Definition: 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.

Explanation: Okay, let's break down this passage from Deuteronomy 4:19. It’s a really important part of understanding how God wants us to relate to Him and to each other. Here’s what it means in simpler terms: Basically, this verse is warning us about being too proud and obsessed with the things of heaven. Let's unpack it piece by piece: “And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven…” – This is a gentle reminder to stay grounded . It’s telling us to not look upwards, not focus on the sky. “…and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars…” – This refers to everything we can see in the natural world – the sun, the moon, and all the bright stars. “Even all the host of heaven” - This is a really important phrase. "Host" means a group. The “host of heaven” is referring to all the heavenly bodies – the sun, moon, planets, stars – everything God has created. “…shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them…” – This is where it gets tricky. It's suggesting that if we get too caught up in admiring these things, we might start thinking they’re worthy of our attention and even desire to obey them. We could become obsessed with them instead of focusing on God. “which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.” – This is a crucial part: God has specifically created these things – the sun, moon, planets, stars – for humanity to use and understand. He's given them a specific place in the universe. So, the overall message is this: God wants us to maintain a proper perspective. We should be grateful for the beauty of the natural world, but we shouldn’t let it distract us from worshipping Him . It’s about recognizing that God created these things for our benefit and to guide us, not for us to worship them. Why is this important? It's a reminder of the importance of humility and obedience – to listen to God’s guidance and to keep our focus on what truly matters: Him and His relationship with us. Does that make sense? Do you want me to explain any part of it in more detail, or would you like me to relate it to a specific story or concept? For example, are you curious about: What this verse means in the context of Israel’s history? How this verse relates to our daily lives?