The Meaning of Deuteronomy 4:18 Explained

Deuteronomy 4:18

KJV: The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:

YLT: a form of any creeping thing on the ground -- a form of any fish which is in the waters under the earth;

Darby: the pattern of anything that creepeth on the ground, the pattern of any fish that is in the waters under the earth;

ASV: the likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The likeness  of any thing that creepeth  on the ground,  the likeness  of any fish  that [is] in the waters  beneath  the earth: 

What does Deuteronomy 4:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 4:15-31 - Jehovah "a Jealous God"
How often Moses repeats, "take heed." We must watch as well as pray and keep our souls diligently. We must specially beware of idols-that is, any visible thing which takes the place of the unseen and eternal, veiling it from our view. The soul must learn to lean on the everlasting arm.
How true that description of the iron furnace! The metaphor is derived from the process of smelting metal. We have had our Egypts, where by trials the real ore of character was disintegrated from its rocky matrix. But though God may remove us from outward affliction, He is Himself the furnace of purification, by His Spirit and Word, and in the secrets of our hearts, Deuteronomy 4:24. But His fire burns our bonds, while our heads are unsinged, Daniel 3:25.
If these words meet the eyes of any who are among the scattered and vanished ones, let them seek God again, and they shall certainly find Him; for He is merciful, He will not fail nor destroy, nor forget the olden Covenant, Deuteronomy 4:30-31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 4

1  An exhortation to obedience
41  Moses appoints the three cities of refuge on that side of Jordan
44  Recapitulation

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 4:18 mean?

the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that [is] in the water beneath the earth
תַּבְנִ֕ית כָּל־ רֹמֵ֖שׂ בָּאֲדָמָ֑ה תַּבְנִ֛ית כָּל־ דָּגָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־ בַּמַּ֖יִם מִתַּ֥חַת לָאָֽרֶץ

תַּבְנִ֕ית  the  likeness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תַּבְנִית  
Sense: pattern, plan, form, construction, figure.
כָּל־  of  anything 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
רֹמֵ֖שׂ  that  creeps 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָמַשׂ  
Sense: to creep, move lightly, move about, walk on all fours.
בָּאֲדָמָ֑ה  on  the  ground 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
תַּבְנִ֛ית  or  the  likeness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תַּבְנִית  
Sense: pattern, plan, form, construction, figure.
כָּל־  of  any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
דָּגָ֥ה  fish 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דָּגָה  
Sense: fish.
אֲשֶׁר־  that  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בַּמַּ֖יִם  in  the  water 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
מִתַּ֥חַת  beneath 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
לָאָֽרֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.

What are the major concepts related to Deuteronomy 4:18?

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