Deuteronomy 4:12
"And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire,.... For the Lord descended on Mount Sinai in a cloud, in fire, and was in the thick

darkness, from whence he delivered out the ten commands: ye heard the voice of the words; distinctly and plainly, not only the sound of them, but the words themselves, and so as to understand what was meant by them: but saw no similitude; not any likeness of the person speaking, by which they could form any idea of him in their minds, which was purposely done to prevent idolatry: only ye heard a voice; that was all.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (14 words)

H1696 דָבַר
Definition:

— (1) Arabicdepart, perish, IV.retreat, figurativeretrograde, decline;passing away, death; Assyriandabâru, Pi`eldrive away, BezOrient. Diplom, Vocab.,Dibbara, pest-god, Hpt. in KAT2. 500,דֶּבֶרpestile — (1) Arabicdepart, perish, IV.retreat, figurativeretrograde, decline;passing away, death; Assyriandabâru, Pi`eldrive away, BezOrient. Diplom, Vocab.,Dibbara, pest-god, Hpt. in KAT2. 500,דֶּבֶרpestile

Possible Meanings:
  • speaking (semantic_range)
H3068 יְהוָֹה
Definition:

7;Leviticus 24:11יהוהwas regarded as anomen ineffabile(see Philode Vita Mosis iii. 519, 529), called by the Jewsהַשֵּׁםand by the Samaritansשׁימא. The pronunciationJehovahwas unknown until 1520, when 7;Leviticus 24:11יהוהwas regarded as anomen ineffabile(see Philode Vita Mosis iii. 519, 529), called by the Jewsהַשֵּׁםand by the Samaritansשׁימא. The pronunciationJehovahwas unknown until 1520, when

Possible Meanings:
  • Yahweh (semantic_range)
  • the one bringing into being (semantic_range)
  • life-giver (semantic_range)
H0413 אֶל
Definition:

22;1 Samuel 5:26;1 Samuel 15:22;1 Samuel 29:19), with suffixאֵלַי,אֵלֶיךָ,אֵלַיִךְ, etc.אֵלֵינוּ,אֲלֵיכֶם& (5 t.)אֲלֵכֶם,אֲלֵיהֶם&אֲלֵהֶם(both very often); onceאֵלֵימוֺPsalm 2:5,אֲלֵיהֶן, onceאֲלֵהֶןE 22;1 Samuel 5:26;1 Samuel 15:22;1 Samuel 29:19), with suffixאֵלַי,אֵלֶיךָ,אֵלַיִךְ, etc.אֵלֵינוּ,אֲלֵיכֶם& (5 t.)אֲלֵכֶם,אֲלֵיהֶם&אֲלֵהֶם(both very often); onceאֵלֵימוֺPsalm 2:5,אֲלֵיהֶן, onceאֲלֵהֶןE

Possible Meanings:
  • these (semantic_range)
H8432 תָּוֶךְ
Definition:

10+; constructתּוֺךְGenesis 1:6+;תּוֺכִי,תּוֺכוֺ, etc., 2 feminine singularתּוֺכֵּ֫ כִיPsalm 116:19;Psalm 135:9,תּוֺכֹהEzekiel 48:15,21,תּוֺכֲכֶםGenesis 23:9+,תּוֺכָ֫הְנָהEzekiel 16:53(Ges§ 91f); —mid 10+; constructתּוֺךְGenesis 1:6+;תּוֺכִי,תּוֺכוֺ, etc., 2 feminine singularתּוֺכֵּ֫ כִיPsalm 116:19;Psalm 135:9,תּוֺכֹהEzekiel 48:15,21,תּוֺכֲכֶםGenesis 23:9+,תּוֺכָ֫הְנָהEzekiel 16:53(Ges§ 91f); —mid

Possible Meanings:
  • midst (semantic_range)
H0784 אֵשׂ
Definition:

23(masculineJeremiah 48:45;Psalm 104:4;**masculineis dubious:Numbers 16:18readעָלֶיהָfor 2ndעֲלֵיהֶם(ᵐ5B);Jeremiah 20:9see Ges§ 132 d;Jeremiah 48:45read (many MSS.,Numbers 21:23)יצאה;Psalm 104:4read p 23(masculineJeremiah 48:45;Psalm 104:4;**masculineis dubious:Numbers 16:18readעָלֶיהָfor 2ndעֲלֵיהֶם(ᵐ5B);Jeremiah 20:9see Ges§ 132 d;Jeremiah 48:45read (many MSS.,Numbers 21:23)יצאה;Psalm 104:4read p

Possible Meanings:
  • foundation (semantic_range)
H6963 קוֹל
Definition:

14sound, voice; — absoluteקוֺלGenesis 4:10+ (הַקֹּלGenesis 27:22;Genesis 45:16); constructקוֺלGenesis 3:8+ (וְקֹלExodus 19:16,לְקֹלExodus 4:8(twice in verse)); suffixקוֺלִי1 Samuel 26:17+,קוֺלְךָJudge 14sound, voice; — absoluteקוֺלGenesis 4:10+ (הַקֹּלGenesis 27:22;Genesis 45:16); constructקוֺלGenesis 3:8+ (וְקֹלExodus 19:16,לְקֹלExodus 4:8(twice in verse)); suffixקוֺלִי1 Samuel 26:17+,קוֺלְךָJudge

H1697 דָבָר
Definition:

14446t.; constructדְּבַרGenesis 12:17361t.; suffixדְּבָרִיNumbers 11:23+ (suffixes 66 t.); singular in all 875 t.; pluralדְּבָרִיםExodus 4:10182t.; constructדִּבְרֵיGenesis 24:30253t.; suffixדְּבָרָיו 14446t.; constructדְּבַרGenesis 12:17361t.; suffixדְּבָרִיNumbers 11:23+ (suffixes 66 t.); singular in all 875 t.; pluralדְּבָרִיםExodus 4:10182t.; constructדִּבְרֵיGenesis 24:30253t.; suffixדְּבָרָיו

Possible Meanings:
  • speaking (semantic_range)
H0859 אַתָּה
Definition:

11,19 #NAME?אַתָּ1 Samuel 24:19;Psalm 6:4;Job 1:10;Ecclesiastes 7:22;Nehemiah 9:6. Appended to a verb for emphasis,Exodus 18:19(twice in verse);1 Samuel 17:56שְׁאַל אַתָּהinquirethou,1 Samuel 20:8;1 S 11,19 #NAME?אַתָּ1 Samuel 24:19;Psalm 6:4;Job 1:10;Ecclesiastes 7:22;Nehemiah 9:6. Appended to a verb for emphasis,Exodus 18:19(twice in verse);1 Samuel 17:56שְׁאַל אַתָּהinquirethou,1 Samuel 20:8;1 S

Possible Meanings:
  • come (semantic_range)
  • come (semantic_range)
  • bring (semantic_range)
  • be brought (semantic_range)
H8085 שָׁמַע
Definition:

52+,שָׁמֵ֑עַJeremiah 36:133t.; 2 feminine singularשָׁמַ֫עַתְּ1 Kings 1:112t.; 3 pluralשָׁמֵ֑עוּJudges 2:17+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁמַעExodus 6:30+, 1 singular cohortativeאֶשְׁמְעָהNumb 52+,שָׁמֵ֑עַJeremiah 36:133t.; 2 feminine singularשָׁמַ֫עַתְּ1 Kings 1:112t.; 3 pluralשָׁמֵ֑עוּJudges 2:17+, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularיִשְׁמַעExodus 6:30+, 1 singular cohortativeאֶשְׁמְעָהNumb

Possible Meanings:
  • hear (semantic_range)
  • hear (semantic_range)
  • have sense of hearing (semantic_range)
  • shew oneself obedient (semantic_range)
H8544 תִּמוּנָה
Definition:

44t.; constructתְּמוּנַת(תְּמֻנַת)Deuteronomy 4:163t.; suffixתְּמוּנָתֶ֑ךָPsalm 17:15; —likeness, representation(""מֶּסֶל)Exodus 20:4=Deuteronomy 5:8, compareDeuteronomy 4:16,23,25;form, semblanceof׳י 44t.; constructתְּמוּנַת(תְּמֻנַת)Deuteronomy 4:163t.; suffixתְּמוּנָתֶ֑ךָPsalm 17:15; —likeness, representation(""מֶּסֶל)Exodus 20:4=Deuteronomy 5:8, compareDeuteronomy 4:16,23,25;form, semblanceof׳י

H0369 אַיִן
Definition:

23הַנּוֺתֵןרוֺזְנִים לְאָ֑יִןwho bringeth princesto nothing;כְּאַיִןas nothing, ib.Isaiah 40:17;Isaiah 41:11,12;Haggai 2:3;Psalm 39:6;almost(""כִּמְעַט)Psalm 73:2;מֵאַיִןof nothingIsaiah 41:24.2constr 23הַנּוֺתֵןרוֺזְנִים לְאָ֑יִןwho bringeth princesto nothing;כְּאַיִןas nothing, ib.Isaiah 40:17;Isaiah 41:11,12;Haggai 2:3;Psalm 39:6;almost(""כִּמְעַט)Psalm 73:2;מֵאַיִןof nothingIsaiah 41:24.2constr

Possible Meanings:
  • nought (semantic_range)
  • is not (semantic_range)
H7200 רָאָה
Definition:

7, compareריחspectacleDeuteronomy 1:12; Sabeanראיsee, expectDHMZMG xxix (1875), 506,599; Arabicsee, so Ethiopicᵑ7רֵו,רֵיוָאhumanappearance, features, etc. (compare Hebrewרְָאִי2)); —Qal1141Perfect3mas 7, compareריחspectacleDeuteronomy 1:12; Sabeanראיsee, expectDHMZMG xxix (1875), 506,599; Arabicsee, so Ethiopicᵑ7רֵו,רֵיוָאhumanappearance, features, etc. (compare Hebrewרְָאִי2)); —Qal1141Perfect3mas

Possible Meanings:
  • vision (semantic_range)
H2108 זוּלָה
Definition:

14and (with the obsolete case-endingיִ֯)זוּלָתִיDeuteronomy 1:36;Deuteronomy 4:12;Joshua 11:13;1 Kings 3:18;1 Kings 12:20;Psalm 18:32; with suffixזוּלָתִיHosea 13:4;Isaiah 45:5,21,זוּלָֽתְךָ,זוּלָתֶ֑ך 14and (with the obsolete case-endingיִ֯)זוּלָתִיDeuteronomy 1:36;Deuteronomy 4:12;Joshua 11:13;1 Kings 3:18;1 Kings 12:20;Psalm 18:32; with suffixזוּלָתִיHosea 13:4;Isaiah 45:5,21,זוּלָֽתְךָ,זוּלָתֶ֑ך

Possible Meanings:
  • removal (semantic_range)
  • except (semantic_range)
  • only (semantic_range)
  • save that (semantic_range)
H6963 קוֹל
Definition:

14sound, voice; — absoluteקוֺלGenesis 4:10+ (הַקֹּלGenesis 27:22;Genesis 45:16); constructקוֺלGenesis 3:8+ (וְקֹלExodus 19:16,לְקֹלExodus 4:8(twice in verse)); suffixקוֺלִי1 Samuel 26:17+,קוֺלְךָJudge 14sound, voice; — absoluteקוֺלGenesis 4:10+ (הַקֹּלGenesis 27:22;Genesis 45:16); constructקוֺלGenesis 3:8+ (וְקֹלExodus 19:16,לְקֹלExodus 4:8(twice in verse)); suffixקוֺלִי1 Samuel 26:17+,קוֺלְךָJudge

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