above chapter 1 verse 37] and he swear that I should not go over the Jordan and that I should not enter into that good land which the LORD thy God shall give thee for an inheritance.

22. For I must die in this land I must go over the Jordan but ye shall go over and inherit that good land.

23. Take good heed unto yourselves lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you [se Genesis 15 on verse 17, 18] that ye should make ye a carved [or graven] image the likeness of anything which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee [Heb. Hath commanded &c. of the use of this word see Leviticus 4 on verse 2 and above chapter 3.36.]

24. For the LORD thy God is consuming fire [God is compared to fire in regard of his hatred and dreadful anger against sin and sinner whom he followeth and consumeth all combustible matter on every side see below chapter 9.3 and 32.22 Psalms 21:10 and 78.21 Isaiah 33:14&c. Jeremiah 14:4 Hebrews 12:29] a jealous God [who is jealous is always acknowledged and honored as God and suffereth none to partake with him in honor Psalms 42:8 and 48.11 behaving himself strong and zealous against all that concerneth his honor and hateth as a n enemy whatsoever opposeth it.]

25. Now when thou shalt have begotten children and children’s children and shall be grown old [that is shalt have lived long] in the land and shall corrupt yourselves to make a carved image the likeness of any thing [see above verse 16,17,18,19 and Exodus 20 on verse 4] and do that which is evil in the eyes of the Lord thy God [that is that is pleaseth and misliketh him] to provoke him to anger.

26. I call heaven and earth to witness against ye [that is all heavenly and earthly creature to witness against ye this is a phrase whereby the brute creatures are brought n against men by reason of his stupidity and senselessness to accuse and convince him by natural reasons which he ought to mind in contemplating and using those creatures of is stifneckedness an unthankfulness towards the almighty and gracious God see below chapter 30.19 and 31.8 and compare below chapter 32.1 Isaiah 1:11 Micah 6:2] this day that ye shall so assuredly perish [Heb. Perishing perish] from off that land whereunto ye go over the Jordan to inherit ye shall not prolong your days in it but shall utterly be destroyed [Heb. Being destroyed be destroyed.]

27. And the LORD shall scatter ye among the nations and ye shall be left a small people [Heb. Men of number that is that are soon numbered see Genesis 34:30.] among the heathen wither the LORD shall lead you.

28. And there ye shall serve gods which are the work of men’s hands wood and stone which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

29. Then thou shalt seek from thence the LORD thy God and find him when thou shalt seek him with all thine heart and with all thy souls [see below chapter 6 on verse 5.]

30. When then thou shalt be in distress a these things shall hit thee [Heb. All these words or things shall find thee see the like phrase below chapter 31.17 and 1Samuel 23.17 understand the foresaid miseries see above verse 26.27] in the last days then thou shalt turn to the LORD thy God [this verse as likewise the former seemeth to be prophesy of conversion of the Jews compare below chapter 30 verse 1,2,3 &c. Hosiah 13.5 others turn to the LORD thy God &c. and then in the following verse he will not forsake thee &c. others even unto the LORD thy God see hereof Joel 2 on verse 12] and be obedient to his voice.

31. For the Lord thy God is merciful God he will not forsake thee nor destroy neither will forget the covenant for thy fathers [that is mad with thy fathers as the following words do shew] which he swear unto them.

32. For now asked former days which were before thee from that day that God created men upon earth from the one end of heaven unto the other end of heaven [that is in all the world that lieth under heaven from one end of the world unto the other so below chapter 30.4 Matthew 24:31 Mark 13:7] whether such a great thing hath been done or heard as this?

33. Whether people hath heard the voice of God speaking out of the midst of fire according as thou hast heard and remained alive?

34. Or whether god hath assayed to go to take him a people out of the midst of a people by temptation [whereby Pharaoh whether he would let Israel go and Israel whether they would trust in their God see of the word trusting Genesis 22 on verse 1] by token and by wonders and by battle [both against Pharaoh whom God drown and destroyed with all his host in the red-sea and against Sihon and Og the king of the Amorites] and by a strong hand and by a stretched out arm and by great terrors [which first came upon the Egyptian and after that nations see Exodus 23:27 and above chapter 2.25 and below chapter 34.12 others terribleness that is terrible acts]according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes.

35. Unto thee it was shewed that thou mightiest know that the LORD is the God [that is that alone is true God as the following words declare] there is none save he alone [or excepting he alone besides him alone.]

36. Out of heaven [that is out of air] he made thee to hear his voice for to instruct thee and upon earth [that s upon Mount Sinai] he made thee to set his great fire and thou heardst his words out of the mist of fire.

37. And because he loved thy fathers and had chosen their seed after them [Heb. His seed after him that is everyone seed after him] therefore he brought the forth before his face [others with his face that is in a special manner manifesting his presence by the pillar of the cloud and pillar of fire and having ye always in his sight to guide and conduct ye everywhere compare Exodus 13:21 and 14.19, 20] by his great power out of Egypt:

38. To drive out nations that were greater and mightier then thou art out of possession before thy face to bring thee in that he might give thee their land for an inheritance as it is this day.

39. Thou shalt then know this day and ponder in thine heart [that is be mindful of seriously consider lay to heart] that the LORD is that God in heaven above and on earth beneath there I none else.

40. And thou shalt keep his statutes and commandments which I command thee this day that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee that thou mayest prolong thy days in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee forever[understand with condition of obedience compare above verse 26,27 Heb. All the days which words may also be added in the beginning of this verse keep his statutes and his commandments all day to wit of thy life always.]

41. Then Moseh severed three cities on this side Jordan [according to Gods command Numbers 35:14] towards the sun rising.

42. That is slayer might fly thither who slayeth his neighbor unwittingly whom he hated not from yesterday [that is heretofore in time past] that he might fly into one of these cities and continue alive.

43. Bezer [see Genesis 6 on verse 12] in the wilderness in the plain land for the Reubenites [Heb. For the Reubenites so in the sequel] and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites and golan in Basan for the Manassites.

44. Now this is the law which Moseh set before the children of Israel.

45. These [ to wit which are mentioned in the following chapter are the testimonies [meaning God’s holy doctrine testifying of his essence will and works see below chapter 6.17 and Psalms 19:8 &c.] and statutes and judgments which Moseh spake unto the children of Israel when they were come fort out of Egypt.

46. On this side Jordan in the valley over against Beth-Poer [see above on chapter 3 verse 29] in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites who dwelt at Hesbon whom Moseh and the children of Israel smote when they were come fort out of Egypt.

47. And had taken his land in possession besides the land of Og king of Basan two kings of Amorites were on this side Jordan towards the sunrise.

48. From Aroer which is by the bank [Heb. Lip see Genesis 41 on verse 3] the brook Arnon unto Mount Sion [see above chapter 3.9] which is Hermon.

49. And all the plain on the Jordan on eastwards unto the sea of the plain [understand the Dead Sea or salt-sea see Genesis 14 on verse 3] under Asdoth Pisga [see above chapter 3 on verse 17.]