Deuteronomy 8: Do not forget Yahweh in the good land
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What happens?
Moses tells Israel to remember how Yahweh led them for forty years in the wilderness, humbling and testing them and feeding them with manna, so that they would learn that people do not live by bread alone. He describes the good land they are going into, with water, grain, fruit, and iron in its stones and copper in its hills. He warns them that when they are full and rich they must not forget Yahweh or say their own strength made them wealthy, or they will perish like the nations.
Who is speaking?
Moses speaks to Israel in the whole chapter. In verse 17 he gives what Israel might say in their heart. No verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1You shall observe to do all the commandments which I command you today, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers.
In plain English: Be careful to do all the commandments that I command you today, so that you may live and grow many, and go in and possess the land that Yahweh swore to your fathers.
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2You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
In plain English: Remember all the way that Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
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3He humbled you, allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know, that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of Yahweh’s mouth.
In plain English: He humbled you and let you be hungry, and he fed you with manna, which you did not know and your fathers did not know, to teach you that a person does not live by bread alone, but a person lives by everything that comes out of Yahweh's mouth (this Bible: every word that proceeds out of Yahweh's mouth).
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew has no word for "word" here. It says literally "by all that goes out of the mouth of Yahweh". The word is motsa, which the dictionary gives as "a going forth", and also "utterance".
Good to know: Jesus quotes this verse when he is tested in the wilderness: . tells how the people first saw the manna and did not know what it was.
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4Your clothing didn’t grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years.
In plain English: Your clothing did not wear out on you, and your feet did not swell, these forty years.
Good to know: Moses says the same about the clothes in , and repeats both the clothes and the feet.
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5You shall consider in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so Yahweh your God disciplines you.
In plain English: Know in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, so Yahweh your God disciplines you.
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6You shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
In plain English: Keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, walking in his ways and fearing him.
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7For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs, and underground water flowing into valleys and hills;
In plain English: For Yahweh your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of streams of water, of springs, and of deep waters (this Bible: underground water) that flow out in the valleys and on the hills,
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8a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey;
In plain English: a land of wheat and barley, of vines, fig trees, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees (literally: olive trees of oil) and honey,
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9a land in which you shall eat bread without scarcity, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper.
In plain English: a land where you will eat bread and not be short of it, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper (or: bronze).
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10You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Yahweh your God for the good land which he has given you.
In plain English: You will eat and be full, and you are to bless Yahweh your God for the good land he has given you.
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11Beware lest you forget Yahweh your God, in not keeping his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command you today;
In plain English: Be careful that you do not forget Yahweh your God by not keeping his commandments, his rules (this Bible: ordinances), and his statutes, which I command you today.
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12lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built fine houses and lived in them;
In plain English: Otherwise, when you have eaten and are full, and have built good houses and live in them,
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13and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;
In plain English: and when your herds and your flocks grow many, and your silver and gold grow, and everything you have grows,
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14then your heart might be lifted up, and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;
In plain English: then your heart may become proud (literally: be lifted up), and you may forget Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (this Bible: bondage).
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15who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with venomous snakes and scorpions, and thirsty ground where there was no water; who poured water for you out of the rock of flint;
In plain English: He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with venomous (literally: fiery) snakes and scorpions, and thirsty ground where there was no water. He brought water out for you from the flint rock.
The Hebrew word: "Venomous" is saraph, which the dictionary gives as "burning", "poisonous (serpent)". It is in 7 verses of the Bible. The snakes of are called by the same word. In and it is the seraphim, the winged beings who stand above the Lord on his throne.
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16who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers didn’t know, that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end;
In plain English: He fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, to humble you and to test you, to do you good in the end.
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17and lest you say in your heart, “My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth.”
In plain English: Otherwise you may say in your heart, "My power and the strength of my hand have gotten me this wealth."
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18But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is today.
In plain English: But remember Yahweh your God, because he is the one who gives you the power to get wealth, so that he may keep (literally: make stand) his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is today.
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19It shall be, if you shall forget Yahweh your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you shall surely perish.
In plain English: If you do forget Yahweh your God, and go after other gods and serve them and bow down to them, I warn you (this Bible: testify against you) today that you will surely perish.
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20As the nations that Yahweh makes to perish before you, so you shall perish, because you wouldn’t listen to Yahweh your God’s voice.
In plain English: Like the nations that Yahweh is destroying in front of you, so you will perish, because you would not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.
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