Deuteronomy 5:26 kjv
For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
Deuteronomy 5:26 nkjv
For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
Deuteronomy 5:26 niv
For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived?
Deuteronomy 5:26 esv
For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived?
Deuteronomy 5:26 nlt
Can any living thing hear the voice of the living God from the heart of the fire as we did and yet survive?
Deuteronomy 5 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 19:18-19 | "Mount Sinai was covered in smoke, because the LORD descended...the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder..." | God's awesome fiery appearance. |
| Exo 20:18-19 | "When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled...and said to Moses, 'Speak to us yourself and we will listen, but do not have God speak to us or we will die.'" | People's fear and request for mediator. |
| Deu 4:33 | "Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and lived?" | Direct parallel, emphasizing uniqueness. |
| Deu 4:36 | "From heaven he let you hear his voice...And on earth he let you see his great fire..." | Reinforces the audible and visible aspects. |
| Deu 18:16 | "...they asked the LORD your God at Horeb... 'Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God again or see this great fire, or we will die.'" | Reiterates the request for mediation. |
| Exo 33:20 | "You cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live." | God's absolute holiness, limits of human perception. |
| Jdg 6:22-23 | "When Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD, Gideon said, 'Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.' But the LORD said to him, 'Peace to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.'" | Fear of death upon seeing a divine messenger. |
| Jdg 13:22 | "Then Manoah said to his wife, 'We shall surely die, for we have seen God!'" | Another instance of fear of divine encounter. |
| Isa 6:5 | "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips...for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" | Human unworthiness in divine presence. |
| Jer 10:10 | "But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King." | Emphasizes "living God" contrasting idols. |
| Dan 6:26 | "...He is the living God, enduring forever..." | Acknowledgment of God's eternality and life. |
| Matt 16:16 | "Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" | Peter's confession, "living God" refers to the Father. |
| Acts 14:15 | "...turn from these vain things to the living God..." | Apostolic call to worship the true God. |
| Rom 11:33-36 | "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" | God's incomprehensible nature. |
| Gal 3:19 | "...It was put in place through angels by a mediator." | Refers to the law being given through a mediator (Moses). |
| 1 Tim 2:5 | "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus..." | Points to Christ as the ultimate mediator. |
| 1 Tim 6:16 | "...who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see..." | God's absolute holiness and transcendence. |
| Heb 3:12 | "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God." | Warns against turning away from the source of life. |
| Heb 9:14 | "...how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." | Contrast with old covenant, serving the Living God. |
| Heb 12:18-21 | "For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire...The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, 'I am trembling with fear.'" | Recounts Sinai's terror, comparing Old and New Covenants. |
| Heb 12:29 | "for our God is a consuming fire." | Echoes God's nature as fiery, pure judgment. |
| Rev 7:2 | "...from the east, having the seal of the living God..." | Further use of "living God" in divine authority. |
Deuteronomy 5 verses
Deuteronomy 5 26 Meaning
Deuteronomy 5:26 conveys the profound awe and fear experienced by the Israelites at Mount Sinai when God directly spoke to them from the fire. It is a rhetorical question underscoring the miraculous and unprecedented nature of their survival after hearing the voice of the holy and living God. The verse highlights God's immense power, the terror induced by His immediate presence, and His gracious act in allowing humanity to live through such a direct encounter.
Deuteronomy 5 26 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 5 recounts Moses reiterating the Ten Commandments to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, prior to entering the Promised Land. This restatement serves to remind them of the foundational covenant established at Horeb (Mount Sinai) and to instill in them the obligation to obey God's laws. Verse 26 specifically recalls the immediate aftermath of God speaking the Ten Commandments, when the people were overwhelmed by the fiery, thundering presence of God. Their response was one of profound terror, leading them to request that Moses mediate God's communication to them from that point forward (Deu 5:27). This verse highlights the uniqueness of the Sinai event as a direct national encounter with the Divine, underscoring both God's magnificent power and Israel's privileged, yet terrifying, experience.
Deuteronomy 5 26 Word analysis
For who (כִּי מִי – ki mi): A rhetorical question emphatically suggesting "no one." It underscores the unprecedented nature of the event described.
is there (יֶשׁ – yesh): Simple existence. It reinforces the rhetorical nature by questioning the very possibility of such an event happening to anyone else.
of all flesh (כָּל־בָּשָׂר – kol basar): Hebrew for "all humanity," or "all living beings." It emphasizes the universal frailty of creation in the face of divine power, making Israel's survival even more remarkable.
that has heard (שָׁמַע קוֹל – shama` qol): "Heard the voice." Beyond mere audibility, shama` often implies attentive hearing and, by extension, obedience. It highlights the direct, unfiltered divine revelation.
the voice (קוֹל – qol): Signifies the audible manifestation of God's presence, indicating His active involvement and powerful communication, not just a distant command.
of the living God (אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים – Elohim Hayyim): This is a critical theological phrase. "Living God" explicitly contrasts Yahweh with the lifeless, impotent idols of pagan nations. It emphasizes His active, dynamic, self-existent nature, the source of all life, and capable of interacting directly with His creation. This term serves as a polemic against the "dead" gods of surrounding cultures.
speaking out of the midst of the fire (מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ – mittokh ha’esh): The fire (אֵשׁ -
esh) is a frequent biblical manifestation of God's holiness, purity, glory, and sometimes His judgment. Its "midst" indicates God's intimate presence within this terrifying element, making His communication incredibly intense and overwhelming.as we have (כָּמֹנוּ – kamonu): This phrase profoundly asserts the unparalleled uniqueness of Israel's experience. No other nation in history has had such a direct, collective, and powerful encounter with the God of creation.
and lived (וַיֶּחִי – vayeḥi): The natural expectation upon direct encounter with divine holiness is death due to human sinfulness and God's overwhelming purity (e.g., Exo 33:20). Their survival (
hayah- to live) signifies a miracle, demonstrating God's grace and providential care despite their terrifying experience.Words-Group analysis:
- "For who is there of all flesh... and lived?": This complete rhetorical question emphasizes the singular, utterly unique, and miraculous nature of Israel's survival. It underscores God's grace that enabled frail humans to withstand such a terrifying, direct revelation of His holiness and power.
- "heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire": This phrase powerfully describes the multi-sensory and terrifying reality of God's manifestation at Sinai. It combines the audible revelation ("voice"), the active nature of God ("living God"), and the visual/pervasive intensity of His presence ("midst of the fire"). This was not a dream or vision but an undeniable physical encounter with the transcendent Creator.
Deuteronomy 5 26 Bonus section
The profound fear experienced by the Israelites at Sinai, articulated in this verse, was a God-ordained response meant to lead to obedience (Deu 5:29). This experience simultaneously revealed God's transcendence (His separateness and majesty, manifest in fire) and His immanence (His willingness to communicate directly with His people). While terrifying, this was a testament to Israel's uniquely privileged relationship with the Most High God, solidifying their unique covenant status among the nations. The inability of "all flesh" to withstand such a direct encounter underscores the later New Testament revelation that humanity cannot approach God directly except through a Mediator, which is Jesus Christ.
Deuteronomy 5 26 Commentary
Deuteronomy 5:26 distills the overwhelming reality of God's self-revelation at Mount Sinai. It is a moment forever etched in the collective memory of Israel, setting them apart among the nations. The rhetorical question drives home the utterly unique and unprecedented nature of their experience: no other people in "all flesh" had survived such a direct auditory and visual encounter with the Creator. The title "living God" (Elohim Hayyim) is key; it contrasts the active, dynamic, and life-giving God of Israel with the inert, impotent idols of surrounding pagan cultures. The phrase "speaking out of the midst of the fire" highlights the awesome and terrifying purity of God, signifying His consuming holiness. The fact that Israel "lived" through this implies divine grace; direct exposure to infinite holiness usually means immediate annihilation for finite, fallen humanity. This unique encounter solidified Israel's identity as God's chosen people, instilling a profound fear of the Lord while simultaneously demonstrating His faithful presence, however terrifyingly manifest. This moment underscored the necessity for mediation, preparing the way for the role of prophets, and ultimately pointing towards the perfect mediation of Christ.