Deuteronomy 16 12

Deuteronomy 16:12 kjv

And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

Deuteronomy 16:12 nkjv

And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.

Deuteronomy 16:12 niv

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and follow carefully these decrees.

Deuteronomy 16:12 esv

You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.

Deuteronomy 16:12 nlt

Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.

Deuteronomy 16 verses

Deuteronomy 16 12 Meaning

This verse powerfully motivates obedience to God's commandments. It teaches Israel that their unique history as slaves delivered by God is the foundation for their faithfulness. They are to remember their former state of bondage and the mighty, gracious act of the Lord who redeemed them, thereby recognizing that their current freedom and very existence are direct results of His divine intervention. This remembrance compels them to diligently observe and perform His statutes as a natural, grateful response to His covenant loyalty and saving power. Obedience flows not from a burden, but from gratitude for grace.

Deuteronomy 16 12 Context

Deuteronomy 16:12 appears within Moses's final addresses to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. The preceding verses (Deut 16:1-17) outline the laws for the three major annual pilgrimage festivals: Passover and Unleavened Bread (vv. 1-8), the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) (vv. 9-12a), and the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) (vv. 13-17). Each festival served as a communal act of remembrance, thanksgiving, and dedication to the Lord.

Specifically, verse 12 concludes the section on the Feast of Weeks, a harvest festival, emphasizing that their prosperity is directly linked to God's ongoing blessing. The call to remember their slavery and redemption serves as a powerful historical and theological anchor. It constantly reminds them of their humble origins and total dependence on Yahweh, protecting them from pride or attributing their success to their own strength or to the deities of the land they were about to inhabit. This context of remembering God's salvific acts during their sacred observances solidifies the core motivation for their entire covenant life—not out of obligation, but out of grateful remembrance of their unique redemption from bondage.

Deuteronomy 16 12 Word analysis

• And you shall remember (וְזָכַרְתָּ, ve-zacharta): From the Hebrew verb zakhar, meaning "to remember," "to call to mind," "to keep in memory," but far more than a simple mental recall. It implies a deeper internalizing and acting upon the memory. It's an active command to bring the past event into the present with significant impact on behavior and attitude. In the context of Deuteronomy, remembering is crucial to obedience and avoiding spiritual apostasy (Deut 8:11).
• that you were a slave (כִּי-עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ, ki-eved hayita): Eved means "servant" or "slave." This phrase stresses their previous state of powerlessness, oppression, and complete subjection in a foreign land. It underscores their utter inability to save themselves, setting up a sharp contrast with God's subsequent action.
• in Egypt (בְּמִצְרָיִם, be-mitzrayim): The specific geographical and historical location of their bondage. This grounds the command in tangible, collective experience, making it relatable and undeniable for every generation, even those not present at the Exodus, who inherited this communal memory.
• and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. (וַיְצִאֲךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִשָּׁם, vay-tzi'akha Adonai Eloheikha mi-sham - more literally "and the Lord your God brought you out from there"): While the Hebrew phrase here is literally "brought you out," the overarching narrative of Exodus employs words for "redemption" (e.g., padah and ga'al) emphasizing a powerful, sovereign act of deliverance from bondage. Adonai Eloheikha ("the Lord your God") highlights the covenant relationship; it was their specific God who acted for them. This emphasizes the personal, covenantal, and gracious nature of God's saving act.
• Therefore, (עַל-כֵּן, al-ken): This conjunction clearly indicates a direct consequence, a logical link between God's prior action (redemption) and the required human response (obedience). It signifies cause and effect: because God delivered them, they must respond in a particular way.
• you shall keep (וְשָׁמַרְתָּ, ve-shamarta): From the verb shamar, meaning "to guard," "to observe," "to protect," "to preserve." It implies active diligence and careful adherence, not just passive awareness. It suggests a vigilant watchfulness over God's commands.
• and perform these statutes. (וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת-הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה, ve-asita et-ha-chukim ha-elleh): Asah means "to do," "to make," "to perform." It calls for practical, visible obedience—the actual doing of what God commands, not just intellectual assent. Chukim refers to God's decrees, ordinances, or fixed laws, often specific ritual or ethical injunctions that define the life of the covenant community. "These statutes" refers to the laws being reiterated throughout Deuteronomy, forming the covenant life God expects.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "remember that you were a slave... and the Lord your God redeemed you": This phrase encapsulates the historical basis for Israel's covenant with Yahweh. It grounds their identity as a people who were nothing, but by divine grace became God's own. It functions as a counter-polemic against the self-sufficiency often found in prosperity or against the polytheism of surrounding nations who attributed blessing to various deities; Israel's prosperity, even their existence, stems solely from Yahweh's redemption.
  • "Therefore, you shall keep and perform these statutes": This forms the divine imperative, the required response to the redemptive act. It establishes a theology where obedience is not mere legalism but a grateful, faithful living out of a new, God-given identity. It’s a call to proactive and comprehensive observance, covering both careful guardianship of the law and active execution of its demands.

Deuteronomy 16 12 Bonus section

The profound link between "remembering" (וְזָכַרְתָּ) and "obeying" is a pervasive theme throughout Deuteronomy, serving as the central educational paradigm for the covenant community. This is a deliberate instructional strategy by Moses to implant within the new generation a covenant theology deeply rooted in historical redemptive acts, ensuring their sustained faithfulness in the Promised Land. The constant harkening back to the Exodus functions as a living memory, protecting Israel from the spiritual amnesia that so often leads to idolatry and social injustice.

Furthermore, this verse serves as a subtle yet powerful polemic against the "self-made man" mentality or the worship of foreign gods associated with land and prosperity. Israel's wealth, sustenance, and very freedom are repeatedly attributed solely to Yahweh, their Redeemer from Egypt. Any temptation to attribute their future blessings to their own strength or to the gods of the Canaanites is dismantled by the ever-present reminder of their humble, enslaved origins and the single Source of their deliverance. This memory forms the moral fabric of their society, informing laws concerning the poor, the stranger, and even the treatment of slaves within their own community, urging compassion based on their shared history of suffering and deliverance (e.g., Deut 15:15, 24:18-22).

Deuteronomy 16 12 Commentary

Deuteronomy 16:12 presents a foundational principle for Israel's relationship with God: remembrance fuels obedience. It weaves together a vivid recollection of their collective past, a profound acknowledgment of God's gracious intervention, and a consequential command for their present and future conduct. Israel is explicitly told not to forget their former state as helpless slaves in Egypt, a past defined by oppression and lack of power. This grim memory is immediately contrasted with the transformative act of "the Lord your God," who powerfully delivered them. This "bringing out" or "redemption" highlights God's unique initiative and unwavering covenant faithfulness.

The pivotal word "Therefore" (עַל-כֵּן) establishes an inseparable link between divine grace and human responsibility. Because God performed this incredible, unearned act of salvation, Israel is now obligated—and should be eager—to "keep and perform these statutes." This is not obedience for merit or a legalistic burden, but a heartfelt, grateful response from a people who have received everything. Their freedom, their land, their identity—all stem from God's gracious rescue. To obey God's commands, therefore, is to acknowledge His sovereignty, appreciate His grace, and maintain their covenant relationship. This understanding ensures that their obedience is rooted in gratitude and worship, transforming religious observance from a rigid requirement into an overflowing of thanks from a people redeemed and called to reflect their redeemer.

Examples:

• A person who has been miraculously cured from a terminal illness dedicating their renewed life to serving God or others, remembering the grace received.
• Children remembering the sacrifices and kindness of their parents and, out of gratitude, respecting their guidance and diligently fulfilling their responsibilities.
• Christians, remembering their deliverance from the bondage of sin through Christ's sacrifice, committing themselves to living lives of holiness and selfless service.