Deuteronomy 4

1 Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you.

Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you.

2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal Peor; for all the men who followed Baal Peor, the LORD your God has destroyed them from the midst of you.

Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal Peor; for all the men who followed Baal Peor, the LORD your God has destroyed them from the midst of you.

4 But you who were faithful to the LORD your God are all alive this day.

But you who were faithful to the LORD your God are all alive this day.

5 Look, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do so in the midst of the land where you go in to possess it.

Look, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do so in the midst of the land where you go in to possess it.

6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."

Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."

7 For what great nation is there, that has a god so near to them, as the LORD our God is whenever we call on him?

For what great nation is there, that has a god so near to them, as the LORD our God is whenever we call on him?

8 What great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

What great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

9 Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children's children;

Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children's children;

10 the day that you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to 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 on the earth, and that they may teach their children."

the day that you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to 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 on the earth, and that they may teach their children."

11 You came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.

You came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.

12 The LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; you only heard a voice.

The LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; you only heard a voice.

13 He declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments; and he wrote them on two tablets of stone.

He declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments; and he wrote them on two tablets of stone.

14 The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it.

The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it.

15 Therefore watch yourselves carefully; for you saw no kind of form on the day that the LORD spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.

Therefore watch yourselves carefully; for you saw no kind of form on the day that the LORD spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.

16 Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself an engraved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself an engraved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,

the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,

18 the likeness of any crawling creature that crawls on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the land;

the likeness of any crawling creature that crawls on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the land;

19 and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.

and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.

20 But God has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as at this day.

But God has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as at this day.

21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance:

Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance:

22 but I must die in this land, I must not go over the Jordan; but you shall go over, and possess that good land.

but I must die in this land, I must not go over the Jordan; but you shall go over, and possess that good land.

23 Be careful, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you an engraved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you.

Be careful, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you an engraved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you.

24 For the LORD your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

For the LORD your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

25 When you shall father children, and children's children, and you shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make an engraved image in the form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, to provoke him to anger;

When you shall father children, and children's children, and you shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make an engraved image in the form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, to provoke him to anger;

26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over the Jordan to possess it; you shall not prolong your days on it, but shall utterly be destroyed.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over the Jordan to possess it; you shall not prolong your days on it, but shall utterly be destroyed.

27 The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations, where the LORD will drive you.

The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations, where the LORD will drive you.

28 There you shall serve other gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

There you shall serve other gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

29 But from there you shall seek the LORD your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

But from there you shall seek the LORD your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

30 When you are in oppression, and all these things have come on you, in the latter days you shall return to the LORD your God, and listen to his voice:

When you are in oppression, and all these things have come on you, in the latter days you shall return to the LORD your God, and listen to his voice:

31 for the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which he swore to them.

for the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which he swore to them.

32 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created humankind on the earth, and from the one end of the sky to the other, whether there has been anything as this great thing is, or has been heard like it?

For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created humankind on the earth, and from the one end of the sky to the other, whether there has been anything as this great thing is, or has been heard like it?

33 Did a people ever hear the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?

Did a people ever hear the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?

34 Or has God tried to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Or has God tried to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

35 It was shown to you so that you might know that the LORD is God. There is no one else besides him.

It was shown to you so that you might know that the LORD is God. There is no one else besides him.

36 Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and on earth he made you to see his great fire; and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.

Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and on earth he made you to see his great fire; and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.

37 Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their descendants after them, and brought you out with his presence, with his great power, out of Egypt;

Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their descendants after them, and brought you out with his presence, with his great power, out of Egypt;

38 to drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as at this day.

to drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as at this day.

39 Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

40 You shall keep his statutes, and his commandments, which I command you this day, 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 gives you, forever.

You shall keep his statutes, and his commandments, which I command you this day, 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 gives you, forever.

41 Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise;

Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise;

42 that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unawares, and did not hate him in time past; and that fleeing to one of these cities he might live:

that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unawares, and did not hate him in time past; and that fleeing to one of these cities he might live:

43 Bezer in the wilderness, on the plateau, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.

Bezer in the wilderness, on the plateau, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.

44 This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:

This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:

45 these are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Moses spoke to the children of Israel, when they came forth out of Egypt,

these are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Moses spoke to the children of Israel, when they came forth out of Egypt,

46 beyond the Jordan, in the valley over against Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel struck, when they came forth out of Egypt.

beyond the Jordan, in the valley over against Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel struck, when they came forth out of Egypt.

47 They took his land in possession, and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise;

They took his land in possession, and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise;

48 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon),

from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon),

49 and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even to the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.

and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even to the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.