Deuteronomy 4:1

THE MESSAGE

Now listen, Israel, listen carefully to the rules and regulations that I am teaching you to follow so that you may live and enter and take possession of the land that God , the God-of-Your-Fathers, is giving to you. Don't add a word to what I command you, and don't remove a word from it. Keep the commands of God , your God, that I am commanding you.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Now, Yisra'el, 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.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
"Now, Israel, listen to the rules and to the regulations that I am teaching you to do, in order that you may live and you may go in and you may take possession of the land that Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, is giving to you.

English Standard Version
"And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord , the God of your fathers, is giving you.

New Century Version
Now, Israel, listen to the laws and commands I will teach you. Obey them so that you will live and so that you will go over and take the land the Lord , the God of your ancestors, is giving to you.

New English Translation
Now, Israel, pay attention to the statutes and ordinances I am about to teach you, so that you might live and go on to enter and take possession of the land that the Lord , the God of your ancestors, is giving you.

Amplified Bible
"Now, O Israel, listen and pay attention to the statutes and the judgments (God's legal decisions) which I am teaching you to do, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

New American Standard Bible
"Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you will live and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe therefore hearken, O Israel, vnto the ordinances and to the lawes which I teache you to doe, that ye may liue and goe in, and possesse the lande, which the Lorde God of your fathers giueth you.

Legacy Standard Bible
"So now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to do, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

Contemporary English Version
Moses said: Israel, listen to these laws and teachings! If you obey them, you will live, and you will go in and take the land that the Lord is giving you. He is the God your ancestors worshiped,

Complete Jewish Bible
"Now, Isra'el, listen to the laws and rulings I am teaching you, in order to follow them, so that you will live; then you will go in and take possession of the land that Adonai , the God of your fathers, is giving you.

Darby Translation
And 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.

Easy-to-Read Version
"Now, Israel, listen to the laws and to the commands that I teach you. Obey them and you will live. Then you can go in and take the land that the Lord , the God of your ancestors, is giving you.

George Lamsa Translation
NOW therefore hearken, O Israel, to the law and to the judgments which I teach you this day, to do them, that you may live and go in and possess the land which the LORD the God of your fathers gives you.

Good News Translation
Then Moses said to the people, "Obey all the laws that I am teaching you, and you will live and occupy the land which the Lord , the God of your ancestors, is giving you.

Christian Standard Bible®
“Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

Literal Translation
And now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the judgments which I am teaching you to do, so that you may live and go in, and possess the land which Jehovah the God of your fathers is giving to you.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And now herken Israel vnto the ordinauces and lawes, which I teach you that ye do them, yt ye maye lyue, and come in, & take possession of the londe, which the LORDE God of yor fathers geueth vnto you.

American Standard Version
And 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.

Bible in Basic English
And 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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe therfore harken O Israel, vnto the ordinaunces and lawes which I teache you, for to do them, that so ye may lyue, and go in, & possesse the lande which the Lorde God of your fathers geueth you.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And 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 the LORD, the God of your fathers, giveth you.

King James Version (1611)
Nowe therefore hearken, O Israel, vnto the Statutes, and vnto the Iudgments which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may liue, and goe in and possesse the lande, which the Lord God of your fathers giueth you.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And now, Israel, hear the ordinances and judgments, all that I teach you this day to do: that ye may live, and be multiplied, and that ye may go in and inherit the land, which the Lord God of your fathers gives you.

English Revised Version
And now, O Israel, hearken 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, the God of your fathers, giveth you.

Berean Standard Bible
Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And now, thou Israel, here the comaundementis and domes whiche Y teche thee, that thou do tho, and lyue, and that thow entre and welde the lond which the Lord God of youre fadris schal yyue to you.

Young's Literal Translation
`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.

Update Bible Version
And now, O 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 Yahweh, the God of your fathers, gives you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now 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.

World English Bible
Now, 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 Yahweh, the God of your fathers, gives you.

New King James Version
"Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you.

New Living Translation
"And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord , the God of your ancestors, is giving you.

New Life Bible
"Now, O Israel, listen to the Laws I am teaching you. Do them so that you may live and go in to take the land for your own that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

New Revised Standard
So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord , the God of your ancestors, is giving you.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, therefore, O Israel, hearken thou unto the statutes, and unto the regulations, which, I, am teaching you, to do them , - to the end ye may live and enter and possess the land, which, Yahweh, the God of your fathers, is giving unto you.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And now, O Israel, hear the commandments and judgments which I teach thee: that doing them, thou mayst live, and entering in mayst possess the land which the Lord the God of your fathers will give you.

Revised Standard Version
"And now, O Israel, give heed to the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

Contextual Overview

¹Now listen, Israel, listen carefully to the rules and regulations that I am teaching you to follow so that you may live and enter and take possession of the land that God , the God-of-Your-Fathers, is giving to you. Don't add a word to what I command you, and don't remove a word from it. Keep the commands of God , your God, that I am commanding you. ³You saw with your own eyes what God did at Baal Peor, how God destroyed from among you every man who joined in the Baal Peor orgies. But you, the ones who held tight to God , your God, are alive and well, every one of you, today. ⁵Pay attention: I'm teaching you the rules and regulations that God commanded me, so that you may live by them in the land you are entering to take up ownership. Keep them. Practice them. You'll become wise and understanding. When people hear and see what's going on, they'll say, "What a great nation! So wise, so understanding! We've never seen anything like it." ⁷Yes. What other great nation has gods that are intimate with them the way God , our God, is with us, always ready to listen to us? And what other great nation has rules and regulations as good and fair as this Revelation that I'm setting before you today? ⁹ Just make sure you stay alert. Keep close watch over yourselves. Don't forget anything of what you've seen. Don't let your heart wander off. Stay vigilant as long as you live. Teach what you've seen and heard to your children and grandchildren. ¹⁰ That day when you stood before God , your God, at Horeb, God said to me, "Assemble the people in my presence to listen to my words so that they will learn to fear me in holy fear for as long as they live on the land, and then they will teach these same words to their children." ¹¹You gathered. You stood in the shadow of the mountain. The mountain was ablaze with fire, blazing high into the very heart of Heaven. You stood in deep darkness and thick clouds. God spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but you saw nothing—no form, only a voice. He announced his covenant, the Ten Words, by which he commanded you to live. Then he wrote them down on two slabs of stone. ¹⁴ And God commanded me at that time to teach you the rules and regulations that you are to live by in the land which you are crossing over the Jordan to possess. ¹⁵You saw no form on the day God spoke to you at Horeb from out of the fire. Remember that. Carefully guard yourselves so that you don't turn corrupt and make a form, carving a figure that looks male or female, or looks like a prowling animal or a flying bird or a slithering snake or a fish in a stream. And also carefully guard yourselves so that you don't look up into the skies and see the sun and moon and stars, all the constellations of the skies, and be seduced into worshiping and serving them. God set them out for everybody's benefit, everywhere. But you— God took you right out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to become the people of his inheritance—and that's what you are this very day. ²¹But God was angry with me because of you and the things you said. He swore that I'd never cross the Jordan, never get to enter the good land that God , your God, is giving you as an inheritance. This means that I am going to die here. I'm not crossing the Jordan. But you will cross; you'll possess the good land.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

unto the statutes: Statutes, every thing that concerned morals and the rites and ceremonies of religion; judgments, all matters of civil right and wrong. Deuteronomy 4:8, Deuteronomy 4:45, Deuteronomy 5:1, Deuteronomy 6:1, Deuteronomy 6:2, Deuteronomy 8:1, Deuteronomy 11:1, Deuteronomy 11:32, Leviticus 19:37, Leviticus 20:8, Leviticus 22:31, Psalms 105:45, Psalms 119:4, Ezekiel 11:20, Ezekiel 36:27, Ezekiel 37:24, Matthew 28:20, Luke 1:6, John 15:14

that ye may: Leviticus 18:5, Ezekiel 20:11, Ezekiel 20:21, Romans 10:5

Reciprocal: Exodus 3:15 - The Lord Exodus 12:50 - as the Lord Exodus 18:20 - teach Exodus 24:3 - all the judgments Exodus 34:11 - Observe Exodus 40:16 - according Leviticus 18:4 - General Leviticus 18:26 - keep Deuteronomy 2:29 - into the land Deuteronomy 4:5 - General Deuteronomy 4:40 - keep Deuteronomy 5:31 - General Deuteronomy 5:32 - ye shall not Deuteronomy 6:24 - he might Deuteronomy 7:1 - greater Deuteronomy 7:11 - General Deuteronomy 12:1 - the statutes Deuteronomy 16:20 - live Deuteronomy 26:16 - This day Deuteronomy 27:1 - Keep all Joshua 3:9 - Hear the words Joshua 22:5 - take Judges 6:27 - and did Judges 18:10 - God hath 1 Kings 2:3 - statutes 1 Kings 8:58 - his commandments 2 Kings 9:1 - Ramothgilead 1 Chronicles 28:8 - that ye may Nehemiah 1:7 - the commandments Job 22:22 - receive Psalms 147:19 - his statutes Ezekiel 18:9 - walked Ezekiel 20:19 - walk Mark 4:3 - Hearken Romans 2:13 - For not

Cross-References

Genesis 4:25
Adam slept with his wife again. She had a son whom she named Seth. She said, "God has given me another child in place of Abel whom Cain killed." And then Seth had a son whom he named Enosh. That's when men and women began praying and worshiping in the name of God .

1 John 3:12
We must not be like Cain, who joined the Evil One and then killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because he was deep in the practice of evil, while the acts of his brother were righteous. So don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments,.... The laws of God, moral, ceremonial, and judicial, which they are exhorted to attend to and obey, in consideration of the great and good things the Lord had done for them, ever since they came from Horeb, where they were given them; such as providing for them, and feeding them in the wilderness, preserving them from every hurtful thing, and delivering their enemies into their hands, the two kings of the Amorites, which they are put in mind of in the preceding chapters; hence this begins with "therefore hearken"; for nothing is a greater incentive to obedience than the kindness and goodness of God:

which I teach you for to do that ye may live; the law was taught by Moses, but the Gospel of grace and truth by Jesus Christ; and it was taught by him, as well as it was to be hearkened to by them, in order to yield obedience to it; for not bare hearing, but doing the law, is the principal thing of any avail; and which was to be done, that they might live; not a spiritual and eternal life, which are not by the works of the law, but are had only from Christ, through his grace and righteousness; but a corporeal life, and a comfortable enjoyment of the blessings of it, and particularly that that might be continued to them:

and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you; the land of Canaan, which the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had promised to give to their posterity, and which they were to hold by their obedience to his laws.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The general entreaty contained in this chapter is pointed by special mention and enforcement of the fundamental principles of the whole covenant Deuteronomy 4:9-40, the spiritual nature of the Deity, His exclusive right to their allegiance, His abhorrence of idolatry in every form, His choice of them for His elect people. Compare further Moses’ third and last address, Deut. 27–30.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER IV

Exhortations to obedience, 1.

Nothing to be added to or taken from the testimonies of God, 2.

The people are exhorted to recollect how God had destroyed the

ungodly among them, 3;

and preserved those who were faithful, 4.

The excellence of the Divine law, 5, 6.

No nation in the world could boast of any such statutes,

judgments, c., 7, 8.

They are exhorted to obedience by the wonderful manifestations

of God in their behalf, 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, 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, 21, 22.

Repeats his exhortation to obedience, 23, 24.

Predicts the judgments of God against them, should they turn to

idolatry, 25-28.

Promises of God's mercy to the penitent, 29-31.

The grand and unparalleled privileges of the Israelites, 32-40.

Moses severs three cities on the east side of Jordan for cities

of refuge, 41, 42.

Their names, 43.

When and where Moses gave these statutes and judgments to

Israel, 44-49.

NOTES ON CHAP IV

Verse Deuteronomy 4:1. Hearken - unto the statutes — Every thing that concerned the rites and ceremonies of religion judgments - all that concerned matters of civil right and wrong.