Deuteronomy 31:20

20 When I bring them into the land I swore to [give] their fathers, [a land] flowing with milk and honey, they will eat their fill and prosper.^[a] They will turn to other gods and worship them, despising Me and breaking My covenant.

Deuteronomy 31:20 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 31:20

For when I shall have brought them into the land which I
sware unto their fathers
To give it to them, and put them into the possession of it, even the land of Canaan, often thus described, and as it is by the following character:

that floweth with milk and honey;
aboundeth with all good things; see ( Exodus 3:8 ) ;

and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat;
that is, after they have for a considerable time enjoyed the good things of the land, and they abound with them, and increase in them, and have great fullness of them:

then will they turn unto other gods:
turn from the Lord who has brought them into all this plenty, from the fear, worship, and service of him, and turn to the worship of idols:

and serve them:
the works of men's hands, and at most but creatures, and not the Creator; than which nothing can be more absurd and stupid, as well as wicked and ungrateful:

and provoke me:
nothing being more provoking to the Lord than idolatry, it striking at his very nature, being, and glory:

and break my covenant;
now made with them; this being foretold by the Lord, which exactly came to pass in numerous instances, proves his precise foreknowledge of future events, even such as depend on the inclinations, dispositions, and wills of men.

Deuteronomy 31:20 In-Context

18 I will certainly hide My face on that day because of all the evil they have done by turning to other gods.

19 Therefore write down this song for yourselves and teach it to the Israelites; have them recite it, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the Israelites.

20 When I bring them into the land I swore to [give] their fathers, [a land] flowing with milk and honey, they will eat their fill and prosper. They will turn to other gods and worship them, despising Me and breaking My covenant.

21 And when many troubles and afflictions come to them, this song will testify against them, because their descendants will not have forgotten it. For I know what they are prone to do, even before I bring them into the land I swore [to give them]."

22 So Moses wrote down this song on that day and taught it to the Israelites.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit be fat