The Meaning of Deuteronomy 11:4 Explained

Deuteronomy 11:4

KJV: And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day;

YLT: and that which He hath done to the force of Egypt, to its horses, and to its chariot, when He hath caused the waters of the Red Sea to flow against their faces in their pursuing after them, and Jehovah destroyeth them, unto this day;

Darby: and what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and unto their chariots, over which he made the water of the Red sea flow as they pursued after you, and Jehovah destroyed them unto this day;

ASV: and what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how Jehovah hath destroyed them unto this day;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And what he did  unto the army  of Egypt,  unto their horses,  and to their chariots;  how he made the water  of the Red  sea  to overflow  them  as they pursued  after  you, and [how] the LORD  hath destroyed  them unto this day; 

What does Deuteronomy 11:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 11:1-17 - The Rewards Of Obedience
In this chapter the introductory portion of this book closes, and two final arguments are brought to bear on the chosen people, to induce them to love God and keep His charge. The one has already been referred to, consisting of those awful judgments with which God had punished the stiff-neckedness of Pharaoh and the rebellions of the Wilderness. We may as well learn sooner than later, that God will have us holy, and if we will not yield to His loving solicitations we must suffer His stern chastisements.
The other argument is derived from the blessings which they would inherit by obedience. In Egypt the irrigation of the land was laboriously effected by the tread-wheels, that raised the water from the Nile-level, but in Canaan there were two annual rainy seasons-the former, September-October; the latter, March-April. The regularity of these seasons depended on Israel's loyal obedience. We are reminded of John 4:14. May we not ask ourselves, which of these typifies our religious life? See Hebrews 4:1. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 11

1  Another exhortation to obedience
2  by their own experience of God's great works
8  by promise of God's great blessings
16  and by threatenings
18  A careful study is required in God's words
26  The blessing and curse set before them

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 11:4 mean?

and what He did to the army of Egypt to their horses and their chariots how He made overflow - the waters of the Sea Red upon them them as they pursued you and [how] has destroyed them Yahweh to day this
וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂה֩ לְחֵ֨יל מִצְרַ֜יִם לְסוּסָ֣יו וּלְרִכְבּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵצִ֜יף אֶת־ מֵ֤י יַם־ סוּף֙ עַל־ פְּנֵיהֶ֔ם בְּרָדְפָ֖ם אַחֲרֵיכֶ֑ם וַיְאַבְּדֵ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה

וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר  and  what 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשָׂה֩  He  did 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לְחֵ֨יל  to  the  army 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
מִצְרַ֜יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
לְסוּסָ֣יו  to  their  horses 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
וּלְרִכְבּ֗וֹ  and  their  chariots 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֶכֶב  
Sense: a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  how 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הֵצִ֜יף  He  made  overflow 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צוּף  
Sense: to flow, overflow, flood, float.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מֵ֤י  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
יַם־  of  the  Sea 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
סוּף֙  Red 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סוּף  
Sense: reed, rush, water plant.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פְּנֵיהֶ֔ם  them  them 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בְּרָדְפָ֖ם  as  they  pursued 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
וַיְאַבְּדֵ֣ם  and  [how]  has  destroyed  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַיּ֥וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.