Ulangan 4:12-18

4:12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the middle of the fire; you heard speech but you could not see anything – only a voice was heard. ¹  4:13 And he revealed to you the covenant ²  he has commanded you to keep, the ten commandments, ³  writing them on two stone tablets. 4:14 Moreover, at that same time the Lord commanded me to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to keep in the land which you are about to enter and possess. ⁴ 

The Nature of Israel’s God

4:15 Be very careful, ⁵  then, because you saw no form at the time the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the middle of the fire. 4:16 I say this ⁶  so you will not corrupt yourselves by making an image in the form of any kind of figure. This includes the likeness of a human male or female, 4:17 any kind of land animal, any bird that flies in the sky, 4:18 anything that crawls ⁷  on the ground, or any fish in the deep waters of the earth. ⁸ 

[4:12]  ¹ tn The words “was heard” are supplied in the translation to avoid the impression that the voice was seen.

[4:13]  ² sn This is the first occurrence of the word בְּרִית (bÿrit, “covenant”) in the Book of Deuteronomy but it appears commonly hereafter (4:23, 31; 5:2, 3; 7:9, 12; 8:18; 9:9, 10, 11, 15; 10:2, 4, 5, 8; 17:2; 29:1, 9, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21, 25; 31:9, 16, 20, 25, 26; 33:9). Etymologically, it derives from the notion of linking or yoking together. See M. Weinfeld, TDOT 2:255.

[4:13]  ³ tn Heb “the ten words.”

[4:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “to which you are crossing over to possess it.”

[4:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “give great care to your souls.”

[4:16]  ⁶ tn The words “I say this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 16 is subordinated to “Be careful” in v. 15, but this makes for an unduly long sentence in English.

[4:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “creeping thing.”

[4:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “under the earth.”