Deu 4:10-17 | TNotes

4:11 ^a flames ... clouds: In these contrasting displays of God’s presence (theophanies; see study note on 1:33), he revealed himself while also remaining hidden (see Exod 19:16-19 ^b).
4:13 ^c The covenant is the key theological idea of Deuteronomy and perhaps of the entire Old Testament. A covenant was a legal arrangement involving two or more parties who entered into agreements with mutually binding obligations. The covenant at Sinai (Exod 20–23 ^d) codified this relationship between the Lord and Israel; in Deuteronomy, Moses interpreted and expanded the covenant for the new generation that was about to conquer and occupy the Promised Land.

• The Ten Commandments (literally the ten words, “decalogue”) are so much at the heart of the covenant text and its requirements as to be equated with the covenant. The first four words regulate relationship with God, while the last six regulate human relationships.

• two stone tablets: All legal documents, including covenant texts, were copied for the benefit of all involved parties. God had his copy (the stone tablets) laid inside the Ark of the Covenant in the sanctuary (see Exod 25:16 ^e, 21 ^f; 31:18 ^g; 40:20 ^h; cp. Deut 31:26 ⁱ); Israel’s copy was written in the books of Exodus (Exod 20:1-17 ^j) and Deuteronomy (Deut 5:6-21 ^k).
4:15 ^l form: No image could capture the transcendent glory and power of the invisible God (Neh 9:20 ^m; Isa 63:10-14 ⁿ; Zech 4:6 ^o; John 4:24 ^p). Any form of the Lord could become an object of worship in lieu of worshiping God himself.
4:16 ^q idol: Idolatry inherently confined the Lord to the artist’s imagination. Israel was not to make idols in the form of any of his creatures (4:17-18 ^r). Idols and images could lead to worship of the creature rather than the Creator (5:8-9 ^s; Rom 1:23-25 ^t).