9 `Only, take heed to thyself, and watch thy soul exceedingly, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they turn aside from thy heart, all days of thy life; and thou hast made them known to thy sons, and to thy sons' sons.
That we have heard and do know, And our fathers have recounted to us. We do not hide from their sons, To a later generation recounting praises of Jehovah, And His strength, and His wonders that He hath done. And He raiseth up a testimony in Jacob, And a law hath placed in Israel, That He commanded our fathers, To make them known to their sons. So that a later generation doth know, Sons who are born, do rise and recount to their sons, And place in God their confidence, And forget not the doings of God, But keep His commands. And they are not like their fathers, A generation apostate and rebellious, A generation! it hath not prepared its heart, Nor stedfast with God `is' its spirit.
My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear, Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart. For life they `are' to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing. Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it `are' the outgoings of life.
`And thou hast declared to thy son in that day, saying, ``It is' because of what Jehovah did to me, in my going out from Egypt, and it hath been to thee for a sign on thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, so that the law of Jehovah is in thy mouth, for by a strong hand hath Jehovah brought thee out from Egypt;
Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding. For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not. For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother. And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee. The first thing `is' wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her. She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely. Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life `are' multiplied to thee. In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness. In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not. Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she `is' thy life.
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee. Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
`And it hath been, when thy son asketh thee hereafter, saying, What `is' this? that thou hast said unto him, By strength of hand hath Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from a house of servants; yea, it cometh to pass, when Pharaoh hath been pained to send us away, that Jehovah doth slay every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of man even unto the first-born of beast; therefore I am sacrificing to Jehovah all opening a womb who `are' males, and every first-born of my sons I ransom; and it hath been for a token on thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes, for by strength of hand hath Jehovah brought us out of Egypt.'
so that this is a sign in your midst, when your children ask hereafter, saying, What `are' these stones to you? that ye have said to them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off, at the presence of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; in its passing over into the Jordan were the waters of the Jordan cut off; and these stones have been for a memorial to the sons of Israel -- to the age.'
Come ye, children, hearken to me, The fear of Jehovah I do teach you. Who `is' the man that is desiring life? Loving days to see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking deceit. Turn aside from evil and do good, Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of Jehovah `are' unto the righteous, And His ears unto their cry. (The face of Jehovah `is' on doers of evil, To cut off from earth their memorial.)
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 4
Commentary on Deuteronomy 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter we have,
Deu 4:1-40
This most lively and excellent discourse is so entire, and the particulars of it are so often repeated, that we must take it altogether in the exposition of it, and endeavour to digest it into proper heads, for we cannot divide it into paragraphs.
Now let all these arguments be laid together, and then say whether religion has not reason on its side. None cast off the government of their God but those that have first abandoned the understanding of a man.
Deu 4:41-49
Here is,