Deuteronomy 11

King James Version

Full text for Deuteronomy Chapter 11

1¶ Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

2And 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,

3And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;

4And 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;

5And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place;

6And 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:

7But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.

8¶ 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;

9And 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.

10For 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:

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

12A 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.

13And 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,

14That 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.

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

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

17And [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.

19And 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.

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

21That 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.

22For 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;

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

24Every 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.

25There 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;

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

28And 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.

29And 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?

31For 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.

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Deuteronomy 11 exhorts Israel to love and obey the LORD, remembering His powerful acts in Egypt and the wilderness. It contrasts the promised land, dependent on divine rain, with Egypt, emphasizing that obedience brings blessings like abundant harvests and extended days. Disobedience, however, leads to drought and destruction. The chapter concludes by setting before them a clear choice between blessing for obedience and a curse for idolatry, to be proclaimed on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal.

Medium Summary

Moses urges Israel to continually love and obey the LORD, reminding them of God's great works, which their own eyes witnessed, unlike their children. He recounts divine judgments on Egypt and the miraculous provision in the wilderness, emphasizing these as reasons to keep God's commandments for strength and long life in the promised land. This land, unlike Egypt, relies on rain from heaven, which God promises in due season for obedience. Conversely, turning to idolatry will provoke God's wrath, leading to drought and perishing. Therefore, Israel is commanded to internalize these words, teach them to their children, and display them as a constant reminder. Obedience ensures God will drive out nations and expand their territory, while disobedience brings a curse. The chapter culminates in the presentation of a blessing for obedience and a curse for turning away, to be declared upon entering the land at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal.

Long Summary

Deuteronomy 11 opens with a fervent call for Israel to love the LORD their God and diligently keep all His statutes and commandments. Moses reminds the current generation, who personally witnessed God's power, of His mighty acts against Egypt, including the plagues and the destruction of Pharaoh's army at the Red Sea. He also recalls God's provision in the wilderness and the judgment upon Dathan and Abiram, underscoring the necessity of obedience to possess the promised land and prolong their days there. The land they are to inherit is distinct from Egypt, as it is a land of hills and valleys that depends on the rain of heaven, a land upon which the LORD's eyes are constantly fixed. God promises abundant rain—the first and latter rain—leading to plentiful corn, wine, oil, and grass for cattle, if they diligently hearken to His commandments, loving and serving Him with all their heart and soul. However, a stern warning is issued against being deceived into serving other gods, which would ignite the LORD's wrath, resulting in drought, barrenness, and swift perishing from the good land. Therefore, these divine words are to be deeply ingrained in their hearts, bound as signs, and taught diligently to their children at all times and in all places. They are also to be written on doorposts and gates, ensuring multiplied days for them and their children in the land. Obedience to God's ways guarantees that the LORD will drive out mightier nations before them, granting them possession of every place their feet tread, from the wilderness to the Euphrates and the uttermost sea. The LORD will instill fear and dread of Israel upon their enemies, fulfilling His promise. The chapter concludes by setting before Israel a profound choice: a blessing if they obey the LORD's commandments, or a curse if they turn aside to worship other gods. This solemn choice is to be publicly declared upon entering the land, with the blessing pronounced on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal, situated across the Jordan in the land of the Canaanites.

Core Concepts

  • Divine RemembranceThe chapter emphasizes recalling God's past mighty acts, such as the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the judgment on Dathan and Abiram, as a foundation for present and future obedience.
  • Conditional BlessingsGod promises prosperity, including timely rain and abundant harvests, directly contingent upon Israel's diligent obedience to His commandments and wholehearted service.
  • Warning Against IdolatryA severe caution is given against turning aside to serve other gods, explicitly stating that such disobedience will incur God's wrath, leading to drought and swift destruction from the promised land.
  • Intergenerational InstructionIsrael is commanded to internalize God's words and diligently teach them to their children, speaking of them constantly and displaying them on their homes, ensuring the continuity of faith and long life.
  • The Promised Land's NatureThe land of Canaan is described as distinct from Egypt, relying on heaven's rain rather than irrigation, signifying its unique dependence on God's direct care and provision.
  • Blessing and CurseMoses presents a clear choice between a blessing for obedience and a curse for disobedience, explicitly designating Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal as the places for their public proclamation upon entering the land.