Deuteronomy 4:28
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 4:28
28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 4 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of prayer, sacrifice, creation. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-49: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it provides guidance for worship and spiritual devotion. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 4:28
28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Analysis
And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Devastating irony pervades this judgment: Israel, who wanted to worship images like the nations, will be forced to do so in exile among the nations. The punishment fits the crime. The Hebrew ma'aseh yedei adam (מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָדָם, 'work of men's hands') exposes idolatry's absurdity—humans worshiping what humans have made, the creature serving its own creation.
Moses catalogs what these gods cannot do: lo yir'un (לֹא יִרְאוּן, 'neither see'), velo yishme'un (וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּן, 'nor hear'), velo yo'kelun (וְלֹא יֹאכְלוּן, 'nor eat'), velo yerichun (וְלֹא יְרִיחֻן, 'nor smell'). These negations mock the very activities worshipers performed before idols—presenting food offerings, burning incense, seeking prophetic guidance. The gods receive worship but respond with nothing. Isaiah 44:9-20 and Psalm 115:4-8 develop this polemic further.
The contrast with Yahweh is implicit but powerful: the God who spoke from fire, who smelled Noah's sacrifice (Genesis 8:21), who sees the affliction of His people (Exodus 3:7), who hears their cries—this living God Israel exchanged for deaf, blind, inert matter. Exile forces Israel to experience the futility of what they chose over the living God.
Historical Context
Moses describes the irony of exile: in foreign lands, Israel would serve man-made idols of wood and stone. This contrasted sharply with their experience at Horeb where they heard God's voice from fire but saw no physical form, establishing that the true God cannot be represented by human craftsmanship.
Reflection
- What 'works of human hands' do people today trust in that ultimately cannot see, hear, or respond to their needs?
- How does the contrast between dead idols and the living God who sees, hears, and acts shape your confidence in prayer?
Word Studies
- God: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) H430 - God (plural of majesty)
Cross-References
- References God: Deuteronomy 28:36, 28:64, 1 Samuel 26:19, Isaiah 45:20, Jeremiah 16:13, Ezekiel 20:39
- Parallel theme: Isaiah 44:9, 46:7