Wesley's Explanatory Notes
Deuteronomy 4:12
No similitude — No resemblance or representation of God, whereby either his essence, or properties, or actions were represented, such as were usual among the Heathens.
No similitude — No resemblance or representation of God, whereby either his essence, or properties, or actions were represented, such as were usual among the Heathens.
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 forbidde...
3. HEARKEN, O ISRAEL! CHAPTER 4 _ 1. Obedience demanded (Deuteronomy 4:1)_ 2. The covenant to be observed (Deuteronomy 4:9) 3. Take heed unto yourselves lest ye forget (Deuteronomy 4:15
SECOND PART OF MOSES-' FIRST ADDRESS. This contains exhortations to obedience from motives of self-interest and of gratitude to Yahweh, and forms an apparent logical unity with Deuteronomy 1:6 to Deut...
SPAKE. See note on Deuteronomy 2:1. SAW. Figure of speech _Zeugma._ App-6.: by which one verb 'saw" is used with two objects and suits only the first.. second verb "heard" must be supplied: compare Ex...
_the Lord spake … out of the midst of the fire_ So Deuteronomy 4:15; Deuteronomy 4:33; Deuteronomy 4:36; Deuteronomy 5:4;...
Against Idolatry The truth that is beneath the whole Law: God is revealed not in images, but by words and deeds of redemption. Warned to lay their experience to heart (Deuteronomy 4:9), Israel are re...
_VER._ 10, 11, 12. _THOU STOODEST BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD_— See on ch. Deuteronomy 1:9. _Unto the midst of heaven,_ ver. 11 is, in the Heb. _in the heart of heaven, i.e. in the air._ So Tyre is said t...
2. THE TEMPTATION TO FORGET GOD'S UNIQUE REVELATION (Deuteronomy 4:9-31) a. GOD APPEARED AT HOREB BY WORD, NOT BY PHYSICAL FORM (Deuteronomy 4:9-14) 9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul dil...
_AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO YOU OUT OF THE MIDST OF THE FIRE: YE HEARD THE VOICE OF THE WORDS, BUT SAW NO SIMILITUDE; ONLY YE HEARD A VOICE._ Ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude. Alth...
FIRST DISCOURSE (DEUTERONOMY 1:14 TO DEUTERONOMY 4:43) The long sojourn in the wilderness is now drawing to a close. The Israelites are encamped in the Plains of Moab within sight of the Promised Land...
EXHORTATIONS TO OBEDIENCE This chapter contains the practical part of the discourse. Having briefly rehearsed the experiences of the Israelites in the wilderness up to the present point, Moses closes...
DEUTERONOMY: GOD’S LAW OF LOVE LOVE AND OBEY THE *LORD YOUR GOD DEUTERONOMY _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 4 V1 ‘Therefore, everyone in *Israel, listen to the rules and the laws that I will teach to you...
וַ יְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם מִ תֹּ֣וךְ הָ
MOSES' FAREWELL SPEECHES Deuteronomy 4:1, Deuteronomy 27:1; Deuteronomy 28:1; Deuteronomy 29:1;...
“TAKE HEED TO THYSELF” Deuteronomy 3:23; Deuteronomy 4:1 Strong faith was required by the two and a half tribes to leave their wives and children while they went to succor their brethren. But God's c...
On the ground of this survey Moser exhorted the people to be obedient, His appeal was based on the greatness of their God and the perfection of His law. Their whole existence as a nation centered arou...
_At all. Hebrew, "but saw no similitude, only a voice." See Exodus xx. 18._...
The part of Israel's history, which Moses here referred to, hath been already commented upon. To that I refer: See Exodus 19:18. But, Reader, we never can sufficiently attend to this interesting part...
In examining Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, we have found what may be called an abstract typical system. That is, we see in them a number of institutions laid down by Jehovah, the pattern of which wa...
Deuteronomy 4:12._And the Lord spake unto you. _It is a confirmation of the Second Commandment, that God manifested Himself to the Israelites by a voice, and not in a bodily form; whence it follows th...
THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 1, 2, 3, AND 4. Let us examine a little more closely these Chapter s, which shew the pains the Spirit took, to set before the eyes of the people all the moti...
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:...
And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only [ye heard] a voice. Ver. 12. _Ye saw no similitude._] Numa the Roman lawgiver wo...
_The midst of heaven_ Flaming up into the air, which is often called heaven. _No similitude_ No resemblance or representation of God, whereby either his essence, or properties, or actions were represe...
1 An Exhortation to obedience. 41 Moses appointeth the three Cities of refuge on that side Iordan. 1 NOWE therefore hearken, O Israel, vnto the Statutes, and vnto the Iudgments which I teach you, fo...
And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire; ye heard the voice, the sound, OF THE WORDS, BUT SAW NO SIMILITUDE, no form of God; ONLY YE HEARD A VOICE. God did not manifest Himself in any...
Moses Reminds the People of the Law-Giving....
MOSES INSISTS ON OBEDIENCE (vs.1-14) Because God had already blessed Israel and intended to bless them more greatly still. Moses urges them to "listen to the statutes and judgments" he is teaching th...
ONLY YE HEARD A VOICE: _ Heb._ save a voice...
1-23 The power and love of God to Israel are here made the ground and reason of a number of cautions and serious warnings; and although there is much reference to their national covenant, yet all may...
i.e. No resemblance or representation of God, whereby either his essence or properties or actions were represented, such as were usual among the heathens....
Now therefore hearken O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgements which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth...
Deuteronomy 4:12 LORD H3068 spoke H1696 (H8762) midst H8432 fire H784 heard H8085 (H8802) sound H6963 words...
THEY ARE EVER TO REMEMBER THE GREAT AND WONDROUS EXPERIENCE OF HOREB (SINAI) AND TAKE NOTE OF HIS STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS (DEUTERONOMY 4:10). Moses now stressed the importance of the Sinai/Horeb experi...
CONTENTS: The new generations taught the lessons of Sinai. Cities of refuge designated. CHARACTERS: God, Moses. CONCLUSION: The review of God's providences concerning us should quicken us and engage...
Deuteronomy 4:2. _Ye shall not add unto the word._ This would be to debase revelation, and treat the divine law as a defective production of man, that needed additions and retrenchments. Solon, the At...
_Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land._ MOSES’ DISCOURSE 1. In general it is...
CRITICAL NOTES.—From the mention of what God had done for Israel, Moses passes to the obedience of the law. They were under deep obligation to keep it, and in doing so, consisted their wisdom, greatne...
EXPOSITION DEUTERONOMY 4:1 ADMONITIONS AND EXHORTATIONS. Moses, having presented to the people certain facts in their recent history which had in them a specially animating and encouraging tendency,...
NOW therefore (Deuteronomy 4:1) Moses is now making application. NOW therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and to the judgments, which I teach you, to do them, that you may live, and go in a...
1 Kings 19:12; 1 Kings 19:13; 2 Peter 1:17; 2 Peter 1:18; Coloss
PARTING WORDS Deuteronomy 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS It is, perhaps, strange to some that we speak of the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy as "Parting words," yet the whole Book of Deuteronomy centers in t...
Was the law given at Horeb or at Mt. Sinai? PROBLEM: Exodus 19:11 affirms that Moses received the Law at “Mt. Sinai” (cf. v. 18). But here in Deuteronomy 4:10 it claims that Moses got it “in Horeb.”...