Deuteronomy 29 · Verse 4

Deuteronomy 29:4

Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
Deuteronomy 29:4, King James Version

Deuteronomy 29:4 in other translations

BSBYet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.
WEBBut the LORD has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day.
ASVbut Jehovah hath not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
YLTand Jehovah hath not given to you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, till this day,
DARBYBut Jehovah hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day.
BBEBut even to this day the Lord has not given you a mind open to knowledge, or seeing eyes or hearing ears.
WebsterYet the LORD hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day.

What does Deuteronomy 29:4 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 The Lord hath not given you a heart, etc. - Some critics read this verse interrogatively: And hath not God given you a heart, etc.? because they suppose that God could not reprehend them for the non-performance of a duty, when he had neither given them a mind to perceive the obligation of it, nor strength to perform it, had that obligation been known. Though this is strictly just, yet there is no need for the interrogation, as the words only imply that they had not such a heart, etc., not because God had not given them all the means of knowledge, and helps of his grace and Spirit, which were necessary; but they had not made a faithful use of their advantages, and therefore they had not that wise, loving, and obedient heart which they otherwise might have had. If they had had such a heart, it would have been God's gift, for he is the author of all good; and that they had not such a heart was a proof that they had grieved his Spirit, and abused the grace which he had afforded them to produce that gracious change, the want of which is here deplored. Hence God himself is represented as grieved because they were unchanged and disobedient: "O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them and with their children for ever!" See Deu 5:29 (note), and the note there.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 29:1-9

Both former mercies, and fresh mercies, should be thought on by us as motives to obedience. The hearing ear, and seeing eye, and the understanding heart, are the gift of God. All that have them, have them from him. God gives not only food and raiment, but wealth and large possessions, to many to whom he does not give grace. Many enjoy the gifts, who have not hearts to perceive the Giver, nor the true design and use…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 29:1-9 →

Deuteronomy 29:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
נָתַן֩na.Tanhe has givenH5414
יְהוָ֨הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לָכֶ֥םla.Khemto <the> you
לֵב֙leva heartH3820
לָדַ֔עַתla.Da.'atto knowH3045
וְעֵינַ֥יִםve.'ei.Na.yimand eyesH5869
לִרְא֖וֹתlir.'otto seeH7200
וְאָזְנַ֣יִםve.'a.ze.Na.yimand earsH241
לִשְׁמֹ֑עַlish.Mo.a'to hearH8085
עַ֖ד'aduntilH5704
הַיּ֥וֹםhai.Yomthe dayH3117
הַזֶּֽה\׃ha.Zeh<the> thisH2088

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 29:4

  • Ephesians 4:18

    Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

  • Isaiah 6:9-10

    And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

  • Proverbs 20:12

    The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.

  • John 8:43

    Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

  • Matthew 13:11-15

    He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: …

  • Isaiah 63:17

    O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

  • 2 Corinthians 3:15

    But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

  • Romans 11:7-10

    What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

  • Ezekiel 36:26

    A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

  • John 12:38-40

    That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

    And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

  • James 1:13-17

    Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2:30; Pr 20:12; Isa 6:9,10; 63:17; Eze 36:26; Mt 13:11-15; Joh 8:43
Joh 12:38-40; Ac 28:26,27; Ro 11:7-10; 2Co 3:15; Eph 4:18
2Th 2:10-12; 2Ti 2:25; Jas 1:13-17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 29:3

    The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:

  • Deuteronomy 29:4

    Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.

  • Deuteronomy 29:5

    And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.

Read all of Deuteronomy 29

Deuteronomy 29:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Jehová no os dió corazón para entender, ni ojos para ver, ni oídos para oir, hasta el día de hoy.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je vous ai conduits 40 ans par le désert: vos vêtements ne se sont pas usés sur vous, et ta sandale ne s’est pas usée à ton pied.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber Jehova hat euch nicht ein Herz gegeben, zu erkennen, und Augen, zu sehen, und Ohren, zu hören, bis auf diesen Tag.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et non dedit vobis Dominus cor intelligens, et oculos videntes, et aures quæ possunt audire, usque in præsentem diem.