The Meaning of Deuteronomy 5:25 Explained

Deuteronomy 5:25

KJV: Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.

YLT: And, now, why do we die? for consume us doth this great fire -- if we add to hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more -- then we have died.

Darby: And now, why should we die? for this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more, we shall die.

ASV: Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more, then we shall die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now therefore why should we die?  for this great  fire  will consume  us: if we hear  the voice  of the LORD  our God  any more,  then we shall die. 

What does Deuteronomy 5:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 5:22-33 - Moses Between God And The People
"He added no more"-i.e., the Law is perfect. It is written in stone, and therefore is permanent. When the conscience has not learned the efficacy of the blood of Jesus it shrinks from contact with God's holiness, Deuteronomy 5:24-26. But such fear does not save us from going back to our calf-making and license.
Turn from Moses to our blessed Lord, who went into the middle of the thunder and lightning which our sin had incurred. On Him the full force of the storm broke, and we were delivered. Adolphe Monod said: "I have a firm and peaceful confidence in the redemption of Jesus Christ, in His blood and sacrifice, accepted before God, taking the place of the good which I have not done and repairing the evil that I have done."
Note the yearning of Deuteronomy 5:29. It repeats itself elsewhere, Isaiah 48:18; Matthew 23:37. See also Ezekiel 36:26. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 5

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

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 5:25 mean?

And therefore why should we die for will consume us fire great this if anymore we hear - the voice of Yahweh our God any more then we shall die
וְעַתָּה֙ לָ֣מָּה ؟ נָמ֔וּת כִּ֣י תֹֽאכְלֵ֔נוּ הָאֵ֥שׁ הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את אִם־ יֹסְפִ֣ים ׀ אֲנַ֗חְנוּ לִ֠שְׁמֹעַ אֶת־ ק֨וֹל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ ע֖וֹד וָמָֽתְנוּ

וְעַתָּה֙  And  therefore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
לָ֣מָּה  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
؟ נָמ֔וּת  should  we  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
תֹֽאכְלֵ֔נוּ  will  consume  us 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular, first person common plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
הָאֵ֥שׁ  fire 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
הַזֹּ֑את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
יֹסְפִ֣ים ׀  anymore 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
לִ֠שְׁמֹעַ  hear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
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.
ק֨וֹל  the  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
יְהוָ֧ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ  our  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
ע֖וֹד  any  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
וָמָֽתְנוּ  then  we  shall  die 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.