Deuteronomy 4:19
17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:
And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance:
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
- KJV
- And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
- WEB
- and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.
- ASV
- and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Jehovah thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven.
- DARBY
- and lest thou lift up thine eyes to the heavens, and see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, the whole host of heaven, and be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, which Jehovah thy God hath assigned unto all peoples under the whole heaven.
- BLB
- And lest you lift up your eyes to the heavens and you see the sun and the moon and the stars—all the host of the heavens—and you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which YHWH your God has given as a heritage to all the peoples under the whole heavens.
- ÅB
- og at du ikke, når du løfter dine øyne opp til himmelen og ser solen og månen og stjernene, hele himmelens hær, lar deg føre vill, så du tilber dem og dyrker dem, de som Herren din Gud har tildelt alle folkene under hele himmelen.
- OTB
- Og når dere ser opp til himmelen og ser solen, månen og stjernene—hele himmelens hær—la dere ikke lokkes til å bøye dere ned for dem og tilbe ting som Herren deres Gud har tildelt alle folkene under himmelen.
- B1930
- og at du ikke, når du løfter dine øine op til himmelen og ser solen og månen og stjernene, hele himmelens hær, lar dig føre vill, så du tilbeder dem og dyrker dem, de som Herren din Gud har tildelt alle folkene under hele himmelen.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Romans 1:25
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Read in contextDeuteronomy 17:3
And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
Read in context2 Kings 21:3
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
Read in contextGenesis 1:16–18
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
Read in context2 Kings 17:16
And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
Read in contextGenesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Read in contextPsalms 148:3–5
Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
Read in contextJoshua 10:12–13
Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
Read in context