Deuteronomy 28 8

Deuteronomy 28:8 kjv

The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 28:8 nkjv

"The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 28:8 niv

The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

Deuteronomy 28:8 esv

The LORD will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 28:8 nlt

"The LORD will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 8 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:8 declares God's authoritative intent to supernaturally initiate and establish prosperity upon His obedient people. This blessing specifically extends to their accumulated resources (storehouses) and all their industrious endeavors (undertakings), culminating in a comprehensive favor experienced within the land promised to them. It emphasizes the LORD's sovereign power to command outcomes.

Deuteronomy 28 8 Context

Deuteronomy 28 stands as the climax of Moses' second major discourse to Israel before they enter the promised land. This chapter profoundly outlines the covenantal relationship between God and His people, specifically detailing the comprehensive blessings that will result from obedience to His commands and the severe curses that will befall them for disobedience. Verse 8 falls within the opening section of blessings (verses 1-14), promising prosperity and well-being as direct consequences of walking in God's ways. The immediate context is the agrarian society of ancient Israel, where "storehouses" and "undertakings" represented the core of their livelihood and economy. The promise is intimately tied to the fulfillment of the land promise given to their patriarchs, emphasizing God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and the importance of His active intervention in their daily lives. This passage implicitly counters the polytheistic beliefs of surrounding nations, which attributed prosperity to various localized gods; Deuteronomy emphatically states that Yahweh alone is the source of all blessing.

Deuteronomy 28 8 Word analysis

• The LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): This is the personal, covenant name of God, revealing His self-existent, faithful, and unchangeable character. The emphasis here is on His authority and His specific relationship with Israel as their covenant God. It is not a generic deity but the One who revealed Himself to Moses.
• will command (יְצַוֶּה - yə·tsav·veh): Derived from the root צָוָה (tzavah), meaning "to command, order, appoint, ordain." This term signifies an authoritative decree, a binding order, much like a military commander issues orders. It highlights God's sovereignty; He doesn't just suggest or allow blessing, He actively brings it forth by His powerful word and will. This indicates that the blessing is not a natural occurrence but a direct, supernatural intervention from God.
• the blessing (הַבְּרָכָה - ha-bə·rā·ḵāh): From בְּרָכָה (berakhah), meaning "blessing, prosperity, abundance, praise." In the Bible, "blessing" is often the tangible manifestation of God's favor, leading to flourishing, fruitfulness, well-being, and increase. It's comprehensive, touching all aspects of life.
• on you (לָּכֶם - lā·ḵem): A direct personal address, emphasizing that the blessings are intended specifically for the covenant people of Israel.
• in your storehouses (בַּאֲסָמֶיךָ - ba·'ă·sā·meḵā): From אָסָם (asam), meaning "storehouse, barn, granary." These were essential structures in an agrarian society for preserving and accumulating harvested crops. It signifies economic stability, security, and an abundance of resources.
• and in all that you undertake (וּבְכֹל מִשְׁלַח יָדֶךָ - ū·və·ḵōl mish·laḥ yā·ḏeḵā): Literally "and in all the sending forth of your hand." מִשְׁלַח יָד (mishlach yad) is a common idiom referring to any work, enterprise, labor, or effort initiated by one's hands. It covers all forms of legitimate human activity and enterprise—farming, crafts, trade, family matters, military efforts, and even mental work—implying that God's blessing is not limited to agriculture but permeates all areas of one's endeavors.
• and he will bless (וּבֵרַכְךָ - ū·ḇê·raḵ·ḵā): Another form of the root בָּרַךְ (barak), reinforcing the idea of divine enablement for flourishing and fruitfulness. The repetition emphasizes the certainty and comprehensive nature of the blessing.
• in the land (בָּאָרֶץ - bā·'ā·reṣ): Referring specifically to the land of Canaan, the promised land. The fulfillment of the promise was intrinsically linked to possessing and dwelling securely in this land, a key component of the covenant.
• that the LORD your God is giving you (אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ - 'ă·šer YHWH 'ĕ·lō·heḵā nō·ṯên lāḵ): Re-emphasizes the divine origin and gift-nature of the land. It’s not acquired by human strength alone but through God's gracious provision. It signifies God’s continuing presence and commitment to His people within that space.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "The LORD will command the blessing": This phrase reveals God's authoritative and direct action. It's not a mere hope or possibility, but a sovereign decree from the Almighty God, indicating an active, powerful, and decisive intervention for the good of His people. The source of blessing is exclusively divine, negating any pagan deities.
• "on you in your storehouses and in all that you undertake": This defines the scope of the blessing as comprehensive, encompassing both the accumulated resources and future efforts. It covers the fruit of past labor (storehouses) and the potential of future endeavors, highlighting security in provision and success in all activity.
• "and he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you": This repeats the concept of blessing for emphasis and grounds it specifically within the geographical and covenantal context of the promised land. The blessing is not just internal or spiritual, but tangible and experienced within the very realm of their earthly existence, confirming God's faithfulness to His ancient promises regarding the land.

Deuteronomy 28 8 Bonus section

The authoritative "command" aspect is a theological bridge to understanding God's active involvement throughout Scripture. Just as God "commanded" light to appear at creation (Gen 1:3), so too He can "command" prosperity into the lives of His obedient people. This is distinct from pagan rituals which attempted to manipulate deities for favor; here, it is a unilateral declaration from the Creator-King based on a covenant relationship. The "storehouses" highlight the value God places on prudent stewardship and preparedness, while assuring that the filling of these storehouses comes from Him. This verse sets up a foundational principle that material blessing is often connected to spiritual obedience in the Old Testament, though this principle is not absolute (as seen in Job) and is nuanced in the New Testament with emphasis on spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph 1:3). Nevertheless, the principle of God's sovereign ability to bless the works of His people remains a timeless truth.

Deuteronomy 28 8 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:8 presents a powerful affirmation of God's benevolent provision for His covenant people. The core message is that divine blessing is not incidental but actively commanded by God's sovereign will. The use of "command" (tzavah) conveys God's absolute authority and power to bring about the promised prosperity. This command transforms the ordinary, agricultural labor into channels of supernatural increase. "Storehouses" symbolize the abundance of accumulated resources and economic security, while "all that you undertake" indicates success and favor in every endeavor and aspect of life, beyond just farming. This includes intellectual work, family life, community interactions, and every handiwork.

Crucially, these blessings are intrinsically linked to obedience, as laid out in the preceding verses (Deut 28:1-2). They are a manifestation of God's faithfulness to His covenant, not a reward for human merit, but a natural outflow of living in harmony with His commands. The blessing is anchored "in the land" — the tangible fulfillment of God's ancestral promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This highlights God's commitment to manifesting His favor in a practical, real-world context for His people. This verse implicitly assures Israel that their success in the Promised Land depends entirely on God's active involvement, not on their own strength or on the whims of pagan deities. It underscores a fundamental truth: true prosperity comes from the LORD, who not only creates but actively sustains and flourishes His obedient ones.

Examples:

• A farmer who diligently follows God's laws sees bountiful harvests fill his barns, seemingly beyond natural yield.
• A craftsman who honors God finds consistent success in his work, attracting favor and provision for his family.
• A community committed to justice and righteousness experiences peace and well-being, with every shared enterprise flourishing.