Deuteronomy 29:8-18

8 et tulimus terram eorum ac tradidimus possidendam Ruben et Gad et dimidiae tribui Manasse

9 custodite ergo verba pacti huius et implete ea ut intellegatis universa quae facitis

10 vos statis hodie cuncti coram Domino Deo vestro principes vestri ac tribus et maiores natu atque doctores omnis populus Israhel

11 liberi et uxores vestrae et advena qui tecum moratur in castris exceptis lignorum caesoribus et his qui conportant aquas

12 ut transeas in foedere Domini Dei tui et in iureiurando quod hodie Dominus Deus tuus percutit tecum

13 ut suscitet te sibi in populum et ipse sit Deus tuus sicut locutus est tibi et sicut iuravit patribus tuis Abraham Isaac et Iacob

14 nec vobis solis ego hoc foedus ferio et haec iuramenta confirmo

15 sed cunctis praesentibus et absentibus

16 vos enim nostis ut habitaverimus in terra Aegypti et quomodo transierimus per medium nationum quas transeuntes

17 vidistis abominationes et sordes id est idola eorum lignum et lapidem argentum et aurum quae colebant

18 ne forte sit inter vos vir aut mulier familia aut tribus cuius cor aversum est hodie a Domino Deo vestro ut vadat et serviat diis illarum gentium et sit inter vos radix germinans fel et amaritudinem

Deuteronomy 29:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 29

This chapter begins with an intimation of another covenant the Lord was about to make with the people of Israel, De 29:1; and, to prepare their minds to an attention to it, various things which the Lord had done for them are recited, De 29:2-9; the persons are particularly mentioned with whom the covenant would now be made, the substance of which is, that they should be his people, and he their God, De 29:10-15; and since they had seen the idols in Egypt and other countries, with which they might have been ensnared, they are cautioned against idolatry and idolaters, as being most provoking to the Lord, De 29:16-21; which would bring destruction not only on particular persons, but upon their whole land, to the amazement of posterity; who, inquiring the reason of it, will be told, it was because they forsook the covenant of God, and particularly were guilty of idolatry, which, whether privately or openly committed, would be always punished, De 29:22-29.