Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 4:23
Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, [or] the likeness of any [thing], which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.
23. Take heed unto yourselves ] See on Deu 4:9 ; Deu 4:15; covenant, see on Deu 4:13; and for the rest Deu 4:16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Or, commanded thee, to wit, not to do, which is easily understood by comparing this place with Exo 20:4,5, and with Gen 3:11, where this phrase is fully expressed. See more on Lev 4:2; Deu 2:37.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Take heed unto yourselves,…. Since he should not be long with them, to advise, instruct, and caution them:
lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you; what that required of them, and what was promised unto them on the performance of it, and what they must expect should they break it, and particularly be so forgetful of it, and the first articles in it, as follows:
and make you a graven image, or the likeness of anything which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee; a graven image in the likeness of men or women, of any beast on the earth, or fowl in heaven, or fish in the sea.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
23. Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget. There is no contradiction in the sense, that he should first of all altogether forbid that idols should be made; and, secondly, speak only of worshipping and adoring them; for it is already in itself a wicked error to attribute any image to God; and another superstition always accompanies it, that God is always improperly worshipped in this visible symbol. There is a strong confirmation here of what I have previously stated, that whatever holds down and confines our senses to the earth, is contrary to the covenant of God; in which, inviting us to Himself, He permits us to think of nothing but what is spiritual, and therefore sets His voice against all the imaginations, whereby heathen nations have always been deceived; because they have been deprived of the light of that doctrine which would direct them to the heavenly greatness of God Himself. But those who have been taught by God’s Law, not only that He alone is to be worshipped, but that He may not be represented by any visible effigy, are justly accounted covenant-breakers, if they do not confine themselves within these bounds; for they violate that Second Commandment ( caput) by which they are commanded to worship God spiritually; and consequently are forbidden to make to themselves likenesses, or images, whereby they would deface and pollute His glory. At the end of the verse, which some translate “the likeness, which your God hath forbidden, ” (99) the proper rendering is, “hath commanded, or enjoined: ” and hence the relative אור, asher, must be taken, as in many other places, as an adverb of comparison. The meaning of Moses is indeed by no means obscure; viz., that we must simply obey God’s word; and that we must not dispute whether what He has forbidden is lawful or not; and that no other rule of right is to be sought for, except that we should follow what He has prescribed. Let the Papists dispute as they please, that images are not to be removed because they are useful for the people’s instruction; but let this be our wisdom, to acquiesce in what God has chosen to decree in this matter. Although the threat which is subjoined might have been placed amongst the sanctions, which we shall hereafter consider in their proper place, yet I have been unwilling to separate it from the Second Commandment, to which it is annexed. A confirmation is added in Deuteronomy; viz., that God, who has not spared foreign nations, will much less pardon His people; inasnmch as it is a greater crime, and fouler ingratitude to forsake God when once He is known, and to cast aside the teaching of His Law, than to follow errors handed down from our forefathers. I have already explained in what sense He is called a “jealous God;” but in Exo 34:14, Moses has not deemed it sufficient simply to honor God with this title; but, in amplification, he has added that this is His name, in order that we may know that He can no more bear a companion, or a rival, to be compared with Him, than He can cast away His Godhead, or deny Himself. He compares Him to fire, to increase our terror of Him. We know how audaciously the world indulges itself in superstitions; so that, as if in very sport, it metamorphoses God just as fancy leads. Wherefore, in order to incline men’s minds to reverence, he sets before us in this figure God’s fearful vengeance; as though He would instantly consume them, just as fire consumes stubble, if they shall have dared to think of God otherwise than is right.
(99) So the V. which is followed by A.V. and S.M. Our expositor seems to mean that אשר is here equivalent to even as, and connects the last with the first clause of the verse; so that it should be rendered as follows, “Take heed to yourselves, etc., even as the Lord your God commanded you.” — W. The Fr. thus abbreviates the Latin text: “ La ou j’ay translate, Ce que l’Eternel vostre Dieu vous a defendu, vaut autant que s’il estoit dit Comme ou Selon.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Observe the vast earnestness of the Sacred Preacher in the arguments he adopts to interest the feelings of the people; and how he dwells, again and again, upon the same very powerful motives to induce them to obedience. But Reader! while attending to these things, think yet more particularly, how our Almighty law-giver, and law-fulfiller, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, hath secured the faithfulness of his people. See to this purport that blessed promise, founded as it is, in covenant security. Jer 32:40 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
forbidden thee. Hebrew. zivvah, a Homonym = to command, and to forbid. Here it = forbid, also in Jdg 13:14, where it is wrongly rendered “command”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
heed: Deu 4:9, Deu 4:15, Deu 4:16, Deu 27:9, Jos 23:11, Mat 24:4, Luk 12:15, Luk 21:8, Heb 3:12
lest ye forget: Deu 6:12, Deu 29:25, Deu 31:20, Jos 23:16, 1Ch 16:15, Isa 24:5, Jer 31:22, Eze 16:59
make you: Deu 4:16, Exo 20:4, Exo 20:5
Reciprocal: Exo 6:6 – redeem Deu 5:2 – General Deu 8:5 – consider Deu 11:16 – Take heed Deu 17:2 – in transgressing Deu 29:1 – beside the 2Ki 10:31 – took no heed 2Ki 17:12 – Ye shall not 2Ki 17:35 – charged them 2Ki 17:38 – ye shall not forget 2Ki 22:13 – great 2Ch 7:19 – shall go Psa 103:18 – remember Pro 3:1 – forget Isa 44:21 – Remember Jer 17:21 – Take Jer 21:5 – with an Luk 17:3 – heed 2Co 6:16 – what Heb 2:1 – the more
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 4:23. Lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God Lest you either disregard the knowledge of Gods law, or wilfully disobey it, now it is declared to you, and thereby bring misery and destruction upon yourselves.