Deuteronomy 19:8 kjv
And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;
Deuteronomy 19:8 nkjv
"Now if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you the land which He promised to give to your fathers,
Deuteronomy 19:8 niv
If the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he promised on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them,
Deuteronomy 19:8 esv
And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers ?
Deuteronomy 19:8 nlt
"And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he swore to your ancestors, and gives you all the land he promised them,
Deuteronomy 19 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.”... | Promise of land to Abraham's descendants. |
| Gen 13:14-17 | Lift up your eyes...for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. | Reaffirmation of land promise to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:18-21 | On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,"... | Detailed boundaries of the promised land. |
| Gen 22:17-18 | I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring...and your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,... | Blessing includes vast possession and land. |
| Ex 23:31 | And I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines and from the wilderness to the Euphrates... | God setting their expansive borders. |
| Num 34:1-12 | The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Command the people of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance..." | Defines the practical boundaries for Israel. |
| Dt 1:7-8 | Turn and take your journey...to the land that I swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring after them.' | Command to enter and possess the promised land. |
| Dt 11:8-9 | "You shall therefore keep the whole commandment...that you may possess the land...that you may live long in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them and to their offspring, a land flowing with milk and honey." | Conditional nature of possessing and living long in the land. |
| Dt 19:9 | ...provided you keep all this commandment...then you shall add three more cities to these three. | Direct continuation; expanded land requires expanded justice. |
| Josh 1:3-4 | "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses." | God’s promise of land possession to Joshua. |
| Josh 11:23 | So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses... | Fulfillment of the promise in Joshua's time. |
| Josh 21:43-45 | Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers...Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed... | Emphasizes God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promise. |
| 1 Ki 4:21 | Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt... | Historical realization of the broader land promise under Solomon. |
| Neh 9:7-8 | You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram...and found his heart faithful before you, and made with him a covenant to give to his offspring the land...and you have performed your words, for you are righteous. | Praise for God's righteousness and fulfillment of His word. |
| Ps 105:8-11 | He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,...to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance." | God's eternal remembrance and faithfulness to His covenant oath. |
| Acts 7:5 | Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. | Stephen's summary of God's land promise to Abraham. |
| Rom 4:13 | For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. | The broader scope of Abrahamic promise, heir of the world, fulfilled in Christ. |
| Gal 3:16 | Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ. | Christ as the ultimate heir of Abrahamic promises, including spiritual inheritance. |
| Heb 11:9-10 | By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land...For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | Abraham's perspective: temporary dwelling in promised land, looking for eternal city. |
| Heb 11:13-16 | These all died in faith, not having received the things promised...but having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | Spiritual interpretation: believers seeking a heavenly homeland beyond physical land. |
| Matt 5:5 | "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." | New Testament echo: broadened spiritual inheritance of the 'earth'. |
Deuteronomy 19 verses
Deuteronomy 19 8 Meaning
Deuteronomy 19:8 indicates that if the covenant Lord, Yahweh, supernaturally expands Israel's promised land beyond its current boundaries, as He previously swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then additional provisions must be made for justice. This verse emphasizes God's faithfulness to His covenant oath to Israel's patriarchs concerning their territorial inheritance. It implicitly sets the stage for the command in the subsequent verse (Dt 19:9) to establish more cities of refuge in response to this divine blessing of expansion.
Deuteronomy 19 8 Context
Deuteronomy 19 is primarily concerned with establishing and defining the laws concerning cities of refuge, places where a person who unintentionally kills another can flee to avoid revenge from the victim's "avenger of blood." Verses 1-7 describe the initial provision for three such cities in the promised land. Verse 8, along with verse 9, acts as an addendum to this law. It looks forward to a future state where God's blessing of territorial expansion, rooted in His ancient covenant oaths, would necessitate an expansion of this system of justice. The historical context is Israel on the cusp of entering the Promised Land, being reminded of the covenant responsibilities and the just and merciful character of their God before fully taking possession.
Deuteronomy 19 8 Word analysis
- And if the LORD your God: This phrase highlights God's initiative and sovereignty in Israel's destiny. "The LORD your God" (Yahweh Elohim) emphasizes a covenantal relationship, implying that any expansion is a divine act and not merely a result of human military might or political maneuvering.
- enlarges (יַרְחִיב, yaḥriv): From the root rāḥab, meaning "to widen" or "make broad." This term points to a deliberate, divine expansion of Israel's physical borders. It's a miraculous fulfillment of prophecy, not just natural growth, and implies the overcoming of significant obstacles through God's power.
- your territory (גְּבוּלֶךָ, gᵊḇūleḵā): Refers to the physical boundaries and land area allotted to Israel. This land is foundational to their identity and existence as a nation under God, serving as the physical space where God's covenant would be lived out. Its expansion means more room for Israel, but also greater responsibility.
- as he swore (נִשְׁבַּע, nišbbaʿ): This emphasizes the unbreakable, solemn oath God made. An oath taken by God is immutable and foundational to His character and faithfulness. This isn't a mere promise, but a binding divine commitment.
- to your fathers (אֲבֹתֶיךָ, ʾăḇōṯeḵā): Refers directly to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This connection ties the present generation to the historical covenant established generations before, reminding them that current blessings are a fulfillment of ancient, divine promises.
- and gives you: A strong verb reinforcing the divine agency. God is the one actively bestowing the land. It underscores that possession is not achieved by human effort alone but is a gracious gift from Yahweh.
- all the land: Denotes the full, comprehensive extent of the territory promised in covenants, which often extended from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates (Gen 15:18-21; Ex 23:31). This highlights the ideal, maximum boundary God intended for them.
- that he promised to give to your fathers: A powerful reiteration that serves to emphasize the certainty, divine origin, and historical continuity of the land promise. The repetition stresses God's unwavering commitment to His Word.
Word-group analysis:
- "And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory": This phrase establishes the divine premise for any future expansion. It's not contingent on Israel's military might alone, but on God's active, supernatural intervention to widen their boundaries, reflecting His favor and commitment to the covenant. This shows the land as a gracious gift.
- "as he swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers": This repetitive structure deeply underscores God's covenant faithfulness and the solemn, unchangeable nature of His oath. It connects the potential future expansion directly to the Abrahamic covenant, indicating that Israel’s inheritance is rooted in generations of divine fidelity. This also highlights the breadth and completeness of the promise – "all the land" as a fulfillment of God's prior "promise."
Deuteronomy 19 8 Bonus section
This verse hints at the "greater Israel" or the full territorial ideal mentioned in texts like Genesis 15 and Exodus 23, which was significantly, though not fully or permanently, realized during the united monarchy under David and Solomon. Scholars often note that while God's promise is absolute in its commitment, Israel's full possession and secure tenure of the expanded territory remained contingent upon their obedience to the covenant, especially the Mosaic Law (as indicated implicitly by Dt 19:9, "provided you keep all this commandment"). The spiritual implication for New Covenant believers is that as God "enlarges" their spiritual inheritance (e.g., knowledge, influence, wisdom), there is an accompanying call to greater righteousness, wisdom, and stewardship of what has been given, extending Christ's kingdom through justice and truth.
Deuteronomy 19 8 Commentary
Deuteronomy 19:8 articulates a profound truth about God's covenant faithfulness and Israel's destiny. It shifts from the immediate instruction for three cities of refuge to a prophetic vision of future expansion, which would require the establishment of even more such cities. The verse doesn't just promise more land; it highlights that this land will come as a direct, willed act of God, in fulfillment of ancient, sworn oaths to Abraham and the patriarchs. This underscores that God's promises are secure and will come to pass. The primary implication is that blessings (territorial expansion) come with increased responsibility, particularly concerning justice and the prevention of bloodshed. The need for additional cities of refuge reveals that God's desire for a just and peaceful society scales with His people's growth.