Deuteronomy 11:13-21

13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—
14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.
15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.
17 Then the LORD’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you.
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates,
21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

Deuteronomy 11:13-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 11

In this chapter, the exhortation to love the Lord, and keep his commands, is repeated and urged again and again from various considerations; as not only from the chastisement of Pharaoh and the wicked Egyptians, but of such Israelites who offended the Lord, and transgressed his law, De 12:1-7, from the goodness and excellency of the land they were going to inherit, De 11:8-11, from the blessing of rain that would come upon it, and be productive of all good things for man and beast, in case of obedience, and a restraint of it in case of disobedience, De 11:12-17, from the continuance of them and their offspring in the land, should they be careful to observe the commands themselves, and teach them their children, De 11:18-21, and from the extensiveness of their conquests and dominions, De 11:22-25 and from the different issue and effects of their conduct and behaviour, a blessing upon them if obedient, but a curse if disobedient, De 11:26-28 and the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to pronounce the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse on Mount Ebal; the situation of which places is described when they should come into the land of Canaan, of which they are assured, De 11:29-32.

Cross References 18

  • 1. S Deuteronomy 6:17
  • 2. S Deuteronomy 10:12
  • 3. Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 17:24
  • 4. S Leviticus 26:4; Deuteronomy 28:12; Acts 14:17
  • 5. Psalms 147:8; Jeremiah 3:3; Jeremiah 5:24; Joel 2:23; James 5:7
  • 6. Psalms 104:14
  • 7. S Leviticus 26:5; Deuteronomy 6:11
  • 8. Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 8:19; Deuteronomy 29:18; Job 31:9,27
  • 9. Deuteronomy 6:15; Deuteronomy 9:19
  • 10. 1 Kings 8:35; 1 Kings 17:1; 2 Chronicles 6:26; 2 Chronicles 7:13
  • 11. S Leviticus 26:20
  • 12. Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 28:12,24
  • 13. S Exodus 13:9; Deuteronomy 6:6-8
  • 14. S Exodus 12:26; Deuteronomy 6:7; Psalms 145:4; Isaiah 38:19; Jeremiah 32:39
  • 15. Deuteronomy 4:9-10
  • 16. Deuteronomy 6:9
  • 17. Job 5:26; Proverbs 3:2; Proverbs 4:10; Proverbs 9:11
  • 18. Psalms 72:5
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