A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
Read it in contextExhortation to Obedience and Choice of Blessing or Curse
Start reading at Deuteronomy 11:1 (Deuteronomy 11:1 to Deuteronomy 11:32).
The literary unit begins at the start of the chapter, which is Moses' continuous discourse on the importance of obedience and the consequences of choice.
11:1Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.
11:2And 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,
11:3And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;
11:4And 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;
11:5And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place;
11:6And 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:
11:7But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.
11:8Therefore 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;
11:9And 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.
11:10For 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:
11:11But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
11:12A 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.
11:13And 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,
11:14That 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.
11:15And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.
11:16Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
11:17And 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.
11:18Therefore 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.
11:19And 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.
11:20And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
11:21That 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.
11:22For 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;
11:23Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
11:24Every 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.
11:25There 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.
11:26Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
11:27A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
11:28And 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.
11:29And 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.
11:30Are 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?
11:31For 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.
11:32And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.
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Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the principal speaker and is expressly credited with writing the law. The account of his death was supplied by a later hand; identifying that final writer as Joshua is traditional, not certain. Biblical references: Deuteronomy 31:9; Deuteronomy 31:24; Deuteronomy 34:5. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). stated in the text
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Deuteronomy 5:1–11:32): Moses addresses Israel about covenant loyalty, recalling Horeb, the wilderness, and God's provisions. Fathers and children are included in the community commanded to learn and obey. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel assembled in Moab before entering Canaan, and their children and later generations who were to hear the law read. Biblical references: Deuteronomy 1:1; Deuteronomy 29:10; Deuteronomy 31:12. stated in the text
What
What is the main event or theme? The main theme is the conditional nature of blessing based on obedience to the commandments of the LORD. Moses presents a clear choice between blessing for obedience and curse for disobedience to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the promised land.
What is God revealing? God is revealing His covenant faithfulness and the principle that obedience to His commandments leads to blessings, while disobedience leads to curses. He demonstrates that His eyes are upon the land He is giving them, and He will provide for them if they follow Him.
What is the literary style? Exhortation, covenant instruction, and a sermon, characterized by direct address and a clear presentation of consequences.
When
When was it written? Approximately 1400 B.C.
When does the event take place? Approximately 1400 B.C., at the end of the wilderness years, just before Israel entered Canaan.
Where
Where did it happen? On the Plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River.
Where was the author located? On the Plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River.
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Exhortation to Obedience and Choice of Blessing or Curse (Deuteronomy 11:1 to Deuteronomy 11:32).
Start reading at Deuteronomy 11:1. The literary unit begins at the start of the chapter, which is Moses' continuous discourse on the importance of obedience and the consequences of choice.
How
How does it fit the broader context? This verse is a concise summary of the covenant principles laid out in Deuteronomy, emphasizing the conditions for life and prosperity in the promised land. It is part of Moses' second major discourse, which exhorts the new generation of Israelites to remember God's past acts and to obey His laws, setting the stage for the detailed blessings and curses described in later chapters. interpretation
How does it point to Christ? The passage highlights the perfect obedience required for blessing under the Law. Humanity, being sinful, cannot perfectly obey God's commandments (Romans 3:23). Jesus Christ, however, perfectly fulfilled the Law and lived a life of complete obedience to God (Matthew 5:17, John 8:29). Through faith in Christ, believers are accounted righteous, receiving the blessings of His perfect obedience, rather than relying on their own imperfect obedience (Romans 5:19, Galatians 3:13-14). He bore the curse of the Law for us (Galatians 3:13). interpretation
How do I apply it today? While believers are not under the Law for salvation (Romans 6:14), obedience to God's revealed will (His moral commands, as expressed in the New Testament) remains a vital expression of love for Him (John 14:15) and leads to spiritual blessings and a fruitful life (James 1:25). This passage reminds us that choices have consequences, and living in alignment with God's principles brings favor and peace, even if not always material prosperity in the same way as the Old Covenant. interpretation
Early traditionJewish tradition (Baba Bathra 14b) and the early church name Moses.
What is debatedChapter 34 records the death of Moses, so even conservative scholars hold that a later hand, often identified as Joshua, added the closing account. Critical scholars date the book much later, to the seventh century B.C.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Deuteronomy 11
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Moses addresses Israel in Moab before the people cross the Jordan. The speeches recall the wilderness, expound covenant obligations, and confront the next generation with choices and consequences. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
Connection to the wholeThe covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
Connection to the wholeThe covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Deuteronomy
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Moses addresses Israel in Moab before the people cross the Jordan. The speeches recall the wilderness, expound covenant obligations, and confront the next generation with choices and consequences.
Connection to the wholeThe covenant commands and appeals join exclusive devotion to the LORD with hearing, remembering, teaching, and obeying His words.
Connection to the wholeDetailed commands apply covenant faithfulness to public worship, leadership, households, work, and the care of vulnerable people.
Connection to the wholeThe speeches set out covenant consequences and call Israel to choose life through love and obedience rather than presume upon privilege.