要听从耶和华

11 “你们要爱你们的上帝耶和华,时刻遵守祂的吩咐、律例、典章和诫命。 要记住,我现在是对你们,而不是对你们的孩子说话。他们没有亲身经历、亲眼见过你们上帝耶和华的管教、威严、大能的手和伸出的臂膀; 祂怎样在埃及行神迹奇事对付法老及其国家; 怎样使红海淹没追赶你们的埃及军队和车马,将他们永远毁灭; 怎样在旷野一路看顾你们,一直来到这里; 怎样对付吕便人以利押的儿子大坍和亚比兰,使大地在以色列人当中裂开,吞没了他们及其家人、帐篷和所有随从。 你们亲眼目睹了耶和华的这些伟大作为。

“因此,你们要遵守我今天吩咐你们的诫命,以便有力量过河攻取你们将要攻取的土地, 长久居住在耶和华起誓赐给你们祖先及其后裔的奶蜜之乡。 10 那片土地不像你们离开的埃及。在埃及你们撒种后,要像浇菜园一样辛勤灌溉[a] 11 而你们将要占领的那片土地却有山有谷,雨水充足, 12 你们的上帝耶和华从岁首到年终时时看顾那里。

13 “如果你们谨遵我今天吩咐你们的诫命,全心全意地爱你们的上帝耶和华,事奉祂, 14 祂就会按时降下秋雨和春雨,使你们收获谷物、新酒和油, 15 有草场饲养牲畜,丰衣足食。 16 你们要谨慎,免得被迷惑,转而祭拜、供奉其他神明。 17 否则,耶和华必向你们发怒,使天不下雨、地无出产,以致你们在祂赐给你们的佳美之地上迅速灭亡。

18 “所以,你们要把我的这些吩咐铭记在心,系在手上,戴在额上作记号; 19 要用这些话教导你们的儿女,无论在家在外、或起或卧,都要讲论; 20 也要写在城门上和自家的门框上。 21 这样,你们及子孙就可以生活在耶和华起誓赐给你们祖先的土地上,与天地同长。 22 如果你们谨遵我吩咐你们的这一切诫命——爱你们的上帝耶和华,遵行祂的旨意,依靠祂, 23 耶和华就会为你们赶走那些比你们强大的民族,你们也必占领他们的土地。 24 你们脚掌踏过的地方都要归你们。你们的疆界南到旷野,北到黎巴嫩,东到幼发拉底河,西到地中海。 25 所到之处无人能抵挡你们,因为你们的上帝耶和华会使那些地方的人对你们充满惧怕,正如祂对你们的应许。

26 “看啊,我今天把祝福和咒诅摆在你们面前。 27 你们若遵行我今天吩咐你们的诫命,就会得到祝福。 28 你们若不遵行你们的上帝耶和华的诫命,偏离我今天吩咐你们当走的道路,随从不认识的神明,必受咒诅。 29 你们的上帝耶和华带领你们进入并占领那片土地时,你们要在基利心山上宣告祝福,在以巴路山上宣告咒诅。 30 基利心山和以巴路山属于住在亚拉巴的迦南人,位于约旦河西岸的日落之处,在吉甲对面,靠近摩利橡树。 31 你们穿过约旦河,占领耶和华赐给你们的土地,定居下来以后, 32 要谨遵我今天颁布给你们的一切律例和典章。

Footnotes

  1. 11:10 辛勤灌溉”希伯来文是“用脚灌溉”。

历史的教训

11 “所以你要爱耶和华你的 神,常常遵守他的吩咐、律例、典章和诫命。 今日你们要知道,我并不是与你们的儿女说话,因为他们不知道,也没有见过耶和华你们的 神的管教、伟大有力的手和伸出来的膀臂, 以及他在埃及向埃及王法老和法老的全国所行的神迹和作为; 他们也没有见过他怎样对待埃及的军队、马匹和车辆;他们追赶你们的时候,耶和华怎样使红海的水淹没了他们,把他们灭绝,这事一直传到今日; 并且耶和华在旷野怎样待你们,直到你们来到了这个地方; 也没有见过他怎样对待流本的子孙以利押的儿子大坍、亚比兰;大地怎样在全体以色列人中间裂开了,把他们和他们的家人、帐棚,以及与他们在一起一切有生命之物都吞下去; 只有你们亲眼看见了耶和华所作的一切伟大的作为。

应许与警告

“所以你们要遵守我今日吩咐你的一切诫命,使你们坚强起来,可以进去得着你们将要过去得的那地, 又使你们在耶和华向你们的列祖起誓应许赐给他们和他们后裔的地上,就是流奶与蜜的地,可以长久居住。 10 因为你要进去得的那地,并不像你出来的埃及地;在那里你撒了种,还要用脚灌溉,像菜园一样。 11 但你们要过去得为业的地,却是一个有山有谷的地,有天上雨水滋润的地, 12 就是耶和华你的 神眷顾的地;从岁首到年终,耶和华你的 神的眼目常常眷顾这地。

13 “如果你们留心听我今日吩咐你们的诫命,爱耶和华你们的 神,一心一意事奉他, 14 他(按照《马索拉文本》,“他”作“我”;现参照其他抄本及古译本翻译;15节同)必按时降雨在你们的地上,就是降秋雨和春雨,使你们可以丰收五谷、新酒和新油。 15 他也必使田野为你的牲畜长出青草来,你也可以吃得饱足。 16 你们要谨慎,免得你们的心受迷惑,你们就偏离了我,去事奉别的神,并且敬拜它们; 17 叫耶和华的怒气向你发作,就把天封闭,不降下雨水,地也不生出土产,使你们从耶和华赐给你们的美地上,快快地灭亡。

要谨记耶和华的话

18 “所以你们要把我这些话放在心里,存在意念中;要系在手上作记号,戴在额上作头带。 19 你们也要把这些话教训你们的儿女,无论你是坐在家里,行在路上,躺下,或是起来,都要讲论。 20 你要把这些话写在你房屋的门柱上和城门上, 21 为要叫你们和你们的子孙的日子,在耶和华向你们列祖起誓应许给他们的地上,可以增多,像天覆地的年日那样多。 22 如果你们殷勤谨守遵行我吩咐你们的这一切诫命,爱耶和华你们的 神,行他的一切道路,又紧紧地依靠他, 23 耶和华就必从你们面前把这些国民都赶出去,你们就必占领比你们大比你们强的国民的地。 24 你们脚掌所踏的地,都必属于你们;从旷野到黎巴嫩,从幼发拉底河直到西海,都要作你们的境界。 25 必没有一人能在你们面前站立得住;耶和华你们的 神,必照着他对你们所说的,使害怕和惊惧你们的心临到你们将要踏足之地的居民。

26 “看哪,我今日把祝福和咒诅都摆在你们面前。 27 如果你们听从耶和华你们的 神的诫命,就是我今日吩咐你们的,你们就必蒙赐福; 28 如果你们不听从耶和华你们的 神的诫命,偏离了我今日吩咐你们要走的道路,去随从你们素来不认识的别神,你们就必受咒诅。 29 耶和华你的 神领你进入你要占领为业之地以后,你就要把祝福摆在基利心山上,把咒诅摆在以巴路山上。 30 这两座山不是在约旦河西、日落的地方,在住亚拉巴的迦南人之地,与吉甲相对,靠近摩利橡树那里吗? 31 现在你们快要过约旦河,进去得耶和华你们的 神要赐给你们为业之地;你们取得了那地,就住在那里。 32 你们要谨守遵行我今日在你们的面前颁布的一切律例和典章。”

Love and Obey the Lord

11 Love(A) the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.(B) Remember today that your children(C) were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God:(D) his majesty,(E) his mighty hand, his outstretched arm;(F) the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country;(G) what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots,(H) how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea[a](I) as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them. It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place, and what he did(J) to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened(K) its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done.(L)

Observe therefore all the commands(M) I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,(N) and so that you may live long(O) in the land the Lord swore(P) to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.(Q) 10 The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt,(R) from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. 11 But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys(S) that drinks rain from heaven.(T) 12 It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes(U) of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.

13 So if you faithfully obey(V) the commands I am giving you today—to love(W) the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul(X) 14 then I will send rain(Y) on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains,(Z) so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. 15 I will provide grass(AA) in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.(AB)

16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.(AC) 17 Then the Lord’s anger(AD) will burn against you, and he will shut up(AE) the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce,(AF) and you will soon perish(AG) from the good land the Lord is giving you. 18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.(AH) 19 Teach them to your children,(AI) talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.(AJ) 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates,(AK) 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many(AL) in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.(AM)

22 If you carefully observe(AN) all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love(AO) the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast(AP) to him— 23 then the Lord will drive out(AQ) all these nations(AR) before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.(AS) 24 Every place where you set your foot will be yours:(AT) Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River(AU) to the Mediterranean Sea. 25 No one will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror(AV) and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.(AW)

26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing(AX) and a curse(AY) 27 the blessing(AZ) if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; 28 the curse if you disobey(BA) the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods,(BB) which you have not known. 29 When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim(BC) the blessings, and on Mount Ebal(BD) the curses.(BE) 30 As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, westward, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh,(BF) in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal.(BG) 31 You are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession(BH) of the land the Lord your God is giving(BI) you. When you have taken it over and are living there, 32 be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 11:4 Or the Sea of Reeds

11 Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,

And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;

And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the Lord hath destroyed them unto this day;

And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place;

And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:

But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did.

Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it;

And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:

11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:

12 A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,

14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.

16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

17 And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you.

18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;

23 Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.

24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:

28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

29 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.

30 Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh?

31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.

32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.