Deuteronomy 8:15-20

15 He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water. He brought water out of the flintlike rock for you.
16 He fed you in the wilderness with manna[a] that your fathers had not known, in order to humble and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper.
17 You may say to yourself, 'My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,'
18 but remember that the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today.
19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will perish.
20 Like the nations the Lord is about to destroy before you, you will perish if you do not obey the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 8:15-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 8

In this chapter Moses repeats the exhortation to observe the commands of God, and urges the Israelites to it, from the consideration of the great and good things God had done for them in the wilderness, and even in those instances which were chastisements, and were of an humbling nature, De 8:1-6, and on the consideration of the blessings of the good land they were going to possess, De 8:7-9 for which blessings they are exhorted to be thankful, and are cautioned against pride of heart through them, and forgetfulness of God, and of his goodness to them while in the wilderness, and when brought into the land of Canaan, which they were to ascribe to his power and goodness, and not their own, De 8:10-18, and the chapter is concluded with a warning against idolatry, lest they perish through it as the nations before them, De 8:19,20.

Footnotes 1

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