Deuteronomy 29:20 kjv
The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
Deuteronomy 29:20 nkjv
"The LORD would not spare him; for then the anger of the LORD and His jealousy would burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book would settle on him, and the LORD would blot out his name from under heaven.
Deuteronomy 29:20 niv
The LORD will never be willing to forgive them; his wrath and zeal will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will fall on them, and the LORD will blot out their names from under heaven.
Deuteronomy 29:20 esv
The LORD will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven.
Deuteronomy 29:20 nlt
The LORD will never pardon such people. Instead his anger and jealousy will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will come down on them, and the LORD will erase their names from under heaven.
Deuteronomy 29 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 32:33 | "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book." | God blots names from His book for sin. |
| Lev 26:14-39 | (List of covenant curses for disobedience) | Detailed covenant curses. |
| Dt 28:15-68 | (Extensive list of covenant curses for disobedience) | Covenant curses on those who disobey. |
| Dt 32:21 | "They have made Me jealous with what is no god...I will make them jealous." | God's jealousy against idolatry. |
| Ps 9:5 | "You have rebuked the nations... You have blotted out their name forever." | Divine judgment and name obliteration. |
| Ps 69:28 | "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be listed with the righteous." | Blotting from the book of life/righteous. |
| Ps 109:13 | "Let his posterity be cut off; in the generation following let their name be blotted out." | Obliteration of name and lineage. |
| Isa 42:13 | "The LORD goes forth like a mighty man, like a man of war He stirs up His zeal." | God's active zeal/jealousy. |
| Jer 18:23 | "Do not pardon their iniquity or blot out their sin from your sight." | Refusal to pardon iniquity. |
| Nah 1:2 | "The LORD is a jealous God and avenging; the LORD is avenging and wrathful." | God's jealous and avenging nature. |
| Zep 1:18 | "Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the LORD’s wrath." | God's fierce wrath and judgment. |
| Zec 8:2 | "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I am exceedingly jealous for Zion; indeed, I am jealous for her with great wrath.'" | God's fierce jealousy for His people. |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." | God's wrath against unrighteousness. |
| Rom 2:5 | "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself." | Stubborn heart leads to wrath. |
| Rom 11:22 | "Note then the kindness and the severity of God: to those who fell, severity." | God's severity towards unfaithfulness. |
| Heb 10:26-31 | "For if we go on sinning deliberately...there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment." | Consequences of deliberate sin. |
| Heb 12:29 | "For our God is a consuming fire." | God's holiness and destructive power. |
| Jas 4:4 | "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" | Idolatry as spiritual adultery, provoking God's jealousy. |
| Rev 3:5 | "The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life." | The promise for faithfulness in contrast. |
| Rev 20:15 | "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." | Blotting out leads to ultimate judgment. |
| Rev 22:19 | "And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share from the tree of life and from the holy city." | Removal of life/heritage for unfaithfulness. |
Deuteronomy 29 verses
Deuteronomy 29 20 Meaning
Deuteronomy 29:20 declares the severe and unreserved judgment of God upon an individual within the covenant community who, despite God's explicit warnings and blessings, deliberately persists in stubborn, idolatrous unfaithfulness, presuming upon divine mercy. The LORD will show no compassion; instead, His fierce anger and zealous jealousy will consume that person, ensuring that all the curses of the covenant are permanently applied, and their very existence and memory will be obliterated from the earth.
Deuteronomy 29 20 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 29 begins with a covenant renewal ceremony at Moab, where Moses recounts the LORD's faithfulness and commands the Israelites to uphold the covenant made at Horeb. The verse specifically follows a warning against spiritual complacency and self-deception within the community. In Deuteronomy 29:18-19, Moses addresses the "root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit" and individuals who, after hearing the covenant curses, might still bless themselves inwardly, thinking they will be safe despite walking in the "stubbornness of their heart." Deuteronomy 29:20 is God's fierce response to such willful and deliberate spiritual rebellion, particularly when it leads to idolatry and apostasy, impacting the entire community. It emphasizes the profound seriousness of breaking faith with the LORD by clarifying that no mercy will be extended to one who so defiantly and self-assuredly presumes upon God's grace while actively disobeying His clear commands.
Deuteronomy 29 20 Word analysis
The LORD will not spare him:
- LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH, Adonai): The covenant God of Israel, emphasizing His unique and holy character, who is bound by His own promises and justice.
- not spare (לֹא-יַחְמֹל - lo-yaḥmol): Yaḥmol means to pity, have compassion, show mercy, or hold back. The absolute negative "not" stresses the absence of any mitigating leniency or pity. This is a severe, definitive pronouncement against persistent, rebellious sin.
but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy will burn against that man:
- anger (אַף - aph): Literally "nose" or "nostril," implying the snorting sound of intense rage. It represents a hot, intense, and destructive wrath. It's righteous indignation.
- jealousy (קִנְאָתוֹ - qin'ato): Divine zeal, passionate ownership, and righteous indignation. It's not human envy, but a holy possessiveness that demands exclusive devotion, deeply offended by unfaithfulness and idolatry (spiritual adultery).
- burn (עָשַׁן - ashan): Literally "to smoke," implying intense heat, combustion, and consuming action. The anger and jealousy are not fleeting but enduring and destructive.
- that man: Refers to the individual described in Dt 29:18-19, who hardens his heart and secretly blesses himself in defiance of God's covenant. This indicates targeted divine judgment against a specific type of willful rebel.
and all the curses that are written in this book will settle on him:
- all the curses (הָאָלָה - ha'alah): Refers to the extensive list of retributions for covenant disobedience, particularly those enumerated in Dt 28 and Lev 26. These are not merely consequences but divinely sworn penalties.
- written in this book: Refers specifically to the Book of the Law (Torah), which is a clear, revealed testament of God's demands and His sworn covenant.
- settle on him (רָבַץ בּוֹ - ravats bo): Ravats means "to lie down," "crouch," "lurk," or "remain." It signifies a persistent, inescapable, and oppressive presence of the curses, like a heavy burden or a predatory animal that relentlessly presses down upon its victim. They will not be transient but will be permanently and overwhelmingly borne.
and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven.
- blot out his name (מָחָה אֶת-שְׁמוֹ - machah et-sh'mo): Machah means "to wipe away," "erase," "obliterate." "Name" (שֵׁם - shem) represents not just identity but legacy, memory, reputation, and lineage. Blotting out the name from under heaven signifies total eradication from human memory, from the earth, and from any place in God's remembrance among the living. It’s a complete and utterly destructive end, indicating eternal separation.
Words-group Analysis:
- "The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy will burn against that man": This phrase sharply contrasts God's typical mercy with His uncompromising justice towards intentional, unrepentant rebellion. It underscores that His patience has limits when faced with deliberate and self-deceptive sin, provoked by His holy character.
- "and all the curses that are written in this book will settle on him, and the LORD will blot out his name from under heaven": These two clauses signify the comprehensiveness and finality of God's judgment. Not only will the prescribed punishments fall upon the individual, but their very identity and remembrance will be erased, a severe condemnation reflecting ultimate separation from God and His people.
Deuteronomy 29 20 Bonus section
The severity of blotting out one's name was a profound punishment in ancient Near Eastern thought, signifying not only personal demise but the destruction of family legacy and the extinguishing of all memory, a fate worse than death itself in a culture focused on lineage and continuity. It contrasts with God's promise to those who remain faithful, whose names are preserved or written in the "Book of Life," a concept seen implicitly in the Old Testament (e.g., Ex 32:32-33; Ps 69:28) and explicitly in the New (e.g., Rev 3:5; 20:15). This verse highlights that participation in God's covenant blessings requires an internal transformation and genuine heart obedience, not merely outward association, making it a critical warning against hypocrisy. The "jealousy" of God, far from a human fault, reveals His zealous desire for the exclusive worship of His chosen people, an attribute rooted in His holy character as a perfect Father or Spouse who demands singular affection and loyalty.
Deuteronomy 29 20 Commentary
Deuteronomy 29:20 delivers a solemn and severe warning against the insidious danger of spiritual pride and stubborn disobedience within the covenant. It targets the individual who knows God's commands and consequences, yet hardens their heart, thinking they can escape judgment while secretly embracing idolatry or personal rebellion. This person presumes on God's grace and imagines impunity, which is an affront to divine holiness. The verse asserts that for such an unrepentant and defiant attitude, God's characteristic mercy is withdrawn. Instead, His holy anger and fervent jealousy, fueled by His covenantal faithfulness, will manifest fully and fiercely. The vast catalogue of covenant curses, typically reserved for national disobedience, will apply individually and inexorably, weighing them down relentlessly. The ultimate consequence is a complete annihilation of identity and remembrance ("blot out his name"), signifying exclusion from God's people, earthly legacy, and any divine record of life. This powerful statement reveals God’s commitment to His own holiness, the seriousness of the covenant, and the catastrophic end for those who wilfully defy Him to the end, demonstrating His justice alongside His mercy. It calls for genuine, humble repentance rather than self-deceptive stubbornness.