Deuteronomy 4 · Verse 15

Deuteronomy 4:15

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:
Deuteronomy 4:15, King James Version

Deuteronomy 4:15 in other translations

BSBSo since you saw no form of any kind on the day the LORD spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb, be careful
WEBBe very careful, for you saw no kind of form on the day that the LORD spoke to you in Horeb out of the middle of the fire,
ASVTake 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;
YLTand ye have been very watchful of your souls, for ye have not seen any similitude in the day of Jehovah's speaking unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire,
DARBYAnd take great heed to your souls (for ye saw no form on the day that Jehovah spoke to you in Horeb from the midst of the fire),
BBESo keep watch on yourselves with care; for you saw no form of any sort on the day when the voice of the Lord came to you in Horeb out of the heart of the fire:
WebsterTake ye therefore good heed to yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire;

What does Deuteronomy 4:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

De 4:14-40. A Particular Dissuasive against Idolatry.

15. Take ... good heed ... for ye saw no manner of similitude--The extreme proneness of the Israelites to idolatry, from their position in the midst of surrounding nations already abandoned to its seductions, accounts for their attention being repeatedly drawn to the fact that God did not appear on Sinai in any visible form; and an earnest caution, founded on that remarkable circumstance, is given to beware, not only of making representations of false gods, but also any fancied representation of the true God.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Ye saw no manner of similitude - Howsoever God chose to appear or manifest himself, he took care never to assume any describable form. He would have no image worship, because he is a Spirit, and they who worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth. These outward things tend to draw the mind out of itself, and diffuse it on sensible, if not sensual, objects; and thus spiritual worship is prevented, and the Holy Ghost grieved. Persons acting in this way can never know much of the religion of the heart.

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…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 4:1-23 →

Deuteronomy 4:15 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.

וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥םve.nish.mar.Temand you will take heedH8104
מְאֹ֖דme.'OdexceedinglyH3966
לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑םle.naf.sho.tei.Khemto selves yourH5315
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
לֹ֤אlo'notH3808
רְאִיתֶם֙re.'i.Temyou sawH7200
כָּל\־kol-anyH3605
תְּמוּנָ֔הte.mu.NahformH8544
בְּי֗וֹםbe.Yomon [the] dayH3117
דִּבֶּ֨רdi.Ber[when] he spokeH1696
יְהוָ֧הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם'a.lei.Khemto youH413
בְּחֹרֵ֖בbe.cho.Revat HorebH2722
מִתּ֥וֹךְmi.Tokhfrom [the] middle ofH8432
הָאֵֽשׁ\׃ha.'Eshthe fireH784

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

Cross references for Deuteronomy 4:15

  • Deuteronomy 4:12

    And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.

  • 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

    In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

  • Isaiah 40:18

    To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

  • Malachi 2:15

    And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

  • Jeremiah 17:21

    Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;

  • Proverbs 4:23

    Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

  • Hebrews 1:3

    Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

  • 1 Chronicles 28:9-10

    And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

  • Joshua 23:11

    Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.

  • Deuteronomy 4:9

    Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;

  • Proverbs 4:27

    Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

  • Psalms 119:9

    ב BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Take ye.
9,23; Jos 23:11; 1Ch 28:9,10; Ps 119:9; Pr 4:23,27; Jer 17:21
Mal 2:15
of similitude.
12; Isa 40:18; 2Co 4:4-6; Heb 1:3

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

Context

  • Deuteronomy 4:14

    And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.

  • Deuteronomy 4:15

    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:

  • Deuteronomy 4:16

    Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

Read all of Deuteronomy 4

Deuteronomy 4:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Guardad pues mucho vuestras almas: pues ninguna figura visteis el día que Jehová habló con vosotros de en medio del fuego:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et vous prendrez bien garde à vos âmes (car vous n’avez vu aucune forme au jour où l’ Éternel vous parla du milieu du feu, à Horeb),
German
Elberfelder 1871		So hütet eure Seelen sehr, -denn ihr habt keinerlei Gestalt gesehen an dem Tage, da Jehova am Horeb, mitten aus dem Feuer, zu euch redete-
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Custodite igitur sollicite animas vestras. Non vidistis aliquam similitudinem in die, qua locutus est vobis Dominus in Horeb de medio ignis: