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Sunday, August 3rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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JPS Old Testament

Deuteronomy 4:15

Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves--for ye saw no manner of form on the day that the LORD spoke unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire--

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   God Continued...;   Horeb;   Idolatry;   Obedience;   Sinai;   The Topic Concordance - Alertness;   Idolatry;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Heedfulness;   Idolatry;   Law of Moses, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Idol, Idolatry;   Image;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - God;   Idol, idolatry;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fire;   Idol, Idolatry;   Israel;   Jesus Christ, Name and Titles of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Polytheism;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Divination;   Idol;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Baptism of Fire;   Deuteronomy, the Book of;   Theophany;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Deuteronomy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Quotations;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Horeb ;   Similitude;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Horeb;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Cherub;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Criticism (the Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis);   Deuteronomy;   Form;   Good;   Heed;   Similitude;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ethics;   God;   Theology;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Take therefore good heed to yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that the LORD spoke to you in Horev out of the midst of the fire.
King James Version
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:
Lexham English Bible
"So you must be very careful for yourselves, because you did not see any form on the day Yahweh spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,
English Standard Version
"Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire,
New Century Version
Since the Lord spoke to you from the fire at Mount Sinai, but you did not see him, watch yourselves carefully!
New English Translation
Be very careful, then, because you saw no form at the time the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the middle of the fire.
Amplified Bible
"So pay attention and watch yourselves carefully—for you did not see any form [of God] on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire—
New American Standard Bible
"So be very careful yourselves, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Take therefore good heede vnto your selues: for ye sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middes of the fire:
Legacy Standard Bible
"So keep your souls very carefully, since you did not see any form on the day Yahweh spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,
Contemporary English Version
Moses said to Israel: When God spoke to you from the fire, he was invisible. So be careful
Complete Jewish Bible
"Therefore, watch out for yourselves! Since you did not see a shape of any kind on the day Adonai spoke to you in Horev from the fire,
Darby Translation
And 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),
Easy-to-Read Version
"On the day the Lord spoke to you from the fire at Mount Horeb, you did not see him—there was no shape for God.
George Lamsa Translation
Take therefore good heed to yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire;
Good News Translation
"When the Lord spoke to you from the fire on Mount Sinai, you did not see any form. For your own good, then, make certain
Christian Standard Bible®
“Diligently watch yourselves—because you did not see any form on the day the Lord spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb—
Literal Translation
Therefore you shall carefully watch over your souls, for you have not seen any likeness in the day Jehovah spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Kepe well youre soules therfore, for ye sawe no maner of ymage, in the daye wha the LORDE spake vnto you out of the fyre vpon mount Horeb, that ye destroye not youre selues,
American Standard Version
Take 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;
Bible in Basic English
So 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:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Take therfore good heede vnto your selues as pertaynyng vnto your soules, (for ye sawe no maner of image in the day that the Lorde spake vnto you in Horeb, out of the middes of fire)
King James Version (1611)
Take ye therfore good heed vnto your selues, (for ye saw no maner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire)
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And take good heed to your hearts, for ye saw no similitude in the day in which the Lord spoke to you in Choreb in the mountain out of the midst of the fire:
English Revised Version
Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of form on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
Berean Standard Bible
So since you saw no form of any kind on the day the LORD spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb, be careful
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor kepe ye bisili youre soulis; ye sien not ony licnesse in the dai in which the Lord spak to you in Oreb, fro the myddis of the fier;
Young's Literal Translation
and 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,
Update Bible Version
Therefore take good heed to yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.
Webster's Bible Translation
Take 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;
World English Bible
Take therefore good heed to yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.
New King James Version
"Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire,
New Living Translation
"But be very careful! You did not see the Lord 's form on the day he spoke to you from the heart of the fire at Mount Sinai.
New Life Bible
"So watch yourselves and be careful. For you saw no body on the day the Lord spoke to you in the fire at Mount Sinai.
New Revised Standard
Since you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire, take care and watch yourselves closely,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Ye must take diligent heed, therefore unto your own souls, for ye saw no manner of form, on the day Yahweh spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Keep therefore your souls carefully. You saw not any similitude in the day that the Lord God spoke to you in Horeb from the midst of the fire:
Revised Standard Version
"Therefore take good heed to yourselves. Since you saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire,
THE MESSAGE
You 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.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire,

Contextual Overview

1 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. 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did in Baal-peor; for all the men that followed the Baal of Peor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from the midst of thee. 4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it. 6 Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' 7 For what great nation is there, that hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is whensoever we call upon Him? 8 And what great nation is there, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? 9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children's children; 10 the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me: 'Assemble Me the people, and I will make them hear My words that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Take ye: Deuteronomy 4:9, Deuteronomy 4:23, Joshua 23:11, 1 Chronicles 28:9, 1 Chronicles 28:10, Psalms 119:9, Proverbs 4:23, Proverbs 4:27, Jeremiah 17:21, Malachi 2:15

of similitude: Deuteronomy 4:12, Isaiah 40:18, 2 Corinthians 4:4-6, Hebrews 1:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:4 - General Exodus 23:13 - be circumspect Exodus 32:1 - make Numbers 12:8 - similitude Deuteronomy 5:8 - graven image 2 Kings 10:31 - took no heed 2 Kings 17:12 - Ye shall not Isaiah 40:25 - General Luke 17:3 - heed Romans 1:23 - an image

Cross-References

Genesis 4:24
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
Leviticus 26:18
And if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto Me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins.
Leviticus 26:21
And if ye walk contrary unto Me, and will not hearken unto Me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
Leviticus 26:24
then will I also walk contrary unto you; and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.
Leviticus 26:28
then I will walk contrary unto you in fury; and I also will chastise you seven times for your sins.
1 Kings 16:7
And moreover by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasa, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he smote him.
Psalms 59:11
The God of my mercy will come to meet me; God will let me gaze upon mine adversaries.
Psalms 79:12
And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach,
Proverbs 6:31
But if he be found, he must restore sevenfold, he must give all the substance of his house.
Ezekiel 9:4
And the LORD said unto him: 'Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.'

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves,.... As to keep all the laws given them, so particularly to avoid idolatry:

for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire; and therefore, as they had nothing that directed and led them, so they had nothing that could be a temptation to them, to make any form or likeness, and worship it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 4:15. 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.


 
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