Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9
Chapter 4
See, as the Lord, my God, ordered me, I am teaching you the norms and the laws that you may put them into practice in the land you are going to enter and have as your own.
If you observe and practice them, other peoples will regard you as wise and intelligent. Knowing these laws, they will say, “There are no people as wise and intelligent as this great nation.”
For in truth, is there a nation as great as ours, whose gods are as near to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him?
But be careful and vigilant. Do not forget these things your eyes have seen, nor let them depart from your heart as long as you live. On the contrary, teach them to your children and your children’s children.
And is there a nation as great as ours whose norms and laws are as just as this law which I give you today?
Commentaries
Exhortations of Moses.
The historical overview Moses just provided leads to a lengthy exhortation motivated by God’s self-revelation on Mount Sinai. It’s essential to recognize that Moses does not deliver this speech himself; instead, the writers of Deuteronomy use this literary device to persuade the people of the importance of following the Lord’s commands and standards. Notice the emphasis on avoiding idolatry, the focus on the true nature of God, and, on the other hand, the uselessness of idols (15-40). This highlights the people’s critical conscience in this context. All these messages serve to confirm Israel’s sins and deviations over its early centuries. Verses 15-24 describe the idolatrous practices carried out by the Israelites under pressure from the Assyrians and later the Babylonians. All of this offers Israel an opportunity to understand what it truly means to stand firm in faith in the one true God. Before concluding, the writer mentions the cities Moses designated east of the Jordan, which were intended as refuges for those who, unknowingly, had killed a brother (cf. Num 35:9-15). The purpose of asylum in such a city was to protect from blood vengeance allowed by law (Ex 21:23-25; Nm 35:16-29); if the killing was intentional, different consequences or judgments applied.