Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [aught] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
2. Ye shall not add unto the word neither diminish from it ] So Deu 12:32 [Heb 13:1 ], cp. Jer 26:2, Rev 22:18 f. That the Law was tampered with in Josiah’s day is implied in Jer 8:8, the false pen of the scribes has wrought falsehood. Our verse and Deu 12:32 have been interpreted as if the deuteronomic law gave itself forth as the full, final letter of the Divine Revelation. This is not so: cp. its promise of a new prophet like to Moses, Deu 18:15 ff.
which I command you ] Again the participle, am about to command. Sam. and Luc. add this day.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 2. Ye shall not add] Any book, chapter, verse or word, which I have not spoken; nor give any comment that has any tendency to corrupt, weaken, or destroy any part of this revelation.
Neither shall ye diminish] Ye shall not only not take away any larger portion of this word, but ye shall not take one jot or tittle from the LAW; it is that word of God that abideth for ever.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Ye shall not add, by devising other doctrines or ways of worship than what I have taught or prescribed; see Num 15:39,40; Deu 12:8,32; 1Ki 12:33; Pro 30:6; Mat 15:9; for this were to accuse me of want of wisdom or care or faithfulness in not giving you sufficient instructions for my own service.
Neither shall ye diminish, by rejecting or neglecting any thing which I have commanded, though it seem never so small.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. Ye shall not add unto the wordwhich I command youby the introduction of any heathensuperstition or forms of worship different from those which I haveappointed (Deu 12:32; Num 15:39;Mat 15:9).
neither shall ye diminishaught from itby the neglect or omission of any of theobservances, however trivial or irksome, which I have prescribed. Thecharacter and provisions of the ancient dispensation were adaptedwith divine wisdom to the instruction of that infant state of thechurch. But it was only a temporary economy; and although God hereauthorizes Moses to command that all its institutions should behonored with unfailing observance, this did not prevent Him fromcommissioning other prophets to alter or abrogate them when the endof that dispensation was attained.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Ye shall not add to the word which I command you, nether shall you diminish ought from it,…. Neither make new laws of their own, and join them to the law of God, and set them upon a level with it, or prefer them before it; as the Scribes and Pharisees did in Christ’s time, who by their traditions made the word of God of none effect, as do the Papists also by their unwritten traditions; nor abrogate nor detract from the law of God, nor make void any part of it: or else the sense is, neither do that which is forbidden, nor neglect that which is commanded; neither be guilty of sins of omission nor commission, nor in any way break the law of God, and teach men so to do by word or by example; not a jot or tittle is either to be put to it, or taken from it, Pr 30:5
that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you; in his name; or which he delivered unto them as his commandments, and which were to be kept just as they were delivered, without adding to them, or taking from them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Ye shall not add unto the word.The word, not the words. The word is the substance of the Law. The words in which it is expressed may be more or less. The law of Moses contains in it the germ of all revelation to the very end.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Ye shall not add unto the word The Pharisees received condemnation from Christ for adding to the law. Mat 15:3.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 2. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, &c. The meaning of these words, is plainly to be learned from a similar passage, chap. Deu 12:32. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it: In which words the intention of the divine law-giver plainly is, only to preclude the people from any additions or diminutions to the law, of their own heads, and without a divine commission: but they cannot be supposed at all to refer to whatever God might be pleased to do in this case by any future prophet whom he should commission. Calmet explains this passage as follows, understanding it as a prohibition against the vain traditions of men. “You shall not add any thing to that which the Lord hath forbidden; and ye shall not omit any thing of that which he hath commanded: you shall not give yourselves the liberty to interpret my precepts according to your own will; but shall pay an exact and precise observance to my law, without turning aside from it, and without forming any worship after your own inclination.” Mr. Allix, observing with what exactness the Jews had always acknowledged the divinity of their law, adds, “nay, we see, not without wonder, that after the greatest part of the ten tribes of Israel were transported into Assyria, those who were sent from Assyria to inhabit their country [of Samaria] did receive that law, and that their posterity have kept it all along to this day, as uncorrupted as the Jews, although they continue their mortal enemies, and have been exposed to all the changes and revolutions that can befal a nation during the long interval of two thousand four hundred years.” See Allix on the Scriptures, vol. 1: p. 144.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
It is worthy of remark, how jealous the LORD is of his name and glory; in both Testaments of Scripture the precept of neither adding to, nor diminishing from, is strongly formed. See Rev 22:18-19 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Deu 4:2 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.
Ver. 2. Ye shall not add. ] The Jews have added their deuteroseis; the Turks their alfurta; the Papists their unwritten verities, which they equalise, at least, to the Holy Scriptures; and so argue them of insufficiency and imperfection. a
a O , Our wise men teach tradition See 1Co 1:20 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Ye shall not add. Compare Ch. Deu 12:32. Pro 30:5, Pro 30:6. Jer 23:28; Jer 26:2. Eze 2:5, Eze 2:7. Rev 22:18, Rev 22:19.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Deu 12:32, Jos 1:7, Pro 30:6, Ecc 12:13, Mat 5:18, Mat 5:43, Mat 15:2-9, Mar 7:1-13, Gal 3:15, Rev 22:18, Rev 22:19
Reciprocal: Exo 7:2 – General Exo 12:50 – as the Lord Exo 34:11 – Observe Exo 35:29 – the Lord Lev 8:36 – Aaron Lev 10:1 – which Lev 18:4 – General Lev 18:26 – keep Lev 19:37 – General Deu 5:32 – ye shall not Deu 12:1 – the statutes Deu 17:20 – he turn Jos 8:35 – was not Jos 11:15 – he left nothing Jos 22:5 – take 2Ch 30:12 – the commandment Job 22:22 – receive Jer 26:2 – diminish Gal 1:9 – than
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 4:2. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you By desiring other doctrines, or ways of worship, than what I have taught or prescribed. For this were to accuse me of want of wisdom, or care, or faithfulness, in not giving you sufficient instructions for Gods service. Neither shall ye diminish aught from it By rejecting or neglecting any thing which I have commanded, though it seem ever so small; but take my word, as it is, for your sole rule and guide in things temporal and eternal.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4:2 Ye shall {b} not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye {c} diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
(b) Think not to be more wise than I am.
(c) God will not be served by halves, but will have full obedience.