New King James Version
Deuteronomy 30:19
19I 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;
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 Living Translation (NLT)“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!
Context of Deuteronomy 30:19
17But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 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; 20that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
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 call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed.
- Deuteronomy 31:28Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them.
- Deuteronomy 32:1“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
- Isaiah 1:2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;
- Jeremiah 2:12Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 22:29O earth, earth, earth, Hear the word of the Lord!
- Micah 6:1Hear now what the Lord says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice.
- 1 Timothy 5:21I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.
- Deuteronomy 20:15Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.
- Deuteronomy 11:26“Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse:
- Joshua 24:15And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
- Psalms 119:30I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.
- Proverbs 1:29Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord,
- Proverbs 8:36But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”
- Isaiah 56:4For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant,
- Luke 10:42But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries