Deuteronomy 11 5

Deuteronomy 11:5 kjv

And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place;

Deuteronomy 11:5 nkjv

what He did for you in the wilderness until you came to this place;

Deuteronomy 11:5 niv

It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place,

Deuteronomy 11:5 esv

and what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place,

Deuteronomy 11:5 nlt

"Your children didn't see how the LORD cared for you in the wilderness until you arrived here.

Deuteronomy 11 verses

Deuteronomy 11 5 Meaning

Deuteronomy 11:5 recounts a concise summary of Yahweh's sustained and multifaceted divine intervention on behalf of the Israelites throughout their arduous forty-year journey through the wilderness, concluding with their arrival at the doorstep of the Promised Land. This encompasses the full spectrum of His dealings: miraculous provision, protective guidance, steadfast discipline, and righteous judgment against those who rebelled or opposed His people, all designed to ensure their survival and readiness for the inheritance.

Deuteronomy 11 5 Context

Deuteronomy 11:5 is nestled within Moses' second discourse to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter Canaan. Chapter 11 particularly serves as an urgent plea for this generation to remember God's powerful deeds and remain faithful to His covenant. It contrasts God's miraculous care in a desolate land (like Egypt which relied on irrigation) with the land of Canaan which relies on God's direct provision of rain. Verses 2-4 highlight specific instances of God's judgment against Pharaoh, his army, Dathan, and Abiram, emphasizing that this generation personally "saw" or experienced the repercussions of divine judgment. Verse 5 then broadens this focus from specific acts of judgment to the entirety of God's interactions—both disciplinary and providential—that characterized their forty-year wilderness sojourn, preparing them mentally and spiritually for the challenges and responsibilities of the land.

Deuteronomy 11 5 Word analysis

• And what (וַאֲשֶׁר - va'asher): This conjunction links the present verse to the preceding detailed examples of God's specific judgments (Deut 11:3-4). It acts as a summarizing transition, indicating that the detailed judgments mentioned are part of a larger, ongoing series of divine acts. It implies not just discrete events but a continuous chain of intervention.
• He did (עָשָׂה - 'asah): This verb emphasizes divine action, intentionality, and accomplishment. The implicit subject "He" refers unambiguously to Yahweh. It conveys the Lord as the active agent, continuously engaging with and intervening in the lives of His people. This includes both acts of miraculous provision and righteous discipline.
• to you (לָכֶם - lakhem): This personal pronoun highlights that God's actions were directed towards and on behalf of the Israelites. It fosters a sense of direct encounter and corporate responsibility. Even though many in this generation were born in the wilderness, they are beneficiaries of God's sustained care for the collective nation, inheriting the legacy of these divine interventions.
• in the wilderness (בַּמִּדְבָּר - bamidbar): The Hebrew word midbar signifies a desert, barren, or uninhabited land. Theologically, the wilderness was not merely a geographic location but a transformative crucible where Israel learned absolute dependence on God. It was a place of testing, discipline, provision, and divine revelation, crucial for shaping their national identity and their covenant relationship with Yahweh.
• until you came (עַד בֹּאֲכֶם - ‘ad bo’akhem): This phrase emphasizes the uninterrupted nature of God's care and guidance. His fidelity was not episodic but extended steadfastly throughout the entire challenging period of the wilderness journey, proving His faithfulness across the duration of their travails.
• to this place (אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה - ’el-hamaqom hazzeh): Refers to the specific geographical location where Moses was speaking – the plains of Moab, directly opposite Jericho, at the edge of the Jordan River. It marks the culmination point of God's sustained wilderness care, bringing them successfully to the very threshold of the promised land.

Words-group Analysis:

• And what He did to you: This phrase underscores the profoundly personal and direct nature of God's relationship with Israel. It implies an comprehensive engagement that covered every aspect of their needs—their daily sustenance, their protection from enemies, their spiritual guidance, and even the just administration of correction for their disobedience. It reveals a God who is intimately involved with His people.
• in the wilderness, until you came to this place: This segment delineates the continuous span of God's unwavering faithfulness across a definitive and formative period. It emphasizes that divine provision and judgment were not isolated events but were sustained and purposeful throughout the 40 years of wandering, from the exodus event up to their imminent entry into Canaan. The wilderness journey was thus a living testament to Yahweh's commitment to His covenant people.

Deuteronomy 11 5 Bonus section

• The wilderness period is a major theological motif throughout the Old Testament, representing a space of absolute dependence on God. It stripped Israel of self-reliance and cultivated a relationship where God alone was their provider, protector, and guide. This foundational experience shaped their understanding of Yahweh as a God who is both immanent (present daily) and transcendent (sovereign over all circumstances).
• Moses' rhetorical strategy in Deuteronomy involves compelling this new generation, who were too young or not yet born to witness many of the specific Exodus and early wilderness events, to "see" and "know" God's works through faithful recounting and application. The transition from the "you saw" (v.7, speaking of the parents' generation) to the collective "what He did to you" (v.5) emphasizes a corporate memory and inherited responsibility for covenant faithfulness.
• This verse counters any potential pagan influence that might suggest multiple deities or reliance on human methods for prosperity, asserting Yahweh's exclusive and comprehensive power over every aspect of their survival and journey.

Deuteronomy 11 5 Commentary

Deuteronomy 11:5 functions as a powerful, condensed reminder of the entire spectrum of God's active involvement in Israel's forty-year wilderness journey. Following Moses' recall of specific judgments, this verse expands the scope to every aspect of divine interaction—be it life-sustaining provision like manna and water, unerring guidance by pillar of cloud and fire, protective intervention against adversaries, or the severe discipline against persistent rebellion. It highlights that Israel’s survival and progression to the cusp of Canaan were not due to their own ingenuity or strength but were solely due to God’s faithful and relentless care. Moses presents this unbroken historical record as irrefutable proof of God's unwavering commitment to His covenant, urging the present generation to internalize these truths, trust implicitly in Him, and respond with complete and heartfelt obedience as they embark on the conquest of the Promised Land. This understanding of God’s past faithfulness should inspire present and future allegiance. For instance, just as God sustained them through the daily unknowns of the desert, so too can believers trust Him with the uncertainties of their lives, drawing strength from remembering His past fidelity in their own stories or in the narratives of the Bible.