Deuteronomy 11:20-30

20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates,
21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
22 If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him—
23 then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.
24 Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea.
25 No one will be able to stand against you. The LORD your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—
27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today;
28 the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.
29 When the LORD your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses.
30 As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, westward, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal.

Deuteronomy 11:20-30 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 23

  • 1. Deuteronomy 6:9
  • 2. Job 5:26; Proverbs 3:2; Proverbs 4:10; Proverbs 9:11
  • 3. Psalms 72:5
  • 4. S Deuteronomy 6:17
  • 5. S Deuteronomy 6:5
  • 6. S Deuteronomy 10:20
  • 7. S Deuteronomy 9:5
  • 8. S Exodus 23:28
  • 9. Deuteronomy 4:38; Deuteronomy 9:1
  • 10. Genesis 15:18; Exodus 23:31; Deuteronomy 1:36; Deuteronomy 12:20; Deuteronomy 19:8; Joshua 1:3; Joshua 14:9
  • 11. S Genesis 2:14
  • 12. S Deuteronomy 2:25
  • 13. Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 7:24
  • 14. Psalms 24:5
  • 15. Leviticus 26:14-17; Deuteronomy 27:13-26; Deuteronomy 30:1,15,19; Lamentations 2:17; Daniel 9:11; Haggai 1:11; Malachi 2:2; Malachi 3:9; Malachi 4:6
  • 16. Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalms 24:5
  • 17. Deuteronomy 28:15; 2 Chronicles 24:20; Jeremiah 42:13; Jeremiah 44:16
  • 18. S Deuteronomy 4:28; Deuteronomy 13:6,13; Deuteronomy 29:26; 1 Samuel 26:19
  • 19. Judges 9:7
  • 20. Deuteronomy 27:4; Joshua 8:30
  • 21. Deuteronomy 27:12-13; Joshua 8:33; John 4:20
  • 22. S Genesis 12:6
  • 23. Joshua 4:19; Joshua 5:9; Joshua 9:6; Joshua 10:6; Joshua 14:6; Joshua 15:7; Judges 2:1; 2 Kings 2:1; Micah 6:5
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