Deuteronomy 4 19

Deuteronomy 4:19 kjv

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.

Deuteronomy 4:19 nkjv

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.

Deuteronomy 4:19 niv

And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars?all the heavenly array?do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

Deuteronomy 4:19 esv

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.

Deuteronomy 4:19 nlt

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.

Deuteronomy 4 verses

Deuteronomy 4 19 Meaning

This verse is a solemn warning to the Israelites against succumbing to idolatry, specifically the worship of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, and stars. It prohibits gazing upon them with a mind to worship, asserting that these celestial phenomena, despite their grandeur, are merely creations appointed by the LORD their God for all peoples under heaven, serving as His instruments and not as deities themselves. It underscores God's singular sovereignty over all creation, rejecting any form of cosmic idolatry prevalent in ancient Near Eastern cultures.

Deuteronomy 4 19 Context

Deuteronomy 4 serves as a powerful call to Israel to remember their covenant with God, emphasizing the uniqueness of YHWH and the exclusive nature of their relationship with Him. The immediate preceding verses (Deut 4:15-18) warn against making any physical representation of God, highlighting that when YHWH spoke from the midst of the fire at Horeb (Sinai), they saw no form. This radical iconoclasm directly prepares for verse 19, extending the prohibition beyond crafted images to include even the most magnificent of natural phenomena – the celestial bodies. Historically and culturally, Israel was surrounded by nations (Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Canaanites) whose religious practices deeply intertwined with astral worship, where the sun, moon, and stars were personified as powerful deities or seen as manifestations of gods. Moses, in this discourse, is urging the people, on the plains of Moab before entering Canaan, to establish a distinct spiritual identity, utterly set apart from the prevailing polytheistic customs of the time. The context is fundamentally a plea for exclusive monotheism and loyalty to the covenant.

Deuteronomy 4 19 Word Analysis

• And beware (וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם - ve'nishmartem): A strong warning, meaning "take heed," "be watchful," or "be on guard." It implies a necessary, conscious effort to prevent something from happening.
• lest you lift up your eyes (פֶּן תִּשָּׂא עֵינֶיךָ - pen tissa' eyneycha): "Lift up" (nasa') here suggests not just casual observation, but an attentive, possibly admiring gaze, one that can lead to temptation. "Eyes" (ayin) refers to visual perception, which often serves as a gateway for the heart and mind to follow.
• to heaven (הַשָּׁמַיְמָה - hashshamaymah): Refers to the visible sky, the domain where celestial bodies are observed. It's the physical space where temptation arises.
• and see (וְרָאִיתָ - ve'ra'ita): Implies a sustained viewing, not a fleeting glance, leading to deeper engagement.
• the sun (הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ - hashemesh), the moon (וְהַיָּרֵחַ - vehayareach), and the stars (וְהַכּוֹכָבִים - vehakokhavim): These are specific, identifiable celestial bodies universally visible and historically worshipped as deities across ancient civilizations due to their regularity, power, and apparent influence on life.
• all the host of heaven (כָּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם - kol tz'va hashshamayim): "Host" (tzava) means an army or multitude. Here, it signifies the entire vast array of celestial objects, emphasizing their immense number and apparent order. In pagan contexts, this "host" was often personified as an army of divine beings, subject to certain cosmic deities.
• and be drawn away (וְנִדַּחְתָּ - ve'niddakhta): To be led astray, seduced, driven, or pushed. This word indicates an involuntary slipping into idolatry, often through enticement or gradual deviation, highlighting the deceptive power of false worship.
• and worship them (וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתָ לָהֶם - ve'hishtahavita lahem): To prostrate oneself, to bow down in reverence, an act of homage due only to God.
• and serve them (וַעֲבַדְתָּם - va'avadetam): To act as a slave or worshiper; to devote oneself to their service, involving rituals, sacrifices, or living in accordance with their perceived will. This denotes sustained commitment and allegiance.
• things which the LORD your God (אֲשֶׁר חָלַק יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - asher chalaq YHVH Eloheicha): The verb chalak means "to apportion," "to allot," "to divide." This is a pivotal phrase asserting God's sovereign control over the celestial bodies. They are not independent deities but instruments under His authority. They are not divine entities to be worshipped; rather, they are parts of creation designed for a specific purpose.
• has allotted to all the peoples under heaven (לְכָל הָעַמִּים תַּחַת כָּל הַשָּׁמָיִם - l'khol ha'ammim tachat kol hashshamayim): This highlights that the sun, moon, and stars serve a universal purpose (e.g., light, signs, seasons, time-keeping) for all humanity. For Israel, their special revelation came not from the observation of the heavens but from direct communication (Torah) from a transcendent, invisible God at Horeb. It may also imply a divine permission for nations to observe and even err concerning these creations, whereas Israel has been granted the truth of who the Creator is. The contrast is sharp: Israel has Torah; the nations have the luminaries.

Deuteronomy 4 19 Bonus Section

The deliberate phrasing "the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under heaven" can be interpreted as a subtle yet powerful theological statement about divine permission or differentiation. While other nations may misinterpret or worship these celestial phenomena, leading them astray, Israel has been granted a distinct, higher form of revelation through the Torah. This highlights Israel's unique and privileged position within the covenant, possessing direct divine instruction rather than relying on inferences from the natural world which, left unchecked, could lead to idolatry. The celestial bodies were indeed created by God for signs, seasons, days, and years (Gen 1:14), universally beneficial functions, but they were never intended as objects of worship. For Israel, God manifested Himself not in the heavens above in a visible form, but in words from fire at Sinai, an unprecedented and inimitable event (Deut 4:12-15). This fundamentally differentiates Israel's worship from that of its neighbors, making the injunction against astral worship a core element of its monotheistic identity.

Deuteronomy 4 19 Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:19 presents a forceful admonition against the seductive pull of astral worship, a pervasive practice in the ancient Near East. Moses is not merely issuing a command, but he's grounding it in a profound theological truth: the LORD God, YHWH, is the ultimate and sole Creator, holding absolute dominion over everything, including the sun, moon, and stars. These celestial bodies, though awe-inspiring, are presented as mere allotted aspects of creation. This negates their divinity and renders any worship of them as illegitimate. The verse builds on the prior command against idolatry by emphasizing that not even the grandest parts of the created order are worthy of divine honor. It asserts God's radical transcendence and Israel's unique covenantal relationship, wherein their focus should be solely on the invisible God who delivered them and gave them His law, not on visible objects. The temptation to "lift up your eyes" and "be drawn away" speaks to the allure of visual grandeur leading to spiritual seduction, from observing a wonder of creation to worshipping it, an act theologically forbidden and practically ruinous for their covenant fidelity.