Deuteronomy 11:23-32

23 then the LORD will ¹drive out all these nations from before * you, and you will ²dispossess nations greater and mightier than you.

24 "³Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours; ⁴your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea.

25 "⁵No man will be able to stand before you; the LORD your God will lay the dread of you and the fear of you on all the land on which you set foot, as He has spoken to you.

26 "⁶See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:

27 the ⁷blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today;

28 and the ⁸curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following * other gods which you have not known.

29 "It shall come about, when the LORD your God brings you into the land where * you are entering to possess it, ⁹that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.

30 "Are they not across the Jordan, west of the way toward the sunset *, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite ¹⁰Gilgal, beside ¹¹the oaks of Moreh?

31 "For you are about to cross the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and ¹²you shall possess it and live in it,

32 and you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the judgments which I am setting before you today.

Deuteronomy 11:23-32 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

• 1. Deuteronomy 4:38
• 2. Deuteronomy 9:1
• 3. Joshua 1:3; Joshua 14:9
• 4. Genesis 15:18; Exodus 23:31; Deuteronomy 1:7, 8
• 5. Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 7:24
• 6. Deuteronomy 30:1, 19
• 7. Deuteronomy 28:1-14
• 8. Deuteronomy 28:15-68
• 9. Deuteronomy 27:12; Joshua 8:33
• 10. Joshua 4:19
• 11. Genesis 12:6
• 12. Deuteronomy 17:14; Joshua 21:43

Footnotes

• [a] I.e. the Mediterranean
• [b] Lit "to follow"
• [c] Lit "terebinths"