The Meaning of Deuteronomy 4:10 Explained

Deuteronomy 4:10

KJV: Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

YLT: The day when thou hast stood before Jehovah thy God in Horeb -- in Jehovah's saying unto me, Assemble to Me the people, and I cause them to hear My words, so that they learn to fear Me all the days that they are alive on the ground, and their sons they teach; --

Darby: the day that thou stoodest before Jehovah thy God in Horeb, when Jehovah said to me, Gather me the people together, that I may cause them to hear my words, that they may learn them, and fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and teach them to their children.

ASV: the day that thou stoodest before Jehovah thy God in Horeb, when Jehovah said unto me, Assemble me the people, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Specially] the day  that thou stoodest  before  the LORD  thy God  in Horeb,  when the LORD  said  unto me, Gather  me the people  together,  and I will make them hear  my words,  that they may learn  to fear  me all the days  that they shall live  upon the earth,  and [that] they may teach  their children. 

What does Deuteronomy 4:10 Mean?

Study Notes

fear
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 4:1-14 - "take Heed To Thyself"
Strong faith was required by the two and a half tribes to leave their wives and children while they went to succor their brethren. But God's commands and assurances foreclosed all arguments. Whenever we are summoned to special service, we may consign the care of our personal interests to God. Seek first the kingdom, and all other things will be added.
Notice that Moses referred to the wondrous acts of the Exodus as only the beginning of God's wondrous works, Deuteronomy 3:24. Probably in the countless ages of eternity we shall always feel that we are witnessing only the beginning of God's self-revelation.
Moses, like Paul afterward, tried to reverse the divine decision. Compare Deuteronomy 3:23-25 and 2 Corinthians 12:8-9. Do not pray against God's will, but with it, 1 John 5:14. When God says No, there are always tender compensations, such as this Pisgah-vision.
Israel's tenure of Canaan depended on obedience to God's will, in statutes, including the ordinances of religion, and in judgments relating to civil matters. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 4

1  An exhortation to obedience
41  Moses appoints the three cities of refuge on that side of Jordan
44  Recapitulation

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 4:10 mean?

[especially concerning] the day that you stood before Yahweh your God in Horeb when said to me Gather to Me - the people and I will let them hear My words they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth and [that] their children they may teach
י֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָמַ֜דְתָּ לִפְנֵ֨י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮ בְּחֹרֵב֒ בֶּאֱמֹ֨ר אֵלַ֗י הַקְהֶל־ לִי֙ אֶת־ הָעָ֔ם וְאַשְׁמִעֵ֖ם דְּבָרָ֑י יִלְמְד֜וּן לְיִרְאָ֣ה אֹתִ֗י כָּל־ הַיָּמִים֙ הֵ֤ם חַיִּים֙ עַל־ הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וְאֶת־ בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם יְלַמֵּדֽוּן

י֗וֹם  [especially  concerning]  the  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָמַ֜דְתָּ  you  stood 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
לִפְנֵ֨י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּחֹרֵב֒  in  Horeb 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֹרֵב  
Sense: another name for Mount Sinai from which God gave the law to Moses and the Israelites.
בֶּאֱמֹ֨ר  when  said 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלַ֗י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַקְהֶל־  Gather 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָהַל  
Sense: to assemble, gather.
לִי֙  to  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָ֔ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְאַשְׁמִעֵ֖ם  and  I  will  let  them  hear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
דְּבָרָ֑י  My  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יִלְמְד֜וּן  they  may  learn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.
לְיִרְאָ֣ה  to  fear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
אֹתִ֗י  Me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַיָּמִים֙  the  days 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
חַיִּים֙  live 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
וְאֶת־  and  [that] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם  their  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְלַמֵּדֽוּן  they  may  teach 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.