Deuteronomy 4 · Verse 1

Deuteronomy 4:1

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 which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.
Deuteronomy 4:1, King James Version

Deuteronomy 4:1 in other translations

BSBHear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live and may enter and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
WEBNow, 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.
ASVAnd now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes and unto the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which Jehovah, the God of your fathers, giveth you.
YLT‘And now, Israel, hearken unto the statutes, and unto the judgments which I am teaching you to do, so that ye live, and have gone in, and possessed the land which Jehovah God of your fathers is giving to you.
DARBYAnd now, Israel, hearken to the statutes and to the ordinances which I teach you, to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers giveth you.
BBEAnd now give ear, O Israel, to the laws and the decisions which I am teaching you, and do them; so that life may be yours, and you may go in and take for yourselves the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
WebsterNow therefore hearken, O Israel, to the statutes and to the judgments, which I teach you, to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.

What does Deuteronomy 4:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

De 4:1-13. An Exhortation to Obedience.

1. hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you--By statutes were meant all ordinances respecting religion and the rites of divine worship; and by judgments, all enactments relative to civil matters. The two embraced the whole law of God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Exhortations to obedience, Deu 4:1. Nothing to be added to or taken from the testimonies of God, Deu 4:2. The people are exhorted to recollect how God had destroyed the ungodly among them, Deu 4:3; and preserved those who were faithful, Deu 4:4. The excellence of the Divine law, Deu 4:5, Deu 4:6. No nation in the world could boast of any such statutes, judgments, etc., Deu 4:7, Deu 4:8. They are exhorted to obedience by the wonderful manifestations of God in their behalf, Deu 4:9-13. Moses exhorts them to beware of idolatry, and to make no likeness of any thing in heaven or earth as an object of adoration, Deu 4:14-20. He informs them that he must die in that land as God had refused to let him go into the promised land, being angry with him on their account, Deu 4:21, Deu 4:22. Repeats his exhortation to obedience, Deu 4:23, Deu 4:24. Predicts the judgments of God against them, should they turn to idolatry, Deu 4:25-28. Promises of God's mercy to the penitent, Deu 4:29-31. The grand and unparalleled privileges of the Israelites, Deu 4:32-40. Moses severs three cities on the east side of Jordan for cities of refuge, Deu 4:41, Deu 4:42. Their names, Deu 4:43. When and where Moses gave these statutes and judgments to Israel, Deu 4:44-49. Verse 1 Hearken - unto the statutes - Every thing that concerned the rites and ceremonies of religion; judgments - all that concerned matters of civil right and wrong.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 4:1-23
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 be applied to those who live under the gospel. What are laws made for but to be observed and obeyed? Our obedience as individuals cannot merit salvation; but it is the only evidence that we are partakers of the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ, Considering how many temptations we are compassed with, and what corrupt desires we have in our bosoms, we have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. Those cannot walk aright, who walk carelessly. Moses charges particularly to take heed of the sin of idolatry. He shows how weak the temptation would be to those who thought aright; for these pretended gods, the sun, moon, and stars, were only blessings which the Lord their God had imparted to all nations. It is absurd to worship them; shall we serve those that were made to serve us? Take heed lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God. We must take heed lest at any time we forget our religion. Care, caution, and watchfulness, are helps against a bad memory.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Deuteronomy 4:1 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.

וְעַתָּ֣הve.'a.Tahand nowH6258
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElO IsraelH3478
שְׁמַ֤עshe.Ma'listenH8085
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַֽחֻקִּים֙ha.chu.Kimthe statutesH2706
וְאֶל\־ve.'el-and toH413
הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔יםha.mish.pa.Timthe judgmentsH4941
אֲשֶׁ֧ר'a.SherwhichH834
אָֽנֹכִ֛י'a.no.KhiIH595
מְלַמֵּ֥דme.la.Med[am] about to teachH3925
אֶתְכֶ֖ם'et.Khem<obj.> youH853
לַעֲשׂ֑וֹתla.'a.Sotto observeH6213
לְמַ֣עַןle.Ma.'anso thatH4616
תִּֽחְי֗וּtich.Yuyou may liveH2421
וּבָאתֶם֙u.va.Temand you will goH935
וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣םvi.rish.Temand you will take possession ofH3423
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzthe landH776
אֲשֶׁ֧ר'a.SherwhichH834
יְהוָ֛הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֵ֥י'e.lo.Hei[the] God ofH430
אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם'a.vo.tei.Khemancestors yourH1
נֹתֵ֥ןno.Ten[is] about to giveH5414
לָכֶֽם\׃la.Khemto you

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

Cross references for Deuteronomy 4:1

  • Romans 10:5

    For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

  • Ezekiel 20:11

    And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

  • Deuteronomy 8:1

    All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.

  • Leviticus 18:5

    Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.

  • Deuteronomy 5:1

    And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

  • Deuteronomy 30:16

    In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

  • Leviticus 22:31

    Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 11:20

    That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

  • Psalms 105:45

    That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord.

  • Deuteronomy 5:33-6:2

    Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess. Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

  • Matthew 28:20

    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.

  • Leviticus 20:8

    And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 An exhortation to obedience.
41 Moses appoints the three cities of refuge on that side of Jordan.
44 Recapitulation.

unto the statutes.Statutes, every thing that concerned morals and the rites and ceremonies of religion; judgments, all matters of civil right and wrong.
8,45; 5:1; 6:1,2; 8:1; 11:1,32; Le 19:37; 20:8; 22:31; Ps 105:45
Ps 119:4; Eze 11:20; 36:27; 37:24; Mt 28:20; Lu 1:6; Joh 15:14
that ye may.
Le 18:5; Eze 20:11,21; Ro 10:5

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

Context

  • Deuteronomy 4:1

    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 which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.

  • Deuteronomy 4:2

    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.

Read all of Deuteronomy 4

Deuteronomy 4:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		AHORA pues, oh Israel, oye los estatutos y derechos que yo os enseño, para que los ejecutéis, y viváis, y entréis, y poseáis la tierra que Jehová el Dios de vuestros padres te da.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et maintenant, Israël, écoute les statuts et les ordonnances que je vous enseigne, pour les pratiquer, afin que vous viviez, et que vous entriez dans le pays que l’ Éternel, le Dieu de vos pères, vous donne, et que vous le possédiez.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nun, Israel, höre auf die Satzungen und auf die Rechte, die ich euch lehre zu tun, auf daß ihr lebet und hineinkommet und das Land in Besitz nehmet, welches Jehova, der Gott eurer Väter, euch gibt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et nunc, Israël, audi præcepta et judicia, quæ ego doceo te: ut faciens ea, vivas, et ingrediens possideas terram, quam Dominus Deus patrum vestrorum daturus est vobis.