Deuteronomy 11:10-20

10 "For the land, into which you are entering to possess it, is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you used to sow your seed and water it with your foot like a vegetable garden.
11 "But 1the land into which you are about to cross to possess it, a land of hills and valleys, drinks water from the rain of heaven,
12 a land for which the LORD your God cares; 2the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year.
13 "It shall come about, 3if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, 4to love the LORD your God and to serve Him 5with all your heart and all your soul,
14 that 6He will give the rain for your land in its season, the 7early and late rain *, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil.
15 "8He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and 9you will eat and be satisfied.
16 "10Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them.
17 "Or 11the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will 12shut up the heavens 13so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and 14you will perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.
18 "15You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead *.
19 "16You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.
20 "17You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,

Deuteronomy 11:10-20 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 17

  • 1. Deuteronomy 8:7
  • 2. 1 Kings 9:3
  • 3. Leviticus 26:3; Deuteronomy 7:12
  • 4. Deuteronomy 11:1
  • 5. Deuteronomy 4:29
  • 6. Leviticus 26:4; Deuteronomy 28:12
  • 7. Joel 2:23; James 5:7
  • 8. Psalms 104:14
  • 9. Deuteronomy 6:11
  • 10. Job 31:27
  • 11. Deuteronomy 6:15; Deuteronomy 9:19
  • 12. 1 Kings 8:35; 2 Chronicles 6:26; 2 Chronicles 7:13
  • 13. Deuteronomy 28:24
  • 14. Deuteronomy 4:26
  • 15. Exodus 13:9, 16; Deuteronomy 6:8
  • 16. Deuteronomy 4:9, 10; Deuteronomy 6:7; Proverbs 22:6
  • 17. Deuteronomy 6:9

Footnotes 10

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