1 You shall observe to do all the commandment which I command you this day, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers. 2 You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. 3 He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you didn't know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh does man live. 4 Your clothing didn't grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years. 5 You shall consider in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so Yahweh your God chastens you. 6 You shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. 7 For 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; 8 a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey; 9 a land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper. 10 You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Yahweh your God for the good land which he has given you. 11 Beware lest you forget Yahweh your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command you this day: 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and lived therein; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; 15 who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, (in which were) fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where there was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint; 16 who 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: 17 and (lest) you say in your heart, "My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth." 18 But 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 at this day. 19 It shall be, if you shall forget Yahweh your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 As the nations that Yahweh makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you wouldn't listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.
An exhortation to obedience from a consideration of God's past mercies, Deuteronomy 8:1, Deuteronomy 8:2. Man is not to live by bread only, but by every word of God, Deuteronomy 8:3. How God provided for them in the wilderness, Deuteronomy 8:4. The Lord chastened them that they might be obedient, Deuteronomy 8:5, Deuteronomy 8:6. A description of the land into which they were going, Deuteronomy 8:7-9. Cautions lest they should forget God in their prosperity, Deuteronomy 8:10-16, and lest they should attribute that prosperity to themselves, and not to God, Deuteronomy 8:17, Deuteronomy 8:18. The terrible judgments that shall fall upon them, should they prove unfaithful, Deuteronomy 8:19, Deuteronomy 8:20.
INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 8
In this chapter Moses repeats the exhortation to observe the commands of God, and urges the Israelites to it, from the consideration of the great and good things God had done for them in the wilderness, and even in those instances which were chastisements, and were of an humbling nature, Deuteronomy 8:1, and on the consideration of the blessings of the good land they were going to possess, Deuteronomy 8:7 for which blessings they are exhorted to be thankful, and are cautioned against pride of heart through them, and forgetfulness of God, and of his goodness to them while in the wilderness, and when brought into the land of Canaan, which they were to ascribe to his power and goodness, and not their own, Deuteronomy 8:10, and the chapter is concluded with a warning against idolatry, lest they perish through it as the nations before them, Deuteronomy 8:19.
(Deuteronomy 8:1-9) Exhortations and cautions, enforced by the Lord's former dealings with Israel, and his promises.
(Deuteronomy 8:10-20) Exhortations and cautions further enforced.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.