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God’s Fidelity Assured

30 “When all these things have happened to you, the blessings and the curses that I have set before you, if you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you(A) and return to the Lord your God, and you and your children obey him with all your heart and with all your soul, just as I am commanding you today,(B) then the Lord your God will return you from your captivity and have compassion on you, gathering you again from all the peoples among whom the Lord your God has scattered you.(C) Even if you are exiled to the ends of the world,[a] from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you back.(D) The Lord your God will bring you into the land that your ancestors possessed, and you will possess it; he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors.

“Moreover, the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live.(E) The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on the adversaries who took advantage of you. Then you shall again obey the Lord, observing all his commandments that I am commanding you today, and the Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all your undertakings, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your soil. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, just as he delighted in prospering your ancestors,(F) 10 when you obey the Lord your God by observing his commandments and decrees that are written in this book of the law, because you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Exhortation to Choose Life

11 “Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away.(G) 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’(H) 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ 14 No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.

15 “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity.(I) 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God[b] that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not hear but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall certainly perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.(J) 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live,(K) 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him, for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”(L)

Footnotes

  1. 30.4 Heb of heaven
  2. 30.16 Gk: Heb lacks If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God

Restoration after the Exile

30 “When all these things happen to you—both the blessings and the curses that I’ve presented to you—and you take them seriously[a] in all the nations where the Lord your God will deport you, and when you—you and your descendants, that is—will have returned to him[b] and obeyed all the commands that I’m giving you today with all your heart and soul, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and will show compassion to you. He will gather you from among the nations[c] where he[d] had scattered you. Even if the Lord had banished you to the ends of the heavens, the Lord your God will gather you from there and he’ll[e] bring you to the land that your ancestors inherited. You’ll possess it, you’ll prosper, and you’ll greatly multiply more than your ancestors did. Then the Lord your God will circumcise both your hearts and those[f] of your descendants so that you can love him[g] with your heart and with your soul and therefore live. Then the Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate and persecute you.”

Prosperity in Obedience

“So now, return and obey the Lord your God and observe all his commands that I’m giving you today, and the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all that you do, along with your children,[h] your livestock, and the produce of your fields, because the Lord your God will again be delighted with you for good, just as he was delighted with your ancestors, 10 if you obey him[i] and keep his commands and statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, and if you return to him[j] with all your heart and soul. 11 Indeed, these commands that I’m giving you today are neither confusing nor unattainable for you. 12 They aren’t in the heavens, so you have to ask, ‘Who’ll go up to the heavens for us and get it for us so we can hear it and act on it?’ 13 And they aren’t beyond the seas either, so you have to ask, ‘Who’ll cross the sea and get it for us so we can hear it and act on it?’ 14 No, the word is very near you—it’s within your mouth and heart for you to attain.”

Destruction in Disobedience

15 “Look! Today I have set before you life and what is good, along with death and what is evil. 16 That’s why I’m commanding you today to love the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by observing his commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live long, increase, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in the land that you are about to enter to possess. 17 But if you turn your heart away, and do not obey, but instead if you stray away to worship and serve other gods, 18 I’m declaring to you today that you will surely be destroyed. You won’t live long[k] in the land that you are crossing the Jordan River to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to testify against you today! I’ve set life and death before you today: both blessings and curses. Choose life, that it may be well with you—you and your children. 20 Love the Lord your God, obey his voice, and cling to him, because he is your life—even your long life—so that you may live in the land that the Lord promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 30:1 Lit. you cause them to return to your heart
  2. Deuteronomy 30:2 Lit. the Lord your God
  3. Deuteronomy 30:3 Lit. peoples
  4. Deuteronomy 30:3 Lit. the Lord your God
  5. Deuteronomy 30:5 Lit. Lord your God
  6. Deuteronomy 30:6 Lit. and the heart
  7. Deuteronomy 30:6 Lit. the Lord your God
  8. Deuteronomy 30:9 Lit. fruit of your womb
  9. Deuteronomy 30:10 Lit. the Lord your God
  10. Deuteronomy 30:10 Lit. the Lord your God
  11. Deuteronomy 30:18 Lit. your days will not be long