Deuteronomy 4:19

When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab, instructing them not to gaze at the sky and worship celestial bodies after God has delivered them from Egypt.

The words — The Hebrew phrase תִּשָּׂ֨א עֵינֶ֜י/ךָ (ti.Sa' 'ei.Nei./kha) literally means "you lift up your eyes," describing the physical act of looking upward at the sun and stars.

The thread — The text warns against worshiping the host of heaven, which aligns with Deuteronomy 17:3 that forbids bowing to the sun or moon, and mirrors the pattern described in Romans 1:25 where people serve the creature rather than the Creator.

Why it lands — The passage commands the reader to refuse the enticement to worship created celestial objects, reserving exclusive devotion for the LORD who brought Israel out of Egypt.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וּפֶן־u./fen-and/ lest תִּשָּׂ֨אti.Sa'you should lift up עֵינֶ֜יךָ'ei.Nei./khaeyes/ your הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָהha./sha.May.ma/hthe/ heavens/ towards וְֽ֠רָאִיתָVe./ra.'i.taand/ you will see אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁha./She.meshthe/ sun וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַיָּרֵ֜חַhai./ya.Re.achthe/ moon וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הַכּֽוֹכָבִ֗יםha./ko.kha.Vimthe/ stars כֹּ֚לkolall צְבָ֣אtze.Va'[the] host of הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha./sha.Ma.yimthe/ heavens וְנִדַּחְתָּ֛ve./ni.dach.Taand/ you will be drawn aside וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֥יתָve./hish.ta.cha.Vi.taand/ you will bow downלָהֶ֖םla./Hemto/ themוַעֲבַדְתָּ֑םva./'a.vad.Ta/mand/ you will serve/ them אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhich חָלַ֜קcha.Lakhe has assigned יְהוָ֤הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your אֹתָ֔ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them לְכֹל֙le./Kholto/ all הָֽעַמִּ֔יםha./'a.Mimthe/ peoples תַּ֖חַתTa.chatunder כָּל־kol-all הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ha./sha.Ma.yimthe/ heavens

King James Version

And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

Cross-references

Romans 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
Deuteronomy 17:3 and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—
2 Kings 21:3 For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
Genesis 1:16 God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well.
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
2 Kings 17:16 They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.
Joshua 10:12 On the day that the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.
Psalms 148:3 Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.
Psalms 74:16 The day is Yours, and also the night; You established the moon and the sun.