Deuteronomy 4:36
New International Version
From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire.

New Living Translation
He let you hear his voice from heaven so he could instruct you. He let you see his great fire here on earth so he could speak to you from it.

English Standard Version
Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.

Berean Standard Bible
He let you hear His voice from heaven to discipline you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the fire.

King James Bible
Out 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.

New King James Version
Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.

New American Standard Bible
Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline you; and on earth He let you see His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire.

NASB 1995
“Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline you; and on earth He let you see His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire.

NASB 1977
“Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline you; and on earth He let you see His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire.

Legacy Standard Bible
Out of the heavens He caused you to hear His voice to discipline you; and on earth He caused you to see His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire.

Amplified Bible
Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline and admonish you; and on earth He let you see His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire.

Christian Standard Bible
He let you hear his voice from heaven to instruct you. He showed you his great fire on earth, and you heard his words from the fire.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He let you hear His voice from heaven to instruct you. He showed you His great fire on earth, and you heard His words from the fire.

American Standard Version
Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he made thee to see his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.

English Revised Version
Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he made thee to see his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He let you hear his voice from heaven so that he could instruct you. He showed you his great fire on earth, and you heard him speak from the column of fire.

Good News Translation
He let you hear his voice from heaven so that he could instruct you; and here on earth he let you see his holy fire, and he spoke to you from it.

International Standard Version
You have been made to hear his voice from heaven so you may be instructed. And he showed you his great fire here on earth, and you heard his voice from the middle of that fire.

Majority Standard Bible
He let you hear His voice from heaven to discipline you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the fire.

NET Bible
From heaven he spoke to you in order to teach you, and on earth he showed you his great fire from which you also heard his words.

New Heart English Bible
Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and on earth he made you to see his great fire; and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.

Webster's Bible Translation
Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee; and upon earth he showed thee his great fire; and thou heardst his words from the midst of the fire.

World English Bible
Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you. On earth he made you to see his great fire; and you heard his words out of the middle of the fire.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He has caused you to hear His voice from the heavens, to instruct you; and on earth He has showed you His great fire, and you have heard His words out of the midst of the fire.

Young's Literal Translation
'From the heavens He hath caused thee to hear His voice, to instruct thee, and on earth He hath shewed thee His great fire, and His words thou hast heard out of the midst of the fire.

Smith's Literal Translation
Out of the heavens he caused thee to hear his voice to instruct thee: and upon earth he caused thee to see his great fire, and thou heardest his words from the midst of the fire.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
From heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might teach thee. And upon earth he shewed thee his exceeding great fire, and thou didst hear his words out of the midst of the fire,

Catholic Public Domain Version
He has caused you to hear his voice from heaven, so that he might teach you. And he showed you his exceedingly great fire on earth, and you heard his words from the midst of the fire.

New American Bible
Out of the heavens he let you hear his voice to discipline you; on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard him speaking out of the fire.

New Revised Standard Version
From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, while you heard his words coming out of the fire.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might teach you; and upon earth he showed you his great fire; he made you to hear his words out of the midst of the fire.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
From Heaven He made His voice heard to teach you and upon the Earth has shown you His great fire, and His words He made you hear from within the fire.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee; and upon earth He made thee to see His great fire; and thou didst hear His words out of the midst of the fire.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
His voice was made audible from heaven to instruct thee, and he shewed thee upon the earth his great fire, and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD Alone is God
35You were shown these things so that you would know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides Him. 36He let you hear His voice from heaven to discipline you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the fire. 37Because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants after them and brought you out of Egypt by His presence and great power,…

Cross References
Exodus 20:22
Then the LORD said to Moses, “This is what you are to tell the Israelites: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven.

Exodus 19:9
The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.” And Moses relayed to the LORD what the people had said.

Exodus 19:19
And as the sound of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder.

Exodus 33:11
Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

1 Kings 19:12-13
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. / When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Psalm 81:7
You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah

Nehemiah 9:13
You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

Isaiah 30:21
And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”

Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”

Jeremiah 7:13
And now, because you have done all these things, declares the LORD, and because I have spoken to you again and again but you would not listen, and I have called to you but you would not answer,

Hebrews 12:18-19
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm; / to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.

Acts 7:38
He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.

Acts 9:4
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”

John 12:28-30
Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” / The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him. / In response, Jesus said, “This voice was not for My benefit, but yours.

Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”


Treasury of Scripture

Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and on earth he showed you his great fire; and you heard his words out of the middle of the fire.

Deuteronomy 4:33
Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?

Exodus 19:9,19
And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD…

Exodus 20:18-22
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off…

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Caused Discipline Ears Earth Hear Heard Heardest Heardst Heart Heaven Heavens Instruct Itself Midst Showed Teaching Voice Words
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Caused Discipline Ears Earth Hear Heard Heardest Heardst Heart Heaven Heavens Instruct Itself Midst Showed Teaching Voice Words
Deuteronomy 4
1. An exhortation to obedience
41. Moses appoints the three cities of refuge on that side of Jordan
44. Recapitulation














He let you hear His voice from heaven
This phrase emphasizes the divine initiative and grace of God in revealing Himself to His people. The Hebrew root for "hear" is "שָׁמַע" (shama), which implies not just hearing but also understanding and obeying. The "voice from heaven" signifies God's transcendence and authority, reminding us of the unique relationship between God and Israel. Historically, this refers to the theophany at Mount Sinai, where God audibly communicated His commandments, underscoring His desire for a covenant relationship with His people.

to discipline you
The Hebrew word for "discipline" is "יָסַר" (yasar), which can mean to instruct, correct, or chastise. This discipline is not punitive but corrective, aimed at guiding Israel towards righteousness and obedience. In the conservative Christian perspective, this reflects God's loving nature as a Father who disciplines His children for their growth and well-being, as echoed in Hebrews 12:6.

and on earth He showed you His great fire
The "great fire" is a reference to the visible manifestation of God's presence at Mount Sinai. Fire in the Bible often symbolizes God's holiness, purity, and power. The Hebrew word for "fire" is "אֵשׁ" (esh), which conveys both warmth and consuming power. This fire was both awe-inspiring and terrifying, serving as a tangible reminder of God's majesty and the seriousness of His covenant.

and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire
This phrase reiterates the miraculous nature of God's revelation. The Israelites not only saw the fire but also "heard His words," emphasizing the direct communication from God. The Hebrew word for "words" is "דְּבָרִים" (devarim), which can also mean matters or things, indicating the weight and significance of what was spoken. This underscores the importance of God's law as the foundation for Israel's identity and mission.

Verse 36. - (Cf. Exodus 20:18-22.) To indicate still further the pre-eminence of Israel, Moses emphasizes the supernatural character of the revelation God had given to them, and the awful manner of its delivery; God spake to them with audible voice, out of heaven, amidst fire, and they heard his words out of the fire. To instruct thee. The verb here used (יָסַד) means primarily to bind and thence to correct, to chasten, which meaning some interpreters would give here. But the word means also to correct by instruction, to instruct or persuade (cf. Isaiah 8:11; Isaiah 28:26; Psalm 16:7); and the connection, both with what precedes and with what follows, requires this meaning here.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He let you hear
הִשְׁמִֽיעֲךָ֥ (hiš·mî·‘ă·ḵā)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

His voice
קֹל֖וֹ (qō·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

heaven
הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

to discipline you,
לְיַסְּרֶ֑ךָּ (lə·yas·sə·re·kā)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3256: To discipline, chasten, admonish

and on
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

earth
הָאָ֗רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

He showed
הֶרְאֲךָ֙ (her·’ă·ḵā)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

you
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

His great
הַגְּדוֹלָ֔ה (hag·gə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

fire,
אִשּׁ֣וֹ (’iš·šōw)
Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 784: A fire

and you heard
שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ (šā·ma‘·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

His words
וּדְבָרָ֥יו (ū·ḏə·ḇā·rāw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

out of
מִתּ֥וֹךְ (mit·tō·wḵ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

the fire.
הָאֵֽשׁ׃ (hā·’êš)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 4:36 Out of heaven he made you (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 4:35
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