Deuteronomy 11:3-13

3 and 1His signs and His works which He did in the midst of Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land;
4 and what He did to Egypt's army, to its horses and its chariots, 2when He made the water of the Red * Sea to engulf them while they were pursuing you, and the LORD completely * * destroyed them;
5 and what He did to you in the wilderness until you came to this place;
6 and 3what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and 4every living thing that followed them, among all Israel -
7 but your own eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD which He did.
8 "You shall therefore keep every commandment which I am commanding you today, 5so that you may be strong and go in and possess the land into which you are about to cross to possess it;
9 6so that you may prolong your days on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them and to their descendants, 7a land flowing with milk and honey.
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 8the 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; 9the 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, 10if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, 11to love the LORD your God and to serve Him 12with all your heart and all your soul,

Deuteronomy 11:3-13 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 12

  • 1. Exodus 7:8-21
  • 2. Exodus 14:28; Deuteronomy 1:40; Deuteronomy 2:1
  • 3. Numbers 16:1-35; Psalms 106:16-18
  • 4. Numbers 26:10, 11
  • 5. Deut 31:6, 7, 23; Joshua 1:6, 7
  • 6. Deuteronomy 4:40; Deuteronomy 5:16, 33; Deuteronomy 6:2; Proverbs 10:27
  • 7. Exodus 3:8
  • 8. Deuteronomy 8:7
  • 9. 1 Kings 9:3
  • 10. Leviticus 26:3; Deuteronomy 7:12
  • 11. Deuteronomy 11:1
  • 12. Deuteronomy 4:29

Footnotes 7

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