Deuteronomy 8:18

18 well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors - as it is today.

Deuteronomy 8:18 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 8:18

But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God
That he was the author of their beings, the God of their lives and mercies; what great and good things he had done for them in Egypt, and in the wilderness; and particularly in putting them into the possession of such a fruitful country, abounding with all that heart could wish for:

for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth;
for though men may have seeming opportunities for getting wealth, may have capacities for the management of business for the acquisition of it, and may not be wanting in diligence and industry, yet may not attain it; it is the blessing of God that makes rich, and to that it should be imputed whenever it is enjoyed; see ( Psalms 127:2 ) ( Proverbs 10:22 ) ( Ecclesiastes 9:11 ) ( 1 Chronicles 29:12 )

that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers,
as [it is] this day;
that he would give the land of Canaan to their seed, and make them a rich and flourishing people, as they would be and were when possessed of the land, which is supposed throughout this discourse.

Deuteronomy 8:18 In-Context

16 the God who gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never heard of, in order to give you a taste of the hard life, to test you so that you would be prepared to live well in the days ahead of you.
17 If you start thinking to yourselves, "I did all this. And all by myself. I'm rich. It's all mine!" -
18 well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors - as it is today.
19 If you forget, forget God, your God, and start taking up with other gods, serving and worshiping them, I'm on record right now as giving you firm warning: that will be the end of you; I mean it - destruction.
20 You'll go to your doom - the same as the nations God is destroying before you; doom because you wouldn't obey the Voice of God, your God.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.