Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I declare in your hearing this day. Learn them and observe them carefully. Then Moses summoned all IsraelThe phrase "Then Moses summoned all Israel" indicates a pivotal moment where Moses, as the leader and prophet, calls together the entire nation. The Hebrew root for "summoned" is קָרָא (qara), which means to call out or proclaim. This act of summoning signifies the importance of the message Moses is about to deliver. Historically, this gathering underscores the unity and collective identity of Israel as God's chosen people, emphasizing the communal aspect of receiving God's law. and said to them
The phrase "and said to them" highlights the direct communication between Moses and the Israelites. Moses serves as the intermediary between God and His people, a role that is both authoritative and pastoral. This direct address ensures that the message is personal and immediate, reinforcing the covenant relationship between God and Israel. Hear, O Israel
"Hear, O Israel" is a call to attention, using the Hebrew word שְׁמַע (shema), which means to listen or obey. This is not merely a passive hearing but an active, attentive listening that requires a response. The phrase is reminiscent of the Shema prayer in Deuteronomy 6:4, which is central to Jewish faith and practice. It underscores the importance of listening as the first step in obedience and faithfulness to God's commands. the statutes and ordinances
The "statutes and ordinances" refer to the laws and decrees given by God. The Hebrew words חֻקִּים (chukim) and מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim) denote laws that are both decreed by divine authority and those that are just and righteous. These terms emphasize the comprehensive nature of God's law, covering both religious and civil aspects of life. Historically, these laws set Israel apart from other nations, establishing a society based on divine justice and holiness. I declare in your hearing today
"I declare in your hearing today" signifies the immediacy and relevance of the message. The act of declaring (Hebrew: דִּבֵּר, diber) is a formal proclamation, underscoring the authority of Moses as God's spokesperson. The phrase "in your hearing" emphasizes personal accountability; the Israelites are not just passive recipients but active participants in the covenant. The word "today" highlights the present moment, urging the people to respond without delay. Learn them and observe them carefully
The command to "Learn them and observe them carefully" involves both intellectual and practical engagement with God's law. The Hebrew word לָמַד (lamad) means to learn or study, while שָׁמַר (shamar) means to keep or guard. This dual command stresses the importance of understanding God's laws and putting them into practice. It reflects a holistic approach to faith, where knowledge and action are inseparable. The call to careful observation underscores the seriousness of the covenant and the blessings and consequences tied to obedience or disobedience. Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to deliver His people from Egypt and guide them through the wilderness. In this verse, Moses acts as the mediator of God's law to the people. 2. IsraelThe nation chosen by God, consisting of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Here, they are gathered to receive God's commandments as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. 3. Statutes and OrdinancesThese refer to the laws and commandments given by God to the Israelites. They are meant to guide the moral, spiritual, and social life of the nation. 4. Horeb (Mount Sinai)Although not mentioned directly in this verse, it is the place where the original commandments were given. This context is important as Moses reiterates the law. 5. The CovenantThe agreement between God and Israel, established through the giving of the law. This covenant is central to Israel's identity and relationship with God. Teaching Points The Importance of HearingThe Hebrew word for "hear" (shama) implies not just listening but understanding and obeying. As believers, we are called to actively listen to God's Word and apply it to our lives. Learning and ObservingThe call to "learn" and "observe" God's commandments emphasizes the need for both knowledge and action. True faith is demonstrated through obedience. Community ResponsibilityMoses addresses "all Israel," highlighting the communal aspect of following God's law. As a church, we are called to support and encourage one another in our walk with God. Covenant RelationshipThe statutes and ordinances are part of the covenant relationship between God and His people. Understanding our covenant relationship with God through Christ is essential for living a life that honors Him. Preparation for the Promised LandJust as Israel was preparing to enter the Promised Land, we are called to prepare our hearts for the eternal promises of God by living according to His Word. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the call to "hear" in Deuteronomy 5:1 challenge us in our daily Bible reading and prayer life? 2. In what ways can we ensure that we are not only learning God's commandments but also observing them in our actions? 3. How does the communal aspect of receiving God's law in Deuteronomy 5:1 apply to our church community today? 4. What parallels can we draw between the covenant relationship described in Deuteronomy and our relationship with God through Jesus Christ? 5. How can we prepare our hearts and lives for the promises of God, as Israel was preparing to enter the Promised Land? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 19-20These chapters describe the original giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, providing the foundational context for Deuteronomy 5. Deuteronomy 6:4-9Known as the Shema, this passage emphasizes the importance of hearing and obeying God's commandments, echoing the call to "hear" in Deuteronomy 5:1. Psalm 119This psalm extols the virtues of God's law, statutes, and ordinances, highlighting the blessings of obedience and the wisdom found in God's commands. Matthew 22:37-40Jesus summarizes the law with the commandments to love God and love neighbor, reflecting the heart of the statutes and ordinances given to Israel. People MosesPlaces Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, HorebTopics Attention, Calleth, Careful, Carefully, Decisions, Declare, Decrees, Ear, Ears, Follow, Hearing, Judgments, Laws, Learn, Learned, O, Observe, Observed, Ordinances, Speak, Speaking, Statutes, Summoned, Sure, To-dayDictionary of Bible Themes Deuteronomy 5:1 4966 present, the
5159 hearing
5376 law, purpose of
7021 church, OT anticipations
7209 congregation
8115 discipleship, nature of Library Prayer and Obedience
"An obedience discovered itself in Fletcher of Madeley, which I wish I could describe or imitate. It produced in him a ready mind to embrace every cross with alacrity and pleasure. He had a singular love for the lambs of the flock, and applied himself with the greatest diligence to their instruction, for which he had a peculiar gift. . . . All his intercourse with me was so mingled with prayer and praise, that every employment, and every meal was, as it were, perfumed therewith." -- JOHN WESLEY. …
Edward M. Bounds—The Necessity of PrayerThe Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 "They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety The Everlasting Covenant of the Spirit
"They shall be My people, and l will be their God. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me."--JER. xxxii. 38, 40. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover.
Scribes Reproach Him for Disregarding Tradition. (Galilee, Probably Capernaum, Spring a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XV. 1-20; ^B Mark VII. 1-23; ^D John VII. 1. ^d 1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judæa, because the Jews sought to kill him. [John told us in his last chapter that the passover was near at hand. He here makes a general statement which shows that Jesus did not attend this passover. The reason for his absence is given at John v. 18.] ^a 1 Then there …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Angel of the Lord in the Pentateuch, and the Book of Joshua.
The New Testament distinguishes between the hidden God and the revealed God--the Son or Logos--who is connected with the former by oneness of nature, and who from everlasting, and even at the creation itself, filled up the immeasurable distance between the Creator and the creation;--who has been the Mediator in all God's relations to the world;--who at all times, and even before He became man in Christ, has been the light of [Pg 116] the world,--and to whom, specially, was committed the direction …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Mount Zion.
"For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them: for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews The Foundations of Good Citizenship.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.--Ex. 20:1-17. Parallel Readings. Hist. Bible I, 194-198. Prin. of Politics, Chap. II. Lowell, Essay on "Democracy." Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Honor thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou …
Charles Foster Kent—The Making of a Nation Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Deuteronomy 5:1 NIVDeuteronomy 5:1 NLTDeuteronomy 5:1 ESVDeuteronomy 5:1 NASBDeuteronomy 5:1 KJV
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