Deuteronomy 4:11 kjv
And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.
Deuteronomy 4:11 nkjv
"Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.
Deuteronomy 4:11 niv
You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.
Deuteronomy 4:11 esv
And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom.
Deuteronomy 4:11 nlt
"You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while flames from the mountain shot into the sky. The mountain was shrouded in black clouds and deep darkness.
Deuteronomy 4 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:16 | On the third day... there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast... | Direct Sinai event, cloud, thunder |
| Exod 19:18 | Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. | Sinai in fire and smoke |
| Exod 20:18 | Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, they trembled... | People's fear and trembling at Sinai |
| Exod 24:17 | Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain. | God's glory as consuming fire |
| Deut 4:33 | Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of fire, as you have heard, and still live? | Uniqueness of God's direct voice from fire |
| Deut 5:4 | The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire... | God speaking directly from fire at mountain |
| Deut 5:23 | And as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire... | God's voice from darkness and burning mountain |
| Heb 12:18 | For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest. | Contrast with Sinai's terrifying nature |
| Heb 12:19 | and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. | People's terror at God's voice |
| Neh 9:13 | You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws... | God's descent and law-giving from Sinai |
| Ps 18:9 | He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. | God's descent in thick darkness |
| Ps 97:2 | Clouds and thick darkness are all around Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. | God veiled in clouds and darkness |
| Ps 97:3 | Fire goes before Him and burns up His foes all around. | Fire signifying God's presence and judgment |
| 1 Kgs 8:12 | The LORD has said that He would dwell in thick darkness. | God's chosen dwelling in thick darkness |
| Isa 6:4 | The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of Him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. | God's glory fills space, smoke as His presence |
| Ezek 1:4 | As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with fire flashing forth continually... | Prophetic vision of God's presence, fire and cloud |
| Lev 16:2 | For I appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. | God appearing veiled in a cloud |
| Job 26:9 | He veils the face of the full moon and spreads over it His cloud. | God's ability to conceal and reveal Himself |
| Zech 14:5 | Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him. | Future divine coming and shaking of mountains |
| Nah 1:3 | The LORD is slow to anger and great in power... His way is in whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet. | God's power in storm and clouds |
| Deut 10:4 | He wrote on the tablets, in the same writing as before, the ten commandments that the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire... | God wrote on tablets from fire |
| Hab 3:3 | God came from Teman... His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. | God's majestic coming, impacting the earth |
Deuteronomy 4 verses
Deuteronomy 4 11 Meaning
This verse describes the profound and awe-inspiring manifestation of God's presence at Mount Horeb (Sinai) when He delivered His Law to Israel. It vividly recounts the mountain ablaze with fire ascending to the sky's zenith, simultaneously shrouded in deep darkness, heavy cloud, and impenetrable gloom. This imagery powerfully conveys God's immense power, unapproachable holiness, and the fearful majesty of His direct revelation to His people.
Deuteronomy 4 11 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 4 serves as Moses' passionate appeal to the Israelites to obey God's statutes and judgments. This verse, Deut 4:11, specifically recounts their terrifying yet foundational encounter with the LORD at Mount Horeb (Sinai). Moses is reminding a new generation, born since the Exodus, of the covenant events their fathers witnessed. He stresses that their direct experience of God speaking from the midst of the fire uniquely distinguishes them from all other nations. The historical context is crucial: Israel is on the plains of Moab, on the brink of entering the Promised Land, and Moses is reinforcing the imperative of fidelity to the covenant by recalling the overwhelming majesty and power of the God who delivered them and made them His own.
Deuteronomy 4 11 Word analysis
- You came near (
qarab- to draw near, approach): Emphasizes Israel's unique, almost audacious proximity to the Almighty. This was not a distant encounter, but a summoned drawing near, though with strict boundaries. - and stood (`
amad- to stand, take one's stand, endure): Indicates a firm, stationary position. The people were fixed in their place as witnesses, not fleeing or moving away, though awe-struck. - at the foot of the mountain (
taḥat ha-har- lit. "under the mountain"): This designates their position at the base, not on the holy mountain itself. It highlights the divine boundary, a clear separation between the hallowed ground where God descended and the permissible space for the people. - while the mountain burned with fire (
har boer ba'esh): The mountain itself, an inanimate object, became engulfed in divine flame. "Fire" (esh`) is a powerful symbol of God's holiness, His consuming presence, purity, judgment, and dynamic power. - to the heart of heaven (`
ad lev ha-shamayim- lit. "to the heart of the heavens"): An idiomatic expression signifying extreme height and intensity. It means the fire ascended to the very core, summit, or deepest part of the sky, demonstrating the immense scale and transcendent nature of God's manifestation, engulfing the entire expanse. - wrapped in darkness (
choshech): This is an essential aspect of theophany. While fire is light, darkness signifies concealment, God's incomprehensibility, the mystery of His being, and perhaps a protection for finite human eyes from His unbearable glory. - cloud (`
anan): Often a sign of God's presence and glory, the cloud frequently serves to veil His majesty, making His appearance tolerable and guarding against direct human vision of His unapproachable light. It also served to guide and protect Israel. - and thick gloom (`
araphel): This Hebrew word refers to an extremely dense, terrifying darkness, distinct from ordinary clouds or darkness. It emphasizes the fearful and utterly inaccessible nature of God's overwhelming majesty and purity, conveying a sense of awesome dread.
Words-group analysis
- "You came near and stood": This phrase emphasizes the unique directness of Israel's encounter with God. Unlike other nations, Israel was commanded and enabled to directly experience a divine manifestation.
- "burned with fire to the heart of heaven": This depicts an unparalleled and awe-inspiring display of divine power and majesty, not merely atop the mountain but ascending infinitely.
- "wrapped in darkness, cloud, and thick gloom": This composite imagery simultaneously reveals and conceals God's presence. The darkness and clouds, rather than indicating an absence of God, denote His overwhelming, unapproachable glory and profound mystery, signifying that even as He reveals Himself, He remains distinct and beyond full human comprehension.
Deuteronomy 4 11 Bonus section
The theophany at Sinai, as described in this verse, functioned as a powerful polemic against the polytheism and idolatry prevalent in the ancient Near East. Unlike man-made gods confined to specific idols or natural phenomena, Israel's God transcended creation, yet chose to descend and speak, demonstrating His sovereignty over both cosmic elements (fire, heaven) and terrestrial features (mountain). The divine self-disclosure, wrapped in terrifying splendor, powerfully refuted the notion that God could be confined to human representations. The sheer terrifying beauty of the display aimed to instill a proper fear of God, countering any temptation towards worshipping lesser deities or created things. This direct, overwhelming revelation established the unique and authoritative source of God's Law for Israel, solidifying their identity as a distinct people.
Deuteronomy 4 11 Commentary
Deuteronomy 4:11 serves as a profound foundational statement about God's nature and Israel's relationship with Him. Moses' vivid recall of the Sinai event stresses not only the factual reality of the revelation but its overwhelming intensity. The convergence of fire, signifying consuming holiness and active presence, with darkness, cloud, and thick gloom, denoting majesty, unapproachability, and veiled glory, presents a paradoxical but essential truth about the Most High. He is near enough to speak and reveal Himself directly to humanity, yet so transcendent and pure that His full glory cannot be borne by sinful man. This unprecedented encounter ingrained a deep sense of reverence and 'fear of the LORD' (Deut 4:10) in Israel, setting the stage for their covenant obedience and distinguishing their God, Yahweh, as uniquely powerful, holy, and the sole divine authority among all nations. It commanded not just attention, but a healthy, profound awe, leading to willing submission to His divine precepts.