Deuteronomy 4:12
And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
Original Language Analysis
וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר
spake
H1696
וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר
spake
Strong's:
H1696
Word #:
1 of 14
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
יְהוָ֛ה
And the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֛ה
And the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
2 of 14
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
מִתּ֣וֹךְ
unto you out of the midst
H8432
מִתּ֣וֹךְ
unto you out of the midst
Strong's:
H8432
Word #:
4 of 14
a bisection, i.e., (by implication) the center
דְּבָרִים֙
of the words
H1697
דְּבָרִים֙
of the words
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
7 of 14
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
שֹֽׁמְעִ֔ים
ye heard
H8085
שֹֽׁמְעִ֔ים
ye heard
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
9 of 14
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
וּתְמוּנָ֛ה
no similitude
H8544
וּתְמוּנָ֛ה
no similitude
Strong's:
H8544
Word #:
10 of 14
something portioned (i.e., fashioned) out, as a shape, i.e., (indefinitely) phantom, or (specifically) embodiment, or (figuratively) manifestation (of
אֵֽינְכֶ֥ם
H369
רֹאִ֖ים
but saw
H7200
רֹאִ֖ים
but saw
Strong's:
H7200
Word #:
12 of 14
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
Cross References
Deuteronomy 4:15Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:Deuteronomy 5:22These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.Deuteronomy 5:4The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,Matthew 3:17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.Deuteronomy 4:33Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?Deuteronomy 4:36Out 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.Isaiah 30:21And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.Isaiah 40:3The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.Isaiah 40:6The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:Isaiah 40:18To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Historical Context
At Sinai, Israel heard God's audible voice proclaiming the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) from the fire, cloud, and darkness. The people heard but saw no visible form—only fire, smoke, and darkness. This formless revelation contrasted sharply with pagan religions' idols and images. By prohibiting visual representation, God protected His people from reducing Him to created forms and emphasized that faith comes by hearing, not seeing (Romans 10:17).
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's self-revelation through Word rather than image elevate the role of Scripture in knowing God?
- What does this verse teach about the priority of hearing and obeying God's Word over seeking visual or mystical experiences?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
God spoke 'out of the midst of the fire'—revelation without visible form. The emphasis 'ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude' establishes the foundation for the second commandment's prohibition of graven images. God reveals Himself through Word, not visual representation. This undergirds the Reformed regulative principle of worship and high view of Scripture. The 'voice' (Hebrew 'qol') signifies authoritative divine speech, the means by which God creates, commands, and covenants. Hearing without seeing cultivates faith that trusts God's Word above sensory experience (2 Corinthians 5:7).