Deuteronomy 4 20

Deuteronomy 4:20 kjv

But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.

Deuteronomy 4:20 nkjv

But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day.

Deuteronomy 4:20 niv

But as for you, the LORD took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.

Deuteronomy 4:20 esv

But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day.

Deuteronomy 4:20 nlt

Remember that the LORD rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today.

Deuteronomy 4 verses

Deuteronomy 4 20 Meaning

Deuteronomy 4:20 declares that the Lord Himself redeemed Israel from the oppression of Egypt, likening their experience there to a refining "iron furnace." This act of deliverance was not arbitrary but purposeful: to establish Israel as God's very own cherished possession and chosen people. The verse highlights God's sovereign power, His personal involvement in Israel's history, and the unique covenant relationship He initiated with them.

Deuteronomy 4 20 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 4 serves as a pivotal address by Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, before their entry into the Promised Land. It is a powerful exhortation to remember and obey God's commands. Moses reminds them of the astounding events at Horeb (Mount Sinai), where God revealed Himself, spoke the Ten Commandments, and made a covenant with them. The chapter sternly warns against idolatry and turning away from the living God. Verse 20 stands in direct contrast to the idolatry discussed in the preceding verse (Dt 4:19), which prohibits worshipping the celestial bodies that God apportioned to other nations. Moses emphasizes that Israel’s unique history—being delivered from Egyptian bondage by God's own hand—makes their temptation to pagan worship particularly heinous and foolish. Their past suffering and miraculous deliverance define their special relationship and obligations to Yahweh, who redeemed them not for nothing, but to be His "people of inheritance."

Deuteronomy 4 20 Word analysis

• But: Hebrew ki (כִּי). Often a conjunction of emphasis or contrast. Here, it introduces a profound counter-argument to the possibility of Israel turning to idol worship, shifting focus back to God's exclusive claim on them.
• the LORD: Hebrew Yahweh or YHWH (יְהוָה). This is the personal, covenantal name of God, emphasizing His self-existence, eternal nature, and intimate relationship with Israel. It signifies His unique power and authority as the one true God who acts in history.
• hath taken: Hebrew laqach (לָקַח). Implies an active, purposeful taking or acquiring. It denotes divine initiative and ownership, similar to acquiring property or choosing a spouse.
• you: Directly addressing the collective Israel, underscoring the corporate nature of their redemption and covenant.
• and brought you forth: Hebrew yatsa (יָצָא). Signifies leading out or causing to come forth, pointing to the Exodus event as a physical and spiritual deliverance. It's an act of powerful release.
• out of the iron furnace: Hebrew kur habbarzel (כּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל). This powerful metaphor is crucial.
  • kur: A crucible, smelter, or furnace for refining metals.
  • barzel: Iron. Iron processing in ancient times required immense heat and harsh conditions to purify and forge metal from ore.
  • Significance: Egypt is depicted as a place of intense, crucible-like suffering, bondage, and forced labor where Israel was severely tested and refined. It was a place of extreme oppression designed to break and consume, but instead, through God's intervention, it became the forge where Israel was "shaped" into a distinct nation. It contrasts the darkness and hardship of their servitude with the freedom and purpose granted by God.
• even out of Egypt: Explicitly names the location, grounding the metaphor in historical reality. This specific context provides the strongest possible reminder of God’s active intervention.
• to be unto him: This phrase points to the purpose of their redemption. Their deliverance was not merely freedom from something, but freedom for something: to enter into an exclusive relationship with God.
• a people of inheritance: Hebrew 'am nachalah (עַם נַחֲלָה).
  • 'am: People, nation.
  • nachalah: Inheritance, possession, legacy, portion. It's often used for land inherited or God's portion among His people. Here, it signifies that Israel itself is God's treasured possession, His special portion among all nations.
  • Significance: This goes beyond merely being a chosen people; it indicates an intimate, proprietary relationship where Israel belongs to God as a precious family inheritance. They are not like other nations; they are unique because they are His portion, acquired and set apart. This echoes the concept of Israel as God's segullah (special treasure) in Exodus 19:5.

Deuteronomy 4 20 Bonus section

The metaphor of the "iron furnace" (Hebrew: kur habbarzel) appears specifically in two other places in the Old Testament, 1 Kings 8:51 (Solomon's prayer dedicating the Temple) and Jeremiah 11:4, both of which reiterate God bringing Israel out of Egypt using this exact phrase, reinforcing its established significance as a descriptor of their intensely formative and refining experience under Pharaoh's hand. This repeated imagery suggests it was a well-understood and foundational metaphor for Israel's suffering and purification at God's hand, similar to how Isaiah 48:10 refers to the "furnace of affliction." For the Israelites, their freedom was not self-achieved or accidental but was a direct, sovereign act of God, who owned them as His peculiar people and delivered them to fulfill His eternal covenant purposes. This ownership extends to New Covenant believers as well, who are redeemed through Christ to become God's "own special people" (Titus 2:14, 1 Pet 2:9), echoing the privileged status of Israel.

Deuteronomy 4 20 Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:20 stands as a foundational theological statement affirming God's unique relationship with Israel, rooted in their historical redemption. The powerful image of "the iron furnace" vividly conveys the harsh reality of their slavery in Egypt. This was a period of extreme hardship, where, like raw ore, Israel endured immense pressure and suffering. However, instead of being destroyed, they were paradoxically shaped and prepared by divine will in this crucible. This refining process underscores God's sovereignty and His ability to work His purposes even through great adversity. He did not simply bring them out of Egypt; He took them out of that forge with a clear intention: to claim them as His very own people of inheritance. This concept is profound, signifying that Israel is God's special, treasured possession, chosen above all nations. Their identity and destiny are inextricably linked to Him as His portion. This verse thus serves as a powerful call to exclusive worship and loyalty to Yahweh, the only God who actively intervened in their history, redeemed them, and gave them this privileged status. It contrasts God's active, personal deliverance with the impotency of the lifeless celestial bodies and other gods of the surrounding nations.