Deuteronomy 29:22-23

22 Your children who follow you in later generations and foreigners who come from distant lands will see the calamities that have fallen on the land and the diseases with which the LORD has afflicted it.
23 The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur—nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, which the LORD overthrew in fierce anger.

Deuteronomy 29:22-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 29

This chapter begins with an intimation of another covenant the Lord was about to make with the people of Israel, De 29:1; and, to prepare their minds to an attention to it, various things which the Lord had done for them are recited, De 29:2-9; the persons are particularly mentioned with whom the covenant would now be made, the substance of which is, that they should be his people, and he their God, De 29:10-15; and since they had seen the idols in Egypt and other countries, with which they might have been ensnared, they are cautioned against idolatry and idolaters, as being most provoking to the Lord, De 29:16-21; which would bring destruction not only on particular persons, but upon their whole land, to the amazement of posterity; who, inquiring the reason of it, will be told, it was because they forsook the covenant of God, and particularly were guilty of idolatry, which, whether privately or openly committed, would be always punished, De 29:22-29.

Cross References 5

  • 1. Jeremiah 19:8; Jeremiah 49:17; Jeremiah 50:13
  • 2. Isaiah 1:7; Isaiah 6:11; Isaiah 9:18; Isaiah 64:10; Jeremiah 12:11; Jeremiah 44:2,6; Micah 5:11; Isaiah 34:9
  • 3. S Genesis 13:10; Ezekiel 47:11; Jeremiah 17:6
  • 4. S Genesis 19:24,25; Zephaniah 2:9; S Matthew 10:15; Romans 9:29
  • 5. S Genesis 14:8
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