Deuteronomy 12:32

What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

What thing {H1697} soever I command {H6680} you, observe {H8104} to do {H6213} it: thou shalt not add {H3254} thereto, nor diminish {H1639} from it.

"Everything I am commanding you, you are to take care to do. Do not add to it or subtract from it.

See that you do everything I command you; do not add to it or subtract from it.

What thing soever I command you, that shall ye observe to do: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Commentary

Commentary on Deuteronomy 12:32 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 12:32 stands as a crucial instruction within Moses' final address to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. This verse emphasizes the absolute authority and sufficiency of God's commands, laying a foundational principle for their future life and worship in Canaan.

Context

This verse concludes a significant section in Deuteronomy (chapters 12-16) dealing with the laws concerning worship, clean and unclean practices, and social justice, all centered around the establishment of a single, central place of worship chosen by God. Chapters 12 begins with the command to destroy all pagan altars and objects in the land (Deuteronomy 12:2-3) and instead bring sacrifices and offerings to the designated place. The strong prohibition against adding to or diminishing from God's commands in verse 32 serves as a powerful safeguard against syncretism – the mixing of Israelite worship with the idolatrous practices of the surrounding nations they were about to conquer. It insists on the purity and distinctiveness of the worship commanded by God alone.

Key Themes

  • Divine Authority: The verse asserts that God's commands are the ultimate standard and originate solely from Him.
  • Obedience and Observance: It stresses the necessity of diligent obedience ("observe to do it") to everything God has commanded.
  • Sufficiency and Completeness: God's law is presented as complete and perfect; nothing needs to be added, and nothing should be removed.
  • Purity of Worship and Doctrine: This principle is a bulwark against human invention in religious practice and theological error, ensuring that worship remains focused on God according to His revealed will.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew words are simple and direct. "Add thereto" comes from the root Χ™Χ‘Χ£ (yasap), meaning "to add" or "to increase." "Diminish from it" comes from Χ’Χ¨Χ’ (gara'), meaning "to diminish," "to take away," or "to subtract." The instruction is a clear, dual prohibition against altering God's revealed will in any way, whether by supplementing it with human ideas or by removing aspects deemed inconvenient or undesirable.

Related Scriptures

This principle appears throughout scripture, highlighting the importance of adhering strictly to divine instruction. The wisdom literature echoes this sentiment in Proverbs 30:6, stating, "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." The New Testament similarly warns against distorting the gospel message, as seen in Galatians 1:8-9. The final book of the Bible concludes with a stark warning against altering its prophetic words in Revelation 22:18-19, demonstrating that this principle of respecting the completeness of God's revelation is consistent across the biblical narrative.

Practical Application

For believers today, Deuteronomy 12:32 serves as a vital reminder of the authority and sufficiency of the Bible as God's revealed Word. It challenges us to approach scripture with humility and reverence, seeking to understand and obey what it says, rather than imposing our own ideas or preferences upon it. This applies to how we interpret doctrine, practice worship, and live out our daily lives. It warns against relying on human traditions that contradict scripture and against neglecting parts of God's commands we find difficult. Our faith and practice should be built upon the solid foundation of God's unchanging word, without addition or subtraction.

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Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 4:2 (23 votes)

    Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

  • Revelation 22:18 (15 votes)

    For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

  • Revelation 22:19 (15 votes)

    And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.

  • Joshua 1:7 (13 votes)

    Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it [to] the right hand or [to] the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

  • Proverbs 30:6 (11 votes)

    Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

  • Deuteronomy 13:18 (7 votes)

    When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do [that which is] right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.

  • Matthew 28:20 (5 votes)

    Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.