New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 30:20
20You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Deuteronomy 30:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
- New International Version (NIV)and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
- English Standard Version (ESV)loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
- New King James Version (NKJV)that 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.”
Context of Deuteronomy 30:20
18then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. 19“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! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Read all of Deuteronomy 30Deuteronomy 30:20 word by word
לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדָבְקָה־ב֑וֹ כִּ֣י ה֤וּא חַיֶּ֙יךָ֙ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמֶ֔יךָ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת עַל־הָאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע יְהוָ֧ה לַאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That thou mayest loveאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- that thou mayest obeyשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- his voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- and that thou mayest cleaveדָּבַקdâbaq · to cleaveH1692
- thy lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
- and the lengthאֹ֫רֶךְ'ôrek · lengthH753
- of thy daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- that thou mayest dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in the landאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
- swareשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- unto thy fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- to Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
- to Isaacיִצְחָקyitschâq · IsaacH3327
- and to Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- to giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 30:20
- Deuteronomy 30:6“The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!
- Deuteronomy 10:12“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.
- Deuteronomy 11:22“Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him.
- Deuteronomy 4:4But all of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today—every one of you.
- Deuteronomy 10:20You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone.
- Joshua 23:8Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now.
- Acts 11:23When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.
- Romans 12:9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
- Psalms 27:1The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
- Psalms 30:5For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
- Psalms 36:9For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.
- Psalms 66:9Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling.
- John 11:25Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.
- John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
- John 17:3And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
- Acts 17:25and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 30:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20That thou mayest love the Lord - Without love there can be no obedience. Obey his voice - Without obedience love is fruitless and dead. And cleave unto him - Without close attachment and perseverance, temporary love, however sincere and fervent - temporary obedience, however disinterested, energetic, and pure while it lasts - will be ultimately ineffectual. He alone who endures to the end, shall be saved. Reader, how do matters stand between God and thy…Read the comment
- 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. 20He is your life: In its fullest meaning, life means complete commitment to the Lord.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 30:20
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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