◄ Deuteronomy 5:32 ►
So be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you are not to turn aside to the right or to the left.
Study Bible
So be careful
The phrase "So be careful" serves as a solemn admonition to the Israelites. In Hebrew, the word for "careful" is "שָׁמַר" (shamar), which means to guard, keep, or observe. This word is often used in the context of keeping commandments and is a call to vigilance and attentiveness. The historical context here is crucial; the Israelites are on the brink of entering the Promised Land, and Moses is reminding them of the importance of adhering to God's laws. This phrase underscores the necessity of intentionality in one's spiritual walk, emphasizing that obedience to God requires active and deliberate effort.

to do
The Hebrew word for "to do" is "עָשָׂה" (asah), which means to accomplish, make, or perform. This word implies action and implementation, not just passive acknowledgment. In the context of Deuteronomy, it highlights the importance of putting faith into practice. The Israelites are not merely to hear the commandments but to actively live them out. This serves as a reminder that faith without works is dead, as echoed in the New Testament (James 2:26).

as the LORD your God has commanded you
This phrase emphasizes divine authority and the source of the commandments. "The LORD" is the English translation of "YHWH," the sacred name of God, which signifies His eternal and unchanging nature. "Your God" personalizes the relationship, reminding the Israelites of their covenant with Him. The word "commanded" (צִוָּה, tzavah) indicates a direct order or charge, underscoring the non-negotiable nature of God's instructions. Historically, this reflects the covenantal relationship established at Sinai, where God gave the Law to Moses. It is a call to remember that these are not mere suggestions but divine mandates.

do not turn aside
The phrase "do not turn aside" is a warning against deviation. The Hebrew word "סוּר" (sur) means to turn away, depart, or remove. This is a common biblical metaphor for straying from the path of righteousness. In the ancient Near Eastern context, roads and paths were often used as metaphors for moral and spiritual journeys. This phrase serves as a caution against idolatry and assimilation into the pagan practices of surrounding nations, which were constant temptations for Israel.

to the right or to the left
This expression is a Hebrew idiom that signifies staying on the correct path without deviation. It is a call to maintain a straight course in obedience to God's commandments. The imagery of a path or road is prevalent in biblical literature, symbolizing the journey of faith. Historically, this reflects the challenges the Israelites faced in maintaining their distinct identity amidst the diverse cultures of the ancient Near East. Spiritually, it is a reminder to modern believers to remain steadfast in their faith, avoiding distractions and temptations that lead away from God's will.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who is delivering God's commandments to the people. He serves as a mediator between God and Israel.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who are receiving the law and commandments as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

3. Mount Sinai
Although not directly mentioned in this verse, it is the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God, which are being reiterated in Deuteronomy.

4. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which the Israelites are about to enter, contingent upon their obedience to God's commands.

5. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who has given the commandments and expects obedience from His people.
Teaching Points
Obedience to God's Commands
The verse emphasizes the importance of careful obedience to God's instructions. This requires diligence and a commitment to follow God's ways without deviation.

Avoiding Distractions
The instruction to not turn aside to the right or left suggests the need to avoid distractions and temptations that can lead us away from God's path.

The Path of Righteousness
Staying on the path God has set is crucial for spiritual growth and receiving His blessings. This involves a conscious effort to align our actions with His will.

Consistency in Faith
Just as the Israelites were called to consistent obedience, Christians today are called to live out their faith consistently, reflecting God's character in their daily lives.

The Role of Scripture
God's word serves as a guide for life, providing direction and wisdom. Regular engagement with Scripture is essential for understanding and applying God's commands.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the command to not turn aside to the right or left apply to modern-day distractions and temptations?

2. In what ways can we ensure that we are being careful to do as the LORD has commanded in our daily lives?

3. How does the concept of obedience in Deuteronomy 5:32 relate to Jesus' teaching on the narrow path in Matthew 7:13-14?

4. What practical steps can we take to make sure we are not just hearers of the word, but doers, as encouraged in James 1:22-25?

5. How can Psalm 119:105 inspire us to use God's word as a guide in making decisions and navigating life's challenges?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Joshua 1:7
This verse echoes the command to not turn from God's law to the right or left, emphasizing the importance of steadfastness in following God's commands.

Proverbs 4:27
Advises not to turn to the right or left, reinforcing the idea of staying on the path of righteousness.

Matthew 7:13-14
Jesus speaks of the narrow path that leads to life, which aligns with the idea of not deviating from God's commands.

James 1:22-25
Encourages believers to be doers of the word, not just hearers, which relates to the call for obedience in Deuteronomy 5:32.

Psalm 119:105
Describes God's word as a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, underscoring the guidance provided by adherence to God's commands.
Sermons
Reminiscences of HorebJ. Orr Deuteronomy 5:1-33
Character Determines EnvironmentD. Davies Deuteronomy 5:21-33
How Moses Became MediatorR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 5:22-33
People
Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Horeb
Topics
Aside, Care, Careful, Commanded, Heed, Observe, Observed, Orders, Turn, Turning, Whatever
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 5:32

     8418   endurance

Deuteronomy 5:31-33

     8404   commands, in OT

Deuteronomy 5:32-33

     4207   land, divine gift
     8251   faithfulness, to God
     8315   orthodoxy, in OT

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 Prayer

The 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

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