Deuteronomy 29:11

11 your little ones, your wives, and the 1sojourner who is in your camp, from 2the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water,

Deuteronomy 29:11 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 29:11

Your little ones, your wives
Who are scarce ever mentioned in any special law or solemn transaction:

and thy stranger that [is] in thy camp;
not only the proselyte of righteousness, who embraced the Jewish religion entirely, but the proselyte of the gate, who was admitted to dwell among them, having renounced idolatry. These standing with the Israelites, when this covenant was made, has respect to the Gentiles, who as well as the Jews have an interest in the covenant of grace made with Christ; in whom there is, neither Jew nor Gentile, any difference between them:

from the hewer of thy wood to the drawer of thy water;
that hewed wood for firing and other uses, and drew water for the camp; who were generally mean persons, and perhaps some that came out of Egypt with them are here intended; however, mean and abject persons are meant, and signifies that none should be excluded from a concern in this solemn affair on account of their meanness.

Deuteronomy 29:11 In-Context

9 Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
10 "You are standing today all of you before the LORD your God: the heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel,
11 your little ones, your wives, and the sojourner who is in your camp, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water,
12 so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is making with you today,
13 that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Cross References 2

  • 1. [Exodus 12:38]
  • 2. [Josh. 9:21, 23, 27]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.