New English Translation
Deuteronomy 30:19
19Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may 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
17However, if you turn aside and do not obey, but are lured away to worship and serve other gods, 18I declare to you this very day that you will certainly perish! You will not extend your time in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess. Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live! 20I also call on you to love the Lord your God, to obey him and be loyal to him, for he gives you life and enables you to live continually in the land the Lord promised 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 4:26I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that you will surely and swiftly be removed from the very land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not last long there because you will surely be annihilated.
- Deuteronomy 31:28Gather to me all your tribal elders and officials so I can speak to them directly about these things and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them.
- Deuteronomy 32:1Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
- Isaiah 1:2Listen, O heavens, pay attention, O earth! For the Lord speaks: “I raised children, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me!
- Jeremiah 2:12Be amazed at this, O heavens! Be shocked and utterly dumbfounded,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 22:29O land of Judah, land of Judah, land of Judah! Listen to what the Lord has to say!
- Micah 6:1Listen to what the Lord says: “Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains! Present your case before the hills!”
- 1 Timothy 5:21Before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, I solemnly charge you to carry out these commands without prejudice or favoritism of any kind.
- Deuteronomy 20:15This is how you are to deal with all those cities located far from you, those that do not belong to these nearby nations.
- Deuteronomy 11:26Take note – I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:
- Joshua 24:15If you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord!”
- Psalms 119:30I choose the path of faithfulness; I am committed to your regulations.
- Proverbs 1:29Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord,
- Proverbs 8:36But the one who does not find me brings harm to himself; all who hate me love death.”
- Isaiah 56:4For this is what the Lord says: “For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths and choose what pleases me and are faithful to my covenant,
- Luke 10:42but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it 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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