The Meaning of Deuteronomy 4:28 Explained

Deuteronomy 4:28

KJV: And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

YLT: and ye have served there gods, work of man's hands, wood and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

Darby: And ye shall there serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

ASV: And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And there ye shall serve  gods,  the work  of men's  hands,  wood  and stone,  which neither see,  nor hear,  nor eat,  nor smell. 

What does Deuteronomy 4:28 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 4:28 mean?

And you will serve there gods the work of hands of men wood and stone which neither see nor hear eat smell
וַעֲבַדְתֶּם־ שָׁ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֔ים מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם עֵ֣ץ וָאֶ֔בֶן אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ יִרְאוּן֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמְע֔וּן יֹֽאכְל֖וּן יְרִיחֻֽן

וַעֲבַדְתֶּם־  And  you  will  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֱלֹהִ֔ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה  the  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
יְדֵ֣י  of  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אָדָ֑ם  of  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
עֵ֣ץ  wood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
וָאֶ֔בֶן  and  stone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
לֹֽא־  neither 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִרְאוּן֙  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְלֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִשְׁמְע֔וּן  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יֹֽאכְל֖וּן  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
יְרִיחֻֽן  smell 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: רִיחַ  
Sense: (Hiphil) to smell, scent, perceive odour, accept.