The Meaning of Deuteronomy 4:20 Explained

Deuteronomy 4:20

KJV: But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.

YLT: And you hath Jehovah taken, and He is bringing you out from the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be to Him for a people -- an inheritance, as at this day.

Darby: But you hath Jehovah taken, and hath brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, that ye might be to him a people of inheritance, as it is this day.

ASV: But Jehovah hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as at this day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the LORD  hath taken  you, and brought you forth  out of the iron  furnace,  [even] out of Egypt,  to be unto him a people  of inheritance,  as [ye are] this day. 

What does Deuteronomy 4:20 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 4:20 mean?

But you has taken Yahweh and brought you out of furnace the iron out of Egypt to be to His people an inheritance as you are day this
וְאֶתְכֶם֙ לָקַ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה וַיּוֹצִ֥א אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִכּ֥וּר הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם לִהְי֥וֹת ל֛וֹ לְעַ֥ם נַחֲלָ֖ה כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה

וְאֶתְכֶם֙  But  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לָקַ֣ח  has  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיּוֹצִ֥א  and  brought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מִכּ֥וּר  out  of  furnace 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כּוּר  
Sense: furnace, forge, smelting furnace or pot v.
הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל  the  iron 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּרְזֶל  
Sense: iron.
מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם  out  of  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, 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”.
לִהְי֥וֹת  to  be 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְעַ֥ם  His  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
נַחֲלָ֖ה  an  inheritance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
כַּיּ֥וֹם  as  you  are  day 
Parse: Preposition-k, 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.