Deuteronomy 8:5-15

5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.
6 Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.
7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;
8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey;
9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,
13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,
14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.

Deuteronomy 8:5-15 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.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Deuteronomy 4:36; 2 Samuel 7:14; Job 5:17; Job 33:19; Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:5-11; Revelation 3:19
  • 2. S Exodus 33:13; 1 Kings 3:14; Psalms 81:13; Psalms 95:10
  • 3. Deuteronomy 5:33
  • 4. Psalms 106:24; Jeremiah 3:19; Ezekiel 20:6
  • 5. Deuteronomy 11:9-12; Jeremiah 2:7
  • 6. S Exodus 9:31
  • 7. S Genesis 49:11
  • 8. S Numbers 13:23; S 1 Kings 4:25
  • 9. Deuteronomy 32:13; Psalms 81:16
  • 10. S ver 3
  • 11. Judges 18:10
  • 12. Job 28:2
  • 13. Deuteronomy 6:10-12
  • 14. Deuteronomy 4:9
  • 15. Proverbs 30:9; Hosea 13:6
  • 16. ver 11; Psalms 78:7; Psalms 106:21
  • 17. S Deuteronomy 1:19; S Deuteronomy 32:10; Jeremiah 2:6
  • 18. Numbers 21:6; Isaiah 14:29; Isaiah 30:6
  • 19. Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11; Deuteronomy 32:13; Job 28:9; Psalms 78:15; Psalms 114:8
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