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Deuteronomy 4:28

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 4:28 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men`s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men`s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Deuteronomy 4:28 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
25When thou shalt beget children, and children`s children, and ye shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image in the form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah thy God, to provoke him to anger;
26I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over the Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.
27And Jehovah will scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number among the nations, whither Jehovah shall lead you away.
28And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men`s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
29But from thence ye shall seek Jehovah thy God, and thou shalt find him, when thou searchest after him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
30When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, in the latter days thou shalt return to Jehovah thy God, and hearken unto his voice:
31for Jehovah thy God is a merciful God; he will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
← Deuteronomy 4:27Deuteronomy 4:29 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands--The compulsory measures of their tyrannical conquerors would force them into idolatry, so that their choice would become their punishment.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Compare with these verses Leviticus 26:33-40, and Deuteronomy 28:64 ff. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Ye shall serve Gods - You shall be compelled by men, and given up by me to idolatry. So that very thing which was your choice, shall be your punishment: it being just and usual for God to punish one sin by giving men up to another. Deuteronomy 4:29”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“ye shall: Deu 28:36, Deu 28:64; Sa1 26:19; Jer 16:13; Eze 20:32, Eze 20:39; Act 7:42 neither see: Psa 115:4-7, Psa 135:15, Psa 135:16; Isa 44:9, Isa 45:20, Isa 46:7; Jer 10:3, Jer 10:9 Deuteronomy 4:29”
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Related study paths

Read Deuteronomy 4 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification