Deuteronomy 11:12-22

12 It is a land the LORD your God cares about. He watches over it all year long.
13 If you faithfully obey the commands that I'm giving you today, love the LORD your God, and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
14 I will send rain on your land at the right time, both in the fall and in the spring. Then you will gather your own grain, new wine, and olive oil.
15 I will provide grass in the fields for your animals, and you will be able to eat all you want.
16 Be careful, or you'll be tempted to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.
17 The LORD will become angry with you. He'll shut the sky so that there'll be no rain. Then the ground won't grow any crops, and you'll quickly disappear from this good land the LORD is giving you.
18 Take these words of mine to heart and keep them in mind. [Write them down,] tie them around your wrist, and wear them as headbands as a reminder.
19 Teach them to your children, and talk about them when you're at home or away, when you lie down or get up.
20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
21 Then you and your children will live for a long time in this land that the LORD swore to give to your ancestors--as long as there's a sky above the earth.
22 Faithfully obey all these commands I'm giving you. Love the LORD your God, follow all his directions, and be loyal to him.

Deuteronomy 11:12-22 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.

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