Deuteronomy 5:4
New International Version
The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.

New Living Translation
At the mountain the LORD spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire.

English Standard Version
The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire,

Berean Standard Bible
The LORD spoke with you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.

King James Bible
The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

New King James Version
The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire.

New American Standard Bible
The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire,

NASB 1995
“The LORD spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire,

NASB 1977
“The LORD spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire,

Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh spoke to you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire.

Amplified Bible
The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain from the midst of the fire.

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to you face to face from the fire on the mountain.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to you face to face from the fire on the mountain.

American Standard Version
Jehovah spake with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

Contemporary English Version
The LORD himself spoke to you out of the fire,

English Revised Version
The LORD spake with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD spoke to you face to face from the fire on the mountain.

Good News Translation
There on the mountain the LORD spoke to you face-to-face from the fire.

International Standard Version
The LORD spoke to you face to face on the mountain from the fire.

Majority Standard Bible
The LORD spoke with you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.

NET Bible
The LORD spoke face to face with you at the mountain, from the middle of the fire.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the midst of the fire,

Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD talked with you face to face on the mount, from the midst of the fire,

World English Bible
Yahweh spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the middle of the fire,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
YHWH has spoken with you face to face on the mountain, out of the midst of the fire;

Young's Literal Translation
Face to face hath Jehovah spoken with you, in the mount, out of the midst of the fire;

Smith's Literal Translation
Face to face Jehovah spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He spoke to us face to face in the mount out of the midst of fire.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He spoke to us face to face on the mountain, from the midst of fire.

New American Bible
Face to face, the LORD spoke with you on the mountain from the midst of the fire,

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the fire.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The LORD talked with you face to face in the mountain out of the midst of the fire,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Face to face LORD JEHOVAH spoke with you in the mountain from within the fire.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The Lord spoke to you face to face in the mountain out of the midst of the fire.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Covenant in Horeb
3He did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with all of us who are alive here today. 4The LORD spoke with you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.

Cross References
Exodus 33:11
Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

Numbers 12:8
I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?”

Deuteronomy 34:10
Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face—

Exodus 19:9
The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.” And Moses relayed to the LORD what the people had said.

Exodus 20:1-2
And God spoke all these words: / “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

1 Kings 19:11-13
Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. / After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. / When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Isaiah 6:1-5
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple. / Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. / And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” ...

Ezekiel 1:26-28
Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man. / From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him. / The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

Genesis 32:30
So Jacob named the place Peniel, saying, “Indeed, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Judges 6:22-23
When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Oh no, Lord GOD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!” / But the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid, for you will not die.”

Acts 7:38
He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.

Hebrews 12:18-21
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm; / to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken. / For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ...

2 Corinthians 3:7-8
Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, / will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

John 1:17-18
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. / No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.

John 5:37
And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form,


Treasury of Scripture

The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the middle of the fire,

Deuteronomy 5:24-26
And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth…

Deuteronomy 4:33,36
Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? …

Deuteronomy 34:10
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

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Deuteronomy 5
1. The covenant in Horeb
6. The ten commandments
23. At the people's request Moses receives the law from God














The LORD
The term "LORD" in this context is derived from the Hebrew "YHWH," often vocalized as Yahweh. This is the personal name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and covenantal relationship with Israel. In the conservative Christian perspective, this name signifies God's unchanging nature and His faithfulness to His promises. It is a reminder of His sovereignty and His intimate involvement in the lives of His people.

spoke
The Hebrew word for "spoke" is "דִּבֶּר" (dibber), which implies a direct and clear communication. This highlights the personal nature of God's revelation to Israel. Unlike the gods of surrounding nations, who were often silent or communicated through intermediaries, Yahweh directly communicated His will and law to His people. This underscores the unique relationship between God and Israel, where God is not distant but actively engages with His people.

with you
The phrase "with you" indicates a personal and communal interaction. It was not just Moses who received God's words, but the entire nation of Israel. This collective experience reinforces the idea that God's covenant and commandments were given to all of Israel, binding them together as His chosen people. It also serves as a reminder that God's words are meant for the community of believers, not just individuals.

face to face
The expression "face to face" is a Hebrew idiom that conveys direct and personal communication. In the ancient Near Eastern context, seeing a deity "face to face" was a rare and awe-inspiring event, often associated with divine favor and revelation. For Israel, this phrase emphasizes the closeness and immediacy of God's presence during the giving of the Law. It signifies an unparalleled moment of divine revelation and intimacy, where God revealed His character and expectations directly to His people.

out of the fire
The "fire" symbolizes God's holiness, purity, and power. In the biblical narrative, fire often accompanies divine presence, as seen in the burning bush (Exodus 3) and the pillar of fire (Exodus 13). Here, the fire on the mountain serves as a visual and tangible manifestation of God's presence, evoking both reverence and fear. It underscores the seriousness of the covenant and the divine authority behind the commandments given to Israel.

on the mountain
The "mountain" refers to Mount Sinai, a significant location in Israel's history where God established His covenant with them. Mountains in the Bible often represent places of divine encounter and revelation. In this context, the mountain is a sacred space where heaven and earth meet, and where God chose to reveal His law to His people. It serves as a reminder of the foundational moment in Israel's history when they became a covenant community under God's law.

(4) The Lord talked with you face to face.--Yet they saw no manner of similitude (Deuteronomy 4:12), i.e., no visible form: but the very words of God reached their ears. So in Exodus 20:22, "Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven."

Verses 4, 5. - The Lord talked with you face to face. God spoke to them immediately, in their presence and to their face, from the mount, as one person might to another. There is a slight difference in form between the phrase here and that in Exodus 33:11 and Deuteronomy 34:10, where it is used in reference to Moses, but it is so slight (בְּפָּנִים instead of אֶל־פָּנִים) that no difference of meaning can be elicited. God spake directly to the people, as he did to Moses, only Moses was admitted to closer communion with him than the people were. This difference is sufficiently indicated in ver. 5, where the mediatory function of Moses, in the promulgation of the Law and the making of the covenant, is described as necessitated by the fear of the people, and their not going up into the mount (cf. Exodus 19:19, etc.). This is referred to more fully afterwards (ver. 23, etc.). I stood between the Lord and you; i.e. acted as mediator; LXX., εἱστήκειν ἀνὰ μέσον (cf. Galatians 3:19).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The LORD
יְהוָ֧ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

spoke
דִּבֶּ֨ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
עִמָּכֶ֛ם (‘im·mā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

you face
פָּנִ֣ים ׀ (pā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

to face
בְּפָנִ֗ים (bə·p̄ā·nîm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

out of
מִתּ֥וֹךְ (mit·tō·wḵ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

the fire
הָאֵֽשׁ׃ (hā·’êš)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

on the mountain.
בָּהָ֖ר (bā·hār)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 5:4 Yahweh spoke with you face to face (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 5:3
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