The Meaning of Deuteronomy 5:23 Explained

Deuteronomy 5:23

KJV: And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

YLT: 'And it cometh to pass as ye hear the voice out of the midst of the darkness, and of the mountain burning with fire, that ye come near unto me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders,

Darby: And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, and the mountain burned with fire, that ye came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

ASV: And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, when ye heard  the voice  out of the midst  of the darkness,  (for the mountain  did burn  with fire,  ) that ye came near  unto me, [even] all the heads  of your tribes,  and your elders; 

What does Deuteronomy 5:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 5:22-33 - Moses Between God And The People
"He added no more"-i.e., the Law is perfect. It is written in stone, and therefore is permanent. When the conscience has not learned the efficacy of the blood of Jesus it shrinks from contact with God's holiness, Deuteronomy 5:24-26. But such fear does not save us from going back to our calf-making and license.
Turn from Moses to our blessed Lord, who went into the middle of the thunder and lightning which our sin had incurred. On Him the full force of the storm broke, and we were delivered. Adolphe Monod said: "I have a firm and peaceful confidence in the redemption of Jesus Christ, in His blood and sacrifice, accepted before God, taking the place of the good which I have not done and repairing the evil that I have done."
Note the yearning of Deuteronomy 5:29. It repeats itself elsewhere, Isaiah 48:18; Matthew 23:37. See also Ezekiel 36:26. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 5

1  The covenant in Horeb
6  The ten commandments
23  At the people's request Moses receives the law from God

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 5:23 mean?

So it was when you heard - the voice from the midst of the darkness and while the mountain was burning with fire that you came near to me all the heads of your tribes and your elders
וַיְהִ֗י כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶ֤ם אֶת־ הַקּוֹל֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וְהָהָ֖ר בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֑שׁ וַתִּקְרְב֣וּן אֵלַ֔י כָּל־ רָאשֵׁ֥י שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֖ם וְזִקְנֵיכֶֽם

וַיְהִ֗י  So  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶ֤ם  when  you  heard 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
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.
הַקּוֹל֙  the  voice 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
מִתּ֣וֹךְ  from  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ  of  the  darkness 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹשֶׁךְ  
Sense: darkness, obscurity.
וְהָהָ֖ר  and  while  the  mountain 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
בֹּעֵ֣ר  was  burning 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּעַר 
Sense: to burn, consume, kindle, be kindled.
בָּאֵ֑שׁ  with  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
וַתִּקְרְב֣וּן  that  you  came  near 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
אֵלַ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
רָאשֵׁ֥י  the  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֖ם  of  your  tribes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
וְזִקְנֵיכֶֽם  and  your  elders 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.

What are the major concepts related to Deuteronomy 5:23?

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