Deuteronomy 4:19

Good News Translation

Do not be tempted to worship and serve what you see in the sky—the sun, the moon, and the stars. The Lord your God has given these to all other peoples for them to worship.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.

King James Version
And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

Lexham English Bible
And do this so that you do not lift your eyes toward heaven and observe the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of the heaven, and be led astray and bow down to them and serve them, things that Yahweh your God has allotted to all of the peoples under all of the heaven.

English Standard Version
And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

New Century Version
When you look up at the sky, you see the sun, moon, and stars, and everything in the sky. But don't bow down and worship them, because the Lord your God has made these things for all people everywhere.

New English Translation
When you look up to the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—the whole heavenly creation—you must not be seduced to worship and serve them, for the Lord your God has assigned them to all the people of the world.

Amplified Bible
"And beware that you do not raise your eyes toward heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and let yourselves be led astray and worship them and serve them, [mere created bodies] which the LORD your God has allotted to [serve and benefit] all the peoples under the whole heaven.

New American Standard Bible
"And be careful not to raise your eyes to heaven and look at the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the heavenly lights, and allow yourself to be drawn away and worship them and serve them, things which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And lest thou lift vp thine eyes vnto heauen, and when thou seest the sunne & the moone and the starres with all the host of heauen, shouldest bee driuen to worship them and serue them, which the Lord thy God hath distributed to all people vnder the whole heauen.

Legacy Standard Bible
and lest you lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which Yahweh your God has apportioned for all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Contemporary English Version
And when you see the sun or moon or stars, don't be tempted to bow down and worship them. The Lord put them there for all the other nations to worship.

Complete Jewish Bible
For the same reason, do not look up at the sky, at the sun, moon, stars and everything in the sky, and be drawn away to worship and serve them; Adonai your God has allotted these to all the peoples under the entire sky.

Darby Translation
and lest thou lift up thine eyes to the heavens, and see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, the whole host of heaven, and be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, which Jehovah thy God hath assigned unto all peoples under the whole heaven.

Easy-to-Read Version
And be careful when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon, and the stars—all the many things in the sky. Be careful that you are not tempted to worship and serve them. The Lord your God lets the other people in the world do this.

George Lamsa Translation
And lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon, and the stars and all the host of heaven, should go astray and worship them and serve those things which the LORD your God has provided for all the peoples under heaven.

Christian Standard Bible®
When you look to the heavens and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the stars in the sky—do not be led astray to bow in worship to them and serve them. The Lord your God has provided them for all people everywhere under heaven.

Literal Translation
and that you not lift up your eyes towards the heavens and shall see the sun, and the heavens, and you be drawn away and worship them, and serve them; which Jehovah your God has allotted to all the peoples under all the heavens.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
yt thou lifte not vp thine eyes towarde heauen, and se the Sonne and the Moone & the starres, and the whole hoost of heaue, and be disceaused, and worsh ppe, and serue them: which the LORDE yi God hath made to serue all nacios vnder ye whole heaue.

American Standard Version
and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Jehovah thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Bible in Basic English
And when your eyes are lifted up to heaven, and you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the army of heaven, do not let yourselves be moved to give them worship, or become the servants of what the Lord has given equally to all peoples under heaven.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yea, and lest thou lift vp thyne eyes vnto heauen, and when thou seest the sunne, the moone, and the starres, with all the hoast of heauen, shouldest be driuen to worship them, & serue them, and shouldest worship and serue the thynges, which the Lorde thy God hath made to serue all nations vnder the whole heauen.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven.

King James Version (1611)
And lest thou lift vp thine eyes vnto heauen, and when thou seest the sun, and the moone, and the starres, euen all the hoste of heauen, shouldest be driuen to worship them, and serue them, which the Lord thy God hath diuided vnto all nations vnder the whole heauen.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and lest having looked up to the sky, and having seen the sun and the moon and the stars, and all the heavenly bodies, thou shouldest go astray and worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God has distributed to all the nations under heaven.

English Revised Version
and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Berean Standard Bible
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars-all the host of heaven-do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
whanne thin iyen ben reisid to heuene, thou se the sonne, and moone, and alle the sterris of heuene, and be disseyued bi errour, and worschipe tho, `bi outermer reuerence, and onour, `bi ynner reuerence, `tho thingis whiche thi Lord God made of nouyt, in to seruyce to alle folkis that ben vndur heuene.

Young's Literal Translation
`And lest thou lift up thine eyes towards the heavens, and hast seen the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all the host of the heavens, and thou hast been forced, and hast bowed thyself to them, and served them, which Jehovah thy God hath apportioned to all the peoples under the whole heavens.

Update Bible Version
Or else you will lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, you will be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Yahweh your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Webster's Bible Translation
And lest thou shouldst lift up thy eyes to heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, [even] all the host of heaven, shouldst be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided to all nations under the whole heaven.

World English Bible
and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Yahweh your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.

New King James Version
And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.

New Living Translation
And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don't be seduced into worshiping them. The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth.

New Life Bible
Be careful not to lift up your eyes toward heaven and see the sun and moon and stars, all the things of heaven, and be pulled away and worship them and serve them. The Lord your God has given these things to all the nations under the whole heavens.

New Revised Standard
And when you look up to the heavens and see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, do not be led astray and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples everywhere under heaven.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
or lest thou shouldest lift up thine eyes towards the heavens and see the sun and the moon, and the stars - all the host of the heavens, and shouldest be seduced, and shouldest bow thyself down to them and he led to serve them, - the which Yahweh thy God hath assigned unto all the peoples under all the heavens;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Lest perhaps lifting up thy eyes to heaven, thou see the sun and the moon, and all the stars of heaven, and being deceived by error thou adore and serve them, which the Lord thy God created for the service of all the nations, that are under heaven.

Revised Standard Version
And beware lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and worship them and serve them, things which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Contextual Overview

¹ 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. ² Do not add anything to what I command you, and do not take anything away. Obey the commands of the Lord your God that I have given you. ³ You yourselves saw what the Lord did at Mount Peor. He destroyed everyone who worshiped Baal there, ⁴ but those of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today. ⁵ "I have taught you all the laws, as the Lord my God told me to do. Obey them in the land that you are about to invade and occupy. ⁶ Obey them faithfully, and this will show the people of other nations how wise you are. When they hear of all these laws, they will say, ‘What wisdom and understanding this great nation has!' ⁷ "No other nation, no matter how great, has a god who is so near when they need him as the Lord our God is to us. He answers us whenever we call for help. ⁸ No other nation, no matter how great, has laws so just as those that I have taught you today. ⁹ Be on your guard! Make certain that you do not forget, as long as you live, what you have seen with your own eyes. Tell your children and your grandchildren ¹⁰ about the day you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, when he said to me, ‘Assemble the people. I want them to hear what I have to say, so that they will learn to obey me as long as they live and so that they will teach their children to do the same.'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when thou: Deuteronomy 17:3, 2 Kings 23:4, 2 Kings 23:5, 2 Kings 23:11, Job 31:26, Job 31:27, Jeremiah 8:2, Ezekiel 8:16, Amos 5:25, Amos 5:26

the host: Genesis 2:1, 2 Kings 17:16, 2 Kings 21:3, Jeremiah 19:13, Zephaniah 1:5, Acts 7:42, Romans 1:25

which the Lord: Genesis 1:16-18, Joshua 10:12, Joshua 10:13, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalms 74:16, Psalms 74:17, Psalms 136:7-9, Psalms 148:3-5, Jeremiah 31:35, Jeremiah 33:25, Matthew 5:45

divided: or, imparted

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:14 - Let there Deuteronomy 12:1 - all the days Deuteronomy 13:13 - are gone 1 Kings 18:15 - of hosts liveth 2 Kings 17:12 - whereof 2 Chronicles 33:3 - the host Job 36:24 - which Job 38:19 - the way Psalms 8:3 - moon Psalms 19:3 - There Psalms 24:4 - lifted Psalms 33:6 - the host Psalms 65:8 - outgoings Psalms 104:19 - General Psalms 119:91 - all are Isaiah 40:26 - Lift Isaiah 51:6 - Lift up Jeremiah 7:18 - queen of heaven Ezekiel 18:6 - neither hath lifted Ezekiel 20:24 - their eyes Ezekiel 33:25 - lift up Romans 1:20 - from the 1 Corinthians 15:41 - General Colossians 1:23 - under Hebrews 1:10 - the works James 1:17 - from the Revelation 22:9 - See

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to live alone. I will make a suitable companion to help him."

Genesis 2:24
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united with his wife, and they become one.

Genesis 4:4
Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:6
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why that scowl on your face?

Matthew 19:8
Jesus answered, "Moses gave you permission to divorce your wives because you are so hard to teach. But it was not like that at the time of creation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven,.... The starry heaven, which to do in itself is not sinful; and may be lawfully and commendably done, to raise admiration at the wonderful works of God in them, and lead to adore the author of them: but if not guarded against may be ensnaring:

and when thou seest the sun and the moon, and the stars, [even] all the host of heaven; those bright luminaries, so glorious to behold, and so useful and beneficial to the earth, and the inhabitants of it:

shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them; should have an impulse on their minds and their hearts, be inclined and drawn to the worship of them, partly by considering their splendour, glory, and usefulness, and partly by the example of others; for the worshipping of these seems to be and is the first kind of idolatry men gave into, at least it was very ancient; see Job 31:26,

which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven; the sun and the moon by their constant revolutions visit all the parts of the world, and stars are fixed in both hemispheres, so that all nations of the earth receive the benefit and advantage of all these heavenly bodies; but were never designed to be the objects of their worship, as might be learnt from their being divided to them, sometimes one part of the earth enjoying them, and then another, and not present with them all at one and the same time, which, if deities, would have been necessary; see Psalms 19:6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Divided - i. e., “whose light God has distributed to the nations for their use and benefit, and which therefore being creatures ministering to man’s convenience must not be worshipped as man’s lords.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 4:19. When thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars — The worship of the heavenly bodies was the oldest species of idolatry. Those who had not the knowledge of the true God were led to consider the sun, moon, planets, and stars, as not only self-existing, but the authors of all the blessings possessed by mankind. The knowledge of a rational system of astronomy served to destroy this superstition; and very little of it remains now in the world, except among a few Christian and Mohammedan astrologers; those miserable sinners who endeavour, as much as possible, to revive the old idolatry, while vainly professing to believe in the true God! Nor is it to be doubted that God will proceed with them as he has done of old with the worshippers of the host of heaven. Sound philosophy is next in importance to sound divinity; and next to the study of the work of grace is that of the operations of God in nature; for these visible things make known his eternal power and Godhead.