God’s Word Translation
Deuteronomy 30:19
19I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live.
Deuteronomy 30:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
- New International Version (NIV)This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
- English Standard Version (ESV)I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,
- New King James Version (NKJV)I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
Context of Deuteronomy 30:19
17But your hearts might turn away, and you might not listen. You might be tempted to bow down to other gods and worship them. 18If you do, I tell you today that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live for a long time in the land that you’re going to take possession of when you cross the Jordan River. I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live. 20Love the Lord your God, obey him, and be loyal to him. This will be your way of life, and it will mean a long life for you in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Read all of Deuteronomy 30Deuteronomy 30:19 word by word
הַעִידֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I callעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
- heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- and earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- to recordעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
- this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- I have setנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- you lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
- and deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
- blessingבְּרָכָהberâkâh · blessingH1293
- and cursingקְלָלָהqelâlâh · curseH7045
- therefore chooseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
- that both thou and thy seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- may liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 30:19
- Deuteronomy 4:26you will quickly disappear from the land you’re going to possess on the other side of the Jordan River. You won’t live very long there. You’ll be completely wiped out.
- Deuteronomy 31:28Assemble all the leaders of your tribes and your officers in front of me. As they listen, I will speak these words and call on heaven and earth to testify against them.
- Deuteronomy 32:1Listen, heaven, and I will speak. Earth, hear the words from my mouth.
- Isaiah 1:2Listen, heaven, and pay attention, earth! The Lord has spoken, “I raised ⌞my⌟ children and helped them grow, but they have rebelled against me.
- Jeremiah 2:12Be horrified over this, heaven. Be terribly afraid,” declares the Lord.
- Jeremiah 22:29O land, land, land! Listen to the Lord’s word.
- Micah 6:1Now listen to what the Lord is saying, “Stand up! Plead your case in front of the mountains, and let the hills listen to your request.
- 1 Timothy 5:21I solemnly call on you in the sight of God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels to be impartial when you follow what I’ve told you. Never play favorites.
- Deuteronomy 20:15This is what you must do to all the cities that are far away which don’t belong to the nations nearby.
- Deuteronomy 11:26Today I’m giving you the choice of a blessing or a curse.
- Joshua 24:15But if you don’t want to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Even if you choose the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live, my family and I will still serve the Lord.”
- Psalms 119:30I have chosen a life of faithfulness. I have set your regulations in front of me.
- Proverbs 1:29because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.
- Proverbs 8:36Whoever sins against me harms himself. All those who hate me love death.”
- Isaiah 56:4This is what the Lord says: ⌞I will remember⌟ the castrated men who keep my days of rest as holy days, choose what pleases me, and faithfully observe the conditions of my promise.
- Luke 10:42There’s only one thing you need. Mary has made the right choice, and that one thing will not be taken away from her.”
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 30:19
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11-20Verses 11-20 Ignorance of the requirements of the law cannot be pleaded Deuteronomy 30:10-14; hence, Deuteronomy 30:15-20 life and death, good and evil, are solemnly set before the people for their own choice; and an earnest exhortation to choose the better part concludes the address. Deuteronomy 30:11-14. “The righteousness which is of faith” is really and truly described in these words of the Law; and, under Paul‘s guidance (see marginal references) we…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 What could be said more moving, and more likely to make deep and lasting impressions? Every man wishes to obtain life and good, and to escape death and evil; he desires happiness, and dreads misery. So great is the compassion of the Lord, that he has favoured men, by his word, with such a knowledge of good and evil as will make them for ever happy, if it be not their own fault. Let us hear the sum of the whole matter. If they and theirs would…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19life and death, blessing and cursing: This pairing of words shows a close connection. Life is connected to blessing, and death is connected to curse. In this passage, blessing does not only bring life. Blessing is life itself. It is life in the land, safety, and God’s favor. In the same way, curse does not only bring death. Curse is death itself. It is loss of the land, suffering, and separation from God’s favor.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2015-20. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil--the alternative of a good and happy, or a disobedient and miserable life. Love of God and compliance with His will are the only ways of securing the blessings and avoiding the evils described. The choice was left to them, and in urging upon them the inducements to a wise choice, Moses warmed as he proceeded into a tone of solemn and impressive earnestness similar to that of…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 30:19
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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