Deuteronomy 10 22

Deuteronomy 10:22 kjv

Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.

Deuteronomy 10:22 nkjv

Your fathers went down to Egypt with seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude.

Deuteronomy 10:22 niv

Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Deuteronomy 10:22 esv

Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

Deuteronomy 10:22 nlt

When your ancestors went down into Egypt, there were only seventy of them. But now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky!

Deuteronomy 10 verses

Deuteronomy 10 22 Meaning

This verse serves as a powerful reminder to Israel of their humble origins and the miraculous fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. It contrasts the small group of seventy persons who initially went down to Egypt with the vast multitude they had become by divine multiplication, illustrating the Lord's faithfulness in growing them to be as numerous as the stars of heaven. This highlights God's power, His commitment to His word, and His sovereign role in Israel's history and prosperity, underscoring that their greatness was not due to their own merit but His gracious intervention.

Deuteronomy 10 22 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 10 is part of Moses' second major discourse to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. This discourse re-states and re-interprets the Law given at Sinai, preparing the new generation for life in Canaan. Verses 12-22 particularly emphasize what God requires of His people in response to His gracious acts: fear, love, obedience, and service. Moses reminds them of their unique covenant relationship with God, who "cut" the heaven and the earth for Himself (a poetic way of expressing His absolute sovereignty). The verses immediately preceding (10:19-21) highlight God's justice and love for the alien, widow, and orphan, urging Israel to imitate this divine character by showing love and service. Verse 22 then acts as a summary and potent example of God's overwhelming faithfulness and power, contrasting Israel’s insignificant beginnings with their immense present population. It underscores that their national identity and prosperity are not of their own making, but entirely the miraculous work of the Lord, solidifying the basis for their required obedience and devotion mentioned earlier in the chapter. This narrative functions as a polemic against any notion that Israel's growth was due to their own prowess, fertility rituals, or the blessings of other gods, firmly placing all credit with Yahweh.

Deuteronomy 10 22 Word analysis

• Thy fathers: Refers to Jacob and his sons. This phrase connects the present generation of Israelites directly to their patriarchal heritage, emphasizing historical continuity and covenant lineage. It reminds them of the humble origins from which God raised them.
• went down into Egypt: A reference to the famine-induced migration of Jacob’s family (Genesis 46), a time of extreme vulnerability for the fledgling nation. This recalls a period of dependance and God's providence in preserving them.
• with threescore and ten persons: This specific number, seventy (Hebrew: shiv'im nefesh – literally "seventy souls" or "seventy persons"), is a consistent figure in Gen 46:27 and Exo 1:5, indicating the total number of Jacob's immediate family who went to Egypt. It highlights the extraordinarily small size of the "nation" at its inception, making their subsequent multiplication even more miraculous.
• and now: This conjunction signifies a direct and dramatic contrast between the past and present states. It draws attention to the vast difference wrought by divine intervention over several centuries.
• the LORD thy God: Emphasizes Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God of Israel, as the active agent behind their prosperity. It asserts His unique identity and sovereign power over the nation's destiny.
• hath made thee: (Hebrew: עֲשָׂךְ, asakh – "He has made you/done for you"). This active verb stresses God's direct, purposeful, and powerful intervention in multiplying the Israelite nation. It is a work entirely attributed to Him.
• as the stars of heaven for multitude: This powerful simile fulfills the specific promise made repeatedly to Abraham (Gen 15:5, Gen 22:17), Isaac (Gen 26:4), and Jacob (Gen 28:14). "Stars of heaven" (Hebrew: כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם, k'kochvei hash'shamayim) signifies an uncountable, immeasurable, and vast number. It visually represents God's unfathomable blessing and fidelity to His covenant. It also implicitly connects Israel’s destiny to the celestial, underscoring its divine origin and significance.

• "Thy fathers...seventy persons; and now...as the stars of heaven for multitude": This phrase group masterfully employs antithesis. It juxtaposes the minuscule seventy with the countless "stars," vividly illustrating the enormity of God's blessing and faithfulness. It provides compelling evidence of God's promise-keeping and challenges the people to acknowledge Him as the source of their strength and numbers, rather than attributing it to their own might or idols.
• "the LORD thy God hath made thee": This short clause firmly places the responsibility for Israel's growth and success directly upon Yahweh. It emphasizes divine agency and reminds the people that their status as a great nation is a direct result of God's active involvement and grace.

Deuteronomy 10 22 Bonus section

The motif of counting or attempting to count stars, sand, or dust as a representation of numerous offspring appears frequently in the Abrahamic covenant promises, signifying a blessing beyond human calculation and control. This particular phrase in Deuteronomy 10:22 underscores the fulfilled aspect of that covenant. In later Jewish tradition, the act of recounting such divine acts of multiplication often reinforced their identity as God's chosen people and spurred future hope in times of struggle. This historical memory was vital for sustaining faith during periods of smallness or exile, reminding them of God's consistent ability to rebuild and multiply from meager origins.

Deuteronomy 10 22 Commentary

Deuteronomy 10:22 stands as a profound summary of Israel's national history and a potent theological statement. It is a concise, yet powerful, testament to God's unfailing faithfulness and miraculous power to transform humble beginnings into extraordinary multitude. The verse contrasts the seventy souls who entered Egypt, utterly dependent and seemingly insignificant, with the vast nation standing before Moses on the plains of Moab—a host now comparable to the stars of heaven in number. This stark comparison is not merely a historical note but a foundational argument for Israel's identity and their duty of obedience to the covenant Lord.

Moses uses this demographic growth as irrefutable proof of God's absolute fidelity to the Abrahamic covenant. Their great numbers were not due to their own strength, wisdom, or fertility gods of other nations, but solely due to the direct intervention and blessing of the Almighty. This narrative serves as a warning against pride and self-reliance, and an exhortation to humility and complete dependence on Yahweh. The "stars of heaven" motif, recurring from Genesis, grounds Israel's existence deeply in God's eternal promises, signifying both an immense number and a destiny divinely ordained. This verse, therefore, undergirds Moses' appeal in the preceding and succeeding verses for Israel to fear, love, serve, and obey the Lord, acknowledging Him as the source of all their blessings and the one true God deserving of their full devotion. It calls them to remember God's goodness and respond with loyalty.