Deuteronomy 29WEB
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Deuteronomy29

World English Bible · Public Domain

1These are the words of the covenant which Yahweh commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.

2Moses called to all Israel, and said to them: Your eyes have seen all that Yahweh did in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land;

3the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders.

4But Yahweh has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day.

5I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not grown old on you, and your sandals have not grown old on your feet.

6You have not eaten bread, neither have you drunk wine or strong drink, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.

7When you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us to battle, and we struck them.

8We took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites.

9Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.

10All of you stand today in the presence of Yahweh your God: your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel,

11your little ones, your wives, and the foreigners who are in the middle of your camps, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water,

12that you may enter into the covenant of Yahweh your God, and into his oath, which Yahweh your God makes with you today,

13that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he spoke to you and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

14Neither do I make this covenant and this oath with you only,

15but with those who stand here with us today before Yahweh our God, and also with those who are not here with us today

16(for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the middle of the nations through which you passed;

17and you have seen their abominations and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which were among them);

18lest there should be among you man, woman, family, or tribe whose heart turns away today from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that produces bitter poison;

19and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, “I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart,” to destroy the moist with the dry.

20Yahweh will not pardon him, but then Yahweh’s anger and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book will fall on him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under the sky.

21Yahweh will set him apart for evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this book of the law.

22The generation to come—your children who will rise up after you, and the foreigner who will come from a far land—will say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses with which Yahweh has made it sick,

23that all of its land is sulfur, salt, and burning, that it is not sown, doesn’t produce, nor does any grass grow in it, like the overthrow of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which Yahweh overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath.

24Even all the nations will say, “Why has Yahweh done this to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?”

25Then men will say, “Because they abandoned the covenant of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt,

26and went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they didn’t know and that he had not given to them.

27Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against this land, to bring on it all the curses that are written in this book.

28Yahweh rooted them out of their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and thrust them into another land, as it is today.”

29The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 29.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Moses calls Israel's mercies to remembrance. (1–9). The Divine wrath on those who flatter themselves in their wickedness. (10–21). The ruin of the Jewish nation. (22–28). Secret things belong unto God. (29).

vv1-9

Both former mercies, and fresh mercies, should be thought on by us as motives to obedience. The hearing ear, and seeing eye, and the understanding heart, are the gift of God. All that have them, have them from him. God gives not only food and raiment, but wealth and large possessions, to many to whom he does not give grace. Many enjoy the gifts, who have not hearts to perceive the Giver, nor the true design and use of the gifts. We are bound, in gratitude and interest, as well as in duty and faithfulness, to keep the words of the covenant.

vv10-21

The national covenant made with Israel, not only typified the covenant of grace made with true believers, but also represented the outward dispensation of the gospel. Those who have been enabled to consent to the Lord's new covenant of mercy and grace in Jesus Christ, and to give up themselves to be his people, should embrace every opportunity of renewing their open profession of relation to him, and their obligation to him, as the God of salvation, walking according thereto. The sinner is described as one whose heart turns away from his God; there the mischief begins, in the evil heart of unbelief, which inclines men to depart from the living God to dead idols. Even to this sin men are now tempted, when drawn aside by their own lusts and fancies. Such men are roots that bear gall and wormwood. They are weeds which, if let alone, overspread the whole field. Satan may for a time disguise this bitter morsel, so that thou shalt not have the natural taste of it, but at the last day, if not before, the true taste shall be discerned. Notice the sinner's security in sin. Though he hears the words of the curse, yet even then he thinks himself safe from the wrath of God. There is scarcely a threatening in all the book of God more dreadful than this. Oh that presumptuous sinners would read it, and tremble! for it is a real declaration of the wrath of God, against ungodliness and unrighteousness of man.

vv22-28

Idolatry would be the ruin of their nation. It is no new thing for God to bring desolating judgments on a people near to him in profession. He never does this without good reason. It concerns us to seek for the reason, that we may give glory to God, and take warning to ourselves. Thus the law of Moses leaves sinners under the curse, and rooted out of the Lord's land; but the grace of Christ toward penitent, believing sinners, plants them again in their land; and they shall no more be pulled up, being kept by the power of God.

Cross References

Deuteronomy 29
v4Romans 11:7-10allusion

Paul cites this lack of eyes to see/ears to hear regarding Israel's judicial blindness.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v18Hebrews 12:15allusion

Alludes directly to this verse's warning against a 'root of bitterness' (gall and wormwood) springing up.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v5Deuteronomy 8:4thematic

Parallel account of the miracle of clothes and shoes not wearing out during the wilderness wanderings.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v29Romans 11:33thematic

St. Paul's doxology on the unsearchable judgments of God mirrors the 'secret things' boundary.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v4Proverbs 20:12thematic

Affirms that the hearing ear and seeing eye are the special workmanship and gift of God.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v23Genesis 19:24thematic

The historical destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah with brimstone and burning, used as a covenant pattern.

Supported by JFB

v23Jeremiah 22:8thematic

Nations asking why the Lord did this to this land, directly echoing the language of verses 23-24.

Supported by JFB

v1Hebrews 8:9thematic

Contrasts the old covenant made at Sinai/Moab with the promised New Covenant.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

The promised remedy where God circumcises the heart to love Him, contrasting with the uncircumcised heart.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v4Jeremiah 31:33thematic

The New Covenant promise where God will put His law in their inward parts, giving understanding.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v6Deuteronomy 8:3thematic

Explains that man does not live by bread alone, but by God's supernatural wilderness provisions.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v6Psalms 78:24thematic

Describes the wilderness manna as 'corn of heaven' and angels' food, replacing common bread.

Supported by Matthew Poole

The historical account of defeating Sihon and Og and possessing their lands before crossing Jordan.

Supported by JFB

v12Deuteronomy 5:3thematic

Highlights that the covenant is made with the living generation, not just the deceased ancestors.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Detailed division of the conquered Transjordanian territory to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh.

Supported by JFB