Deuteronomy 4:11-15

4:11 You approached and stood at the foot of the mountain, a mountain ablaze to the sky above it ¹  and yet dark with a thick cloud. ²  4:12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the middle of the fire; you heard speech but you could not see anything – only a voice was heard. ³  4:13 And he revealed to you the covenant ⁴  he has commanded you to keep, the ten commandments, ⁵  writing them on two stone tablets. 4:14 Moreover, at that same time the Lord commanded me to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to keep in the land which you are about to enter and possess. ⁶ 

The Nature of Israel’s God

4:15 Be very careful, ⁷  then, because you saw no form at the time the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the middle of the fire.

¹ tn Heb “a mountain burning with fire as far as the heart of the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

² tn Heb “darkness, cloud, and heavy cloud.”

³ tn The words “was heard” are supplied in the translation to avoid the impression that the voice was seen.

⁴ sn This is the first occurrence of the word בְּרִית (bÿrit, “covenant”) in the Book of Deuteronomy but it appears commonly hereafter (4:23, 31; 5:2, 3; 7:9, 12; 8:18; 9:9, 10, 11, 15; 10:2, 4, 5, 8; 17:2; 29:1, 9, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21, 25; 31:9, 16, 20, 25, 26; 33:9). Etymologically, it derives from the notion of linking or yoking together. See M. Weinfeld, TDOT 2:255.

⁵ tn Heb “the ten words.”

⁶ tn Heb “to which you are crossing over to possess it.”

⁷ tn Heb “give great care to your souls.”