The Meaning of Deuteronomy 4:36 Explained

Deuteronomy 4:36

KJV: Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.

YLT: 'From the heavens He hath caused thee to hear His voice, to instruct thee, and on earth He hath shewed thee His great fire, and His words thou hast heard out of the midst of the fire.

Darby: From the heavens he made thee hear his voice, that he might instruct thee; and on the earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words from the midst of the fire.

ASV: Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he made thee to see his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Out of heaven  he made thee to hear  his voice,  that he might instruct  thee: and upon earth  he shewed  thee his great  fire;  and thou heardest  his words  out of the midst  of the fire. 

What does Deuteronomy 4:36 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 4:32-49 - Israel's Peculiar Privileges
Every argument that love and wisdom, the great past and the miracles of the Exodus could suggest, was brought to bear on the hearts of the chosen people, fortifying them against the temptations to backsliding. They were bidden to ask from ancient history and from one end of heaven to another, if any such wonders had ever been known in the history of the nations. But it must be sorrowfully confessed that memory and wonder are not enough to permanently fortify the heart against the insidious entrance of evil. Only the Holy Spirit can do that, Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 5:16.
So eager is the divine heart that none should perish but that all should come to repentance, that guide-posts to refuge are carefully multiplied. Here again their names and locations are specified, lest any should not have met with former notifications, Numbers 35:6; Numbers 35:14; 2 Peter 3:9. [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 4:36 mean?

Out of heaven He let you hear - His voice that He might instruct you and on earth He showed you His fire great and His words you heard out of the midst of the fire
מִן־ הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם הִשְׁמִֽיעֲךָ֥ אֶת־ קֹל֖וֹ לְיַסְּרֶ֑ךָּ וְעַל־ הָאָ֗רֶץ הֶרְאֲךָ֙ אִשּׁ֣וֹ הַגְּדוֹלָ֔ה וּדְבָרָ֥יו שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֵֽשׁ

מִן־  Out 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
הִשְׁמִֽיעֲךָ֥  He  let  you  hear 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
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.
קֹל֖וֹ  His  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
לְיַסְּרֶ֑ךָּ  that  He  might  instruct  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָסַר 
Sense: to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish.
וְעַל־  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָאָ֗רֶץ  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הֶרְאֲךָ֙  He  showed  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אִשּׁ֣וֹ  His  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
הַגְּדוֹלָ֔ה  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וּדְבָרָ֥יו  and  His  words 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ  you  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
מִתּ֥וֹךְ  out  of  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הָאֵֽשׁ  of  the  fire 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.