Deuteronomy 4:15

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day [that] the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:

Complete Jewish Bible:

"Therefore, watch out for yourselves! Since you did not see a shape of any kind on the day ADONAI spoke to you in Horev from the fire,

Berean Standard Bible:

So since you saw no form of any kind on the day the LORD spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb, be careful

American Standard Version:

Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of form on the day that Jehovah spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire;

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Take ye therefore good^{H3966} heed^{H8104} unto yourselves^{H5315}; for ye saw^{H7200} no manner of similitude^{H8544} on the day^{H3117} that the LORD^{H3068} spake^{H1696} unto you in Horeb^{H2722} out of the midst^{H8432} of the fire^{H784}:

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Deuteronomy 4:15

Deuteronomy 4:15 is part of a larger discourse by Moses to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. In this verse, Moses is reminding the people of their experience at Mount Horeb (another name for Mount Sinai), where God gave them the Ten Commandments. The key theme of the verse is the prohibition against idolatry. Moses emphasizes that since the Israelites did not see any physical form or likeness when God spoke to them from the fire, they must be careful not to create idols or images that represent God, who is invisible and beyond human comprehension.

The historical context of this verse is rooted in the unique covenantal relationship between God and Israel. The Israelites are being warned against the common ancient Near Eastern practice of representing deities with images and statues. This command to avoid idolatry was a distinctive feature of Israelite religion, setting it apart from other religions of the time. The verse underscores the aniconism of God in the Israelite faith, which is meant to preserve the transcendence and otherness of the divine.

In summary, Deuteronomy 4:15 stresses the importance of reverence and obedience to God's commandments, particularly the avoidance of creating graven images or representations of God. It calls the people to remember their formative encounter with God at Horeb, where His invisibility and holiness were made evident, and to conduct themselves accordingly, maintaining the purity of their worship and the uniqueness of their religious practices in a world filled with idolatrous temptations.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3966
   There are 278 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מְאֹד
   Transliteration: mᵉʼôd
   Pronunciation: meh-ode'
   Description: from the same as אוּד; properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated); diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), [idiom] louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very ([phrase] much, sore), well.
   
2. Strong's Number: H8104
   There are 440 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁמַר
   Transliteration: shâmar
   Pronunciation: shaw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.; beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).
   
3. Strong's Number: H5315
   There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
   Transliteration: nephesh
   Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
   Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7200
   There are 1212 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רָאָה
   Transliteration: râʼâh
   Pronunciation: raw-aw'
   Description: a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative); advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, [idiom] be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), [idiom] sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, [idiom] surely, [idiom] think, view, visions.
   
5. Strong's Number: H8544
   There are 10 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תְּמוּנָה
   Transliteration: tᵉmûwnâh
   Pronunciation: tem-oo-naw'
   Description: or תְּמֻנָה; from מִין; something portioned (i.e. fashioned) out, as ashape, i.e. (indefinitely) phantom, or (specifically) embodiment, or (figuratively) manifestation (of favor); image, likeness, similitude.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3117
   There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יוֹם
   Transliteration: yôwm
   Pronunciation: yome
   Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
8. Strong's Number: H1696
   There are 1050 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָבַר
   Transliteration: dâbar
   Pronunciation: daw-bar'
   Description: a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue; answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.
   
9. Strong's Number: H2722
   There are 17 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חֹרֵב
   Transliteration: Chôrêb
   Pronunciation: kho-rabe'
   Description: from חָרַב; desolate; Choreb, a (generic) name for the Sinaitic mountains; Horeb.
   
10. Strong's Number: H8432
    There are 390 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: תָּוֶךְ
    Transliteration: tâvek
    Pronunciation: taw'-vek
    Description: from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre; among(-st), [idiom] between, half, [idiom] (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), [idiom] out (of), [idiom] through, [idiom] with(-in).
    
11. Strong's Number: H784
    There are 549 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֵשׁ
    Transliteration: ʼêsh
    Pronunciation: aysh
    Description: a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively); burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.