Deuteronomy 4:30-31

30 "When you ¹are in distress and all these things have come upon you, ²in the latter days ³you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice.

31 "For the LORD your God is a ⁴compassionate God; ⁵He will not fail you nor ⁶destroy you nor ⁷forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

Deuteronomy 4:30-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 4

This chapter contains an exhortation to Israel to keep the commands, statutes, and judgments of God, urged from the superior excellency of them to those of all other nations, De 4:1-8, from the manner in which they were delivered, out of the midst of fire, by a voice of words, but no similitude seen, De 4:9-15, and particularly the Israelites are cautioned against idolatry, from the consideration of the goodness of God to them, in bringing them out of Egypt, De 4:16-20, and the rather Moses is urgent upon them to be diligent in their obedience to the laws of God, because he should quickly be removed from them, De 4:21-24, and should they be disobedient to them, it would provoke the Lord to destroy them, or to carry them captive into other lands, De 4:25-28 though even then, if they repented and sought the Lord, and became obedient, he would be merciful to them, and not forsake them, De 4:29-31 and they are put in mind again of the amazing things God had done for them, in speaking to them out of fire, and they alive; in bringing them out of another nation, and driving out other nations to make room for them; all which he improves, as so many arguments to move them to obedience to the divine commands, De 4:32-40 and then notice is taken of the three cities of refuge, separated on this side Jordan, De 4:41-43, and the chapter is concluded with observing, that this is the law, and these the testimonies, Moses declared and repeated to the children of Israel in the country of Sihon and Og, who were delivered into their hands, and their lands possessed by them, which laid them under fresh obligations to yield obedience to God, De 4:44-49.

Deuteronomy 4:30-31 In-Context

28 "There you will serve gods, the work of man's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

29 "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

30 "When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice.

31 "For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

32 "Indeed, ask now concerning the former days which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and inquire from one end of the heavens to the other . Has anything been done like this great thing, or has anything been heard like it?

33 "Has any people heard the voice of God speaking from the midst of the fire, as you have heard it, and survived?

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 18:6; Psalms 59:16; Psalms 107:6, 13
• 2. Deuteronomy 31:29; Jeremiah 23:20; Hosea 3:5; Hebrews 1:2
• 3. Jeremiah 4:1, 2
• 4. Exodus 34:6; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Nehemiah 9:31; Psalms 103:8; Psalms 111:4; Psalms 116:5; Jonah 4:2
• 5. Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:5
• 6. Jeremiah 30:11
• 7. Leviticus 26:45