Deuteronomy 8:13-20

13 when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase, when you have more of everything,

14 then your heart will become proud. You will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you were slaves.

15 He led you through the large and terrible desert that was dry and had no water, and that had poisonous snakes and stinging insects. He gave you water from a solid rock

16 and manna to eat in the desert. Manna was something your ancestors had never seen. He did this to take away your pride and to test you, so things would go well for you in the end.

17 You might say to yourself, "I am rich because of my own power and strength,"

18 but remember the Lord your God! It is he who gives you the power to become rich, keeping the agreement he promised to your ancestors, as it is today.

19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship them and bow down to them, I warn you today that you will be destroyed.

20 Just as the Lord destroyed the other nations for you, you can be destroyed if you do not obey the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 8:13-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 8

In this chapter Moses repeats the exhortation to observe the commands of God, and urges the Israelites to it, from the consideration of the great and good things God had done for them in the wilderness, and even in those instances which were chastisements, and were of an humbling nature, De 8:1-6, and on the consideration of the blessings of the good land they were going to possess, De 8:7-9 for which blessings they are exhorted to be thankful, and are cautioned against pride of heart through them, and forgetfulness of God, and of his goodness to them while in the wilderness, and when brought into the land of Canaan, which they were to ascribe to his power and goodness, and not their own, De 8:10-18, and the chapter is concluded with a warning against idolatry, lest they perish through it as the nations before them, De 8:19,20.