Devarim 4:26

26 I call Shomayim and HaAretz to witness against you today, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off Ha’Aretz whereunto ye go over Yarden to possess it; ye shall not prolong your yamim upon it, but shall be utterly shmad.

Devarim 4:26 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:26

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day
Should they be guilty of such a sin, since they were so strongly and publicly cautioned against it; and even the heaven and the earth were called upon as witnesses of the law being set before them, which so expressly forbids it, ( Deuteronomy 30:19 )

that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go
over Jordan to possess it;
though they were now about to go over Jordan and inherit the land of Canaan, yet they would not enjoy it long, but be taken and carried captive out of it; as the ten tribes were by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, and the two tribes by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and both for their idolatry and other crimes.

Devarim 4:26 In-Context

24 For Hashem Eloheicha is a consuming eish, even an El Kannah.

25 When thou shalt father banim, and bnei banim, and ye shall have remained long in Ha’Aretz, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a pesel, or the likeness of anything, and shall do evil in the sight of Hashem Eloheicha, to provoke Him to anger;

26 I call Shomayim and HaAretz to witness against you today, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off Ha’Aretz whereunto ye go over Yarden to possess it; ye shall not prolong your yamim upon it, but shall be utterly shmad.

27 And Hashem shall scatter you among the amim; ye shall be left few in number among the Goyim, whither Hashem shall lead you.

28 And there ye shall serve elohim, the work of men’s hands, etz (wood) and even (stone), which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.