Deuteronomy 29:9-19

9 “Therefore, obey the terms of this covenant so that you will prosper in everything you do.
10 All of you—tribal leaders, elders, officers, all the men of Israel—are standing today in the presence of the LORD your God.
11 Your little ones and your wives are with you, as well as the foreigners living among you who chop your wood and carry your water.
12 You are standing here today to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God. The LORD is making this covenant, including the curses.
13 By entering into the covenant today, he will establish you as his people and confirm that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
14 “But you are not the only ones with whom I am making this covenant with its curses.
15 I am making this covenant both with you who stand here today in the presence of the LORD our God, and also with the future generations who are not standing here today.
16 “You remember how we lived in the land of Egypt and how we traveled through the lands of enemy nations as we left.
17 You have seen their detestable practices and their idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold.
18 I am making this covenant with you so that no one among you—no man, woman, clan, or tribe—will turn away from the LORD our God to worship these gods of other nations, and so that no root among you bears bitter and poisonous fruit.
19 “Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.’ This would lead to utter ruin!

Deuteronomy 29:9-19 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.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. The Hebrew term (literally round things ) probably alludes to dung.
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