Deuteronomy 4:2 kjv
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:2 nkjv
You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:2 niv
Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
Deuteronomy 4:2 esv
You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:2 nlt
Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you.
Deuteronomy 4 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 12:32 | "Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do... not add to it or take from it." | Direct reiteration of the principle in Deuteronomy. |
| Prov 30:5-6 | "Every word of God proves true... Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you..." | Warning against adding to God's inspired words. |
| Rev 22:18-19 | "If anyone adds to them... If anyone takes away from the words... God will take away his share..." | Strong New Testament warning against altering Scripture. |
| 1 Cor 4:6 | "...that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written..." | Principle of adhering strictly to written revelation. |
| Gal 1:8-9 | "Even if we or an angel... should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you..." | Warning against corrupting the Gospel. |
| Mt 5:18 | "Till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law..." | Jesus affirms the enduring authority and detail of the Law. |
| Ps 19:7 | "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul..." | God's law is complete and entirely sufficient. |
| Ps 119:1 | "Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!" | Happiness found in obedience to God's whole law. |
| Ps 12:6 | "The words of the LORD are pure words..." | Emphasizes the intrinsic purity of God's revelation. |
| Isa 40:8 | "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." | The eternal permanence and authority of God's word. |
| Lk 16:17 | "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void." | Reiterates the unchanging and unbreakable nature of the Law. |
| Jn 10:35 | "...Scripture cannot be broken..." | Scripture's inherent integrity and authority. |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof... that the man of God may be competent, equipped..." | Scripture's divine origin and sufficiency for life. |
| Jer 23:36 | "...you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts..." | Warning against distorting God's true message. |
| Ex 24:3 | "Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules..." | The entirety of God's word was to be received. |
| Dt 5:32-33 | "You shall be careful to do therefore as the LORD your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left." | Command to walk precisely in God's prescribed ways. |
| Jas 1:22 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." | Application of God's word requires active obedience, not selective adherence. |
| Lev 10:1-2 | "Nadab and Abihu... offered unauthorized fire before the LORD... fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them..." | Example of severe judgment for adding to God's specific commands. |
| Num 15:30-31 | "But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is a native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD... that person shall be cut off..." | Emphasizes consequences for rebellious disregard or subtraction from God's word. |
| 1 Pet 1:25 | "but the word of the Lord remains forever." | Assurance of the enduring nature of God's word. |
| Heb 1:1-2 | "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son..." | God's progressive and culminating revelation, completed in Christ. |
| Jer 26:2 | "...speak to all the cities... all the words that I command you... do not withhold a word." | Prophets were forbidden from altering or withholding God's message. |
Deuteronomy 4 verses
Deuteronomy 4 2 Meaning
Deuteronomy 4:2 conveys a foundational principle for God's covenant people: the absolute inviolability of His revealed word. It commands Israel not to add to, nor take away from, the commandments God delivers. This instruction is not merely a legalistic constraint but is fundamentally linked to their ability to observe and walk in obedience to the Lord's decrees. The purpose of this prohibition is to preserve the purity and authority of divine revelation, ensuring that Israel's faith and practice remain tethered solely to God's own declarations, thereby safeguarding their relationship with Him and their future well-being.
Deuteronomy 4 2 Context
Deuteronomy 4 serves as a pivotal hortatory appeal from Moses to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. Chapter 4 forms the core of Moses' first major discourse, emphasizing the benefits and responsibilities of their covenant relationship with Yahweh. This specific verse (4:2) sets the stage for Moses' exhortations regarding the keeping of the Law. It frames all subsequent instructions, statutes, and judgments as a complete and unalterable divine revelation. The immediate context of Dt 4:1 commands Israel to listen and obey so that they may live and possess the land, thus linking adherence to God's precise word with life, prosperity, and national survival in the covenant land. Historically, the audience consisted of those who had witnessed or were born after the Exodus generation, making it crucial for them to internalize the lessons of the wilderness and renew their commitment to the divine covenant given at Horeb (Sinai).
Deuteronomy 4 2 Word analysis
You shall not add: Hebrew: לֹא תֹסִפוּ (lo tosifu). The negative command using lo with the imperfect verb (tasaf, "to add, increase"). This strictly prohibits introducing anything extra into God's revealed will. This could include adding new laws, rituals, or adapting pagan practices into worship of Yahweh. The focus is on the completeness of the divine command.
to the word: Hebrew: הַדָּבָר (haddabar). This term often means "word," "thing," "matter," or "command." Here, it refers to the totality of God's revelation, particularly the specific commands given through Moses, constituting the covenant law. It underscores the singular source of authority for Israel's conduct and worship.
that I command you: Hebrew: אֲצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם (atsawweh etkhem). Emphasizes the divine origin and authority of the law. "I command" (from tsawah) stresses that this is not human legislation but a direct divine imperative, establishing its unique, supreme status.
nor take from it: Hebrew: וְלֹא תִגְרְעוּ מִמֶּנּוּ (welo tigreu mimmenu). The negative command using lo with the imperfect verb (gara, "to diminish, subtract, withhold"). This strictly prohibits removing any part of God's law. This would include neglecting commandments, diminishing their importance, or failing to enforce them. It stresses the integrity of the divine command, ensuring no part is deemed unnecessary.
that you may keep: Hebrew: לִשְׁמֹר (lishmor). The infinitive construct "to keep, observe, guard." This states the purpose or result of not adding or subtracting. The proper preservation of the law directly enables genuine obedience.
the commandments of the LORD your God: Hebrew: אֶת מִצְוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (et mitzwot Yahweh Eloheykhem). This phrase identifies the "word" specifically as the mitzvot (commandments), belonging uniquely to Yahweh (God's personal covenant name, the eternal, unchanging One) and establishing Eloheychem (your God), emphasizing their special covenant relationship.
that I command you: A repeated phrase, underscoring again Moses' role as the divine messenger delivering Yahweh's unadulterated words directly to them.
You shall not add to... nor take from it: This dual prohibition emphasizes the absolute sufficiency and perfection of God's law. It's a comprehensive safeguarding against human attempts to modify divine revelation, whether through syncretism (adding pagan practices) or legalism (adding human traditions) or through laxity (removing difficult commands) or apostasy (rejecting core tenets). It defines the boundaries of their obedience and preserves the purity of their relationship with the only true God.
Deuteronomy 4 2 Bonus section
This principle in Deuteronomy 4:2 extends beyond specific laws to the entirety of divine communication, acting as an implicit sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) concept in embryonic form within the Old Testament. It champions the exclusive nature of God's self-revelation. The command highlights a theological tenet: humanity's role is to receive and obey God's word, not to define or redefine it. This forms a direct challenge to human autonomy in religious matters and guards against the pitfalls of tradition overshadowing truth or personal preferences eroding divine mandate. This absolute command is vital given Israel's tendency to conform to surrounding cultures (adding their practices) or selectively ignore demanding aspects of God's law (subtracting). It implies that the Word given by God is a closed revelation in its specific context for that covenant period, possessing absolute completeness and needing no human revision or improvement.
Deuteronomy 4 2 Commentary
Deuteronomy 4:2 is a cornerstone for understanding the nature of divine revelation and the demanded human response. It is a profound declaration of the Scripture's final authority and sufficiency. By forbidding both addition and subtraction, God asserts that His law is perfectly crafted and complete for the life He intends for His people. Any human alteration, whether motivated by a desire to "improve" (addition) or simplify (subtraction), inevitably corrupts God's original intent, leading Israel away from the path of blessing. The consequence of such tampering is an inability to truly "keep" the commandments, because what they are attempting to keep is no longer God's pure will. This verse is not about meticulous textual preservation for preservation's sake, but about preserving the relationship with God that flows from walking in His prescribed ways. It mandates unwavering adherence to God's precise instruction as the only basis for true worship and covenant fidelity. For example, for Israel, this meant avoiding the syncretistic practices of surrounding nations (adding) and fully obeying commands even if inconvenient (not subtracting). In the New Testament, this principle is foundational to recognizing the perfect and sufficient revelation in Christ, guarding against extra-biblical doctrines or diminishing the Gospel message.