Deuteronomy 11:1-6

Love and Serve the Lord

1 1"You shall therefore love the LORD your God and 2keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.
2 And consider today (since I am not speaking to 3your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline[a] of the LORD your God, 4his greatness, 5his mighty hand and his outstretched arm,
3 6his signs and his deeds that he did in Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land,
4 and what he did to the army of Egypt, to their horses and to their chariots, 7how he made the water of the Red Sea flow over them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD has destroyed them to this day,
5 and 8what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place,
6 and 9what he did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, son of Reuben, how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel.

Deuteronomy 11:1-6 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 9

  • 1. See Deuteronomy 6:5
  • 2. [Ezekiel 44:16]; See Leviticus 8:35
  • 3. Deuteronomy 31:13
  • 4. Deuteronomy 3:24; Deuteronomy 5:24
  • 5. See Deuteronomy 4:34
  • 6. Deuteronomy 6:22; Deuteronomy 7:19
  • 7. Exodus 14:27, 28; Exodus 15:9, 10; Psalms 106:11
  • 8. See Psalms 78:14-40
  • 9. Numbers 16:1, 31; Numbers 27:3; Psalms 106:17

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.