Deuteronomy 30:12

12 It is not in heaven above, saying, Who shall go up for us into heaven, and shall take it for us, and we will hear and do it?

Deuteronomy 30:12 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 30:12

It [is] not in heaven
The scheme of it was formed in heaven, it was hid in the heart of God there, before revealed; it was ordained before the world was for our glory; it was brought down from thence by Christ, and committed to his apostles and ministers of the word to preach it to men; and has been ever since continued on earth, and will be at the time of the conversion of the Jews:

that thou shouldest say;
that there should be any occasion of saying; it forbids any such kind of speech as, follows:

who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear
it, and do it?
there is no need of that, for it is brought from thence already, and may be heard, and should be obeyed; for to put such a question would be the same as to ask "to bring Christ down from above", who is come down already by the assumption of human nature, to preach the Gospel, give the sense of the law, and fulfil it, to do the will of his Father, bring in an everlasting righteousness, and save his people; so that there is no need of his coming again on the same errand, since he has obtained eternal redemption, and is the author of everlasting salvation, which is the sum and substance of the Gospel.

Deuteronomy 30:12 In-Context

10 if thou wilt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments, and his ordinances, and his judgments written in the book of this law, if thou turn to the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
11 For this command which I give thee this day is not grievous, neither is it far from thee.
12 It is not in heaven above, saying, Who shall go up for us into heaven, and shall take it for us, and we will hear and do it?
13 Neither is it beyond the sea, saying, Who will go over for us to the other side of the sea, and take it for us, and make it audible to us, and we will do it?
14 The word is very near thee, in thy mouth, and in thine heart, and in thine hands to do it.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.