歸向耶和華必蒙福

30 「當我向你們陳明的這些祝福和咒詛都應驗在你們身上時,如果你們在你們的上帝耶和華驅逐你們去的各國中回想這些話, 歸向你們的上帝耶和華,你們及子孫照我今天的吩咐全心全意地聽從祂的話, 祂必改變你們被擄的境遇,憐憫你們,把你們從祂驅逐你們去的列國招聚回來。 即使你們被驅逐到天涯,你們的上帝耶和華也會把你們帶回來, 帶到你們祖先的土地上,使你們擁有那片土地,比你們祖先更加人丁興旺、繁榮昌盛。 你們的上帝耶和華要潔淨你們和你們子孫的心,好讓你們全心全意地愛祂,並且存活。 你們的上帝耶和華要把所有的咒詛加在你們的仇敵及憎惡你們、迫害你們的人身上。 你們必再次聽從耶和華,遵行今天祂藉我吩咐你們的一切誡命。 9-10 倘若你們聽從你們的上帝耶和華的話,遵守這律法書上的誡命和律例,全心全意地歸向祂,祂必使你們凡事蒙福、兒女眾多、牛羊成群、五穀豐登。因為祂必樂意再次賜福你們,像從前賜福你們祖先一樣。

生死抉擇

11 「我今天頒佈給你們的誡命,對你們來說不難遵行,也非遙不可及。 12 這誡命並非在天上,以致你們說,『誰替我們上天取下來,講給我們聽,讓我們遵行呢?』 13 這誡命也不在海的彼岸,以致你們說,『誰替我們過海取來,講給我們聽,好讓我們遵行呢?』 14 這誡命近在咫尺,就在你口裡,在你心中,好讓你們遵行。

15 「看啊,今天我把生死禍福擺在你們面前。 16 我今天吩咐你們要愛你們的上帝耶和華,遵行祂的旨意,遵守祂的誡命、律例和典章,以便你們可以存活,人口興旺,在你們將要佔領的土地上蒙祂賜福。 17 但倘若你們心中偏離,不肯聽從,被引誘去祭拜、供奉別的神明, 18 我今天警告你們,你們必定滅亡,在約旦河對岸——你們將要佔領的土地上無法長久。 19 今天,我叫天地為你們作證,我已把生死禍福擺在你們面前。選擇生命吧,以便你們及子孫可以存活。 20 要愛你們的上帝耶和華,聽從祂的話,倚靠祂,因為祂是你們的生命,祂必使你們長久住在祂起誓賜給你們祖先亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的土地上。」

30 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee,

And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;

That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee.

If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:

And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

And the Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.

And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.

And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:

10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

16 In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;

18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

The Blessing of Returning to God

30 “Now (A)it shall come to pass, when (B)all these things come upon you, the blessing and the (C)curse which I have set before you, and (D)you [a]call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, and you (E)return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, (F)that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and (G)gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. (H)If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. And (I)the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

“Also the Lord your God will put all these (J)curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you will (K)again obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command you today. (L)The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the [b]fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the Lord will again (M)rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

The Choice of Life or Death

11 “For this commandment which I command you today (N)is [c]not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 (O)It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, (P)in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

15 “See, (Q)I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 (R)I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 (S)I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that (T)I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your (U)life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 30:1 Lit. cause them to return to your heart
  2. Deuteronomy 30:9 offspring
  3. Deuteronomy 30:11 not hidden from