Deuteronomy 29 22

Deuteronomy 29:22 kjv

So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it;

Deuteronomy 29:22 nkjv

so that the coming generation of your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, would say, when they see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses which the LORD has laid on it:

Deuteronomy 29:22 niv

Your children who follow you in later generations and foreigners who come from distant lands will see the calamities that have fallen on the land and the diseases with which the LORD has afflicted it.

Deuteronomy 29:22 esv

And the next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, will say, when they see the afflictions of that land and the sicknesses with which the LORD has made it sick ?

Deuteronomy 29:22 nlt

"Then the generations to come, both your own descendants and the foreigners who come from distant lands, will see the devastation of the land and the diseases the LORD inflicts on it.

Deuteronomy 29 verses

Deuteronomy 29 22 Meaning

Deuteronomy 29:22 foretells a future where devastating plagues and diseases will afflict the land of Israel as a direct consequence of covenant disobedience. The verse emphasizes that these severe judgments will be so undeniably evident that both the subsequent generations of Israelites and foreign observers from distant lands will see them, understand their divine origin, and verbally attest that it was the Lord Himself who brought about this desolation due to Israel’s unfaithfulness.

Deuteronomy 29 22 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 29 forms a pivotal part of Moses' farewell addresses to Israel on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. This chapter details a covenant renewal ceremony, specifically tailored to the new generation who would possess the land. It emphasizes that the covenant made at Horeb (Sinai) was not just with their fathers but with all present and future generations (Dt 29:14-15). Verse 22 functions as a stern prophetic warning, describing the stark reality of the land if Israel should stray from the covenant. It immediately follows an explicit enumeration of the horrific curses (rooted in Dt 28) that will befall those who turn away to other gods or entertain "secret apostasy." Historically, in the ancient Near East, treaties and covenants frequently included curses as deterrents against disobedience, often invoked by a greater suzerain power over a lesser vassal. The desolation described here—plagues and diseases—were seen by the original audience as direct manifestations of divine wrath, not mere natural occurrences. This served as a polemic against the polytheistic beliefs of surrounding nations who might attribute such calamities to unpredictable deities or forces, unequivocally pointing to Yahweh, the God of Israel's covenant, as the one true sovereign behind all events, whether blessings or judgments.

Deuteronomy 29 22 Word analysis

• and the next generation (וְהַדּוֹר֙ הָאַחֲר֔וֹן – vehaddôr hā’aḥărôn):

  • וְ (wə-) – "and," connecting to the preceding context.
  • הַדּוֹר֙ (hadôr) – "the generation." Hebrew dôr signifies a period of time, a lifetime, or a collective group living within that time. It underscores the passing of time and the continuation of witness.
  • הָאַחֲר֔וֹן (hā’aḥărôn) – "the last" or "the latter." Here, "the next" or "succeeding." It stresses that the effects of their choices will transcend their immediate time, impacting descendants long after them.

• your children who rise up after you (בְּנֵיכֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָק֔וּמוּ מֵֽאַחֲרֵיכֶ֖ם – bənéḵem ’ăšer yāqūmū mê’aḥăreḵem):

  • בְּנֵיכֶם֙ (bənéḵem) – "your children/sons." Highlights the direct lineage and inheritance of the consequences.
  • אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָק֔וּמוּ (’ăšer yāqūmū) – "who rise up/stand." The verb qum (קוּם) implies taking one's place, establishing oneself, signifying continuity of lineage and observation.
  • מֵֽאַחֲרֵיכֶ֖ם (mê’aḥăreḵem) – "after you." Emphasizes the temporal sequence; they inherit the consequences and thus the understanding.

• and the foreigner (וְהַנָּכְרִ֛י – wəhannāḵərî):

  • וְ (wə-) – "and."
  • הַנָּכְרִ֛י (hannāḵərî) – "the stranger/foreigner/alien." From nākar (נָכַר) meaning "to be estranged, alienated." Distinct from ger (resident alien), implying a more transient observer, a non-Israelite who has no covenant connection but simply witnesses. This broadens the scope of witness beyond Israel's internal sphere, affirming God's universal reach and reputation.

• who comes from a distant land (אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹ֥א מִקֶּאֶרֶץ֙ רְחֹקָה֙ – ’ăšer-yābō’ miqe’ereṣ rəḥōqāh):

  • אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹ֥א (’ăšer-yābō’) – "who comes." Simple action of arrival.
  • מִקֶּאֶרֶץ֙ רְחֹקָה֙ (miqe’ereṣ rəḥōqāh) – "from a distant land." This emphasizes the broad geographic reach of God's reputation. Even those with no prior knowledge of Yahweh or Israel's covenant will be able to deduce the cause of the land's devastation.

• will say (וְאָמְר֣וּ – wə’āmərû):

  • וְ (wə-) – "and."
  • אָמְר֣וּ (’āmərû) – "they will say." This verb implies an undeniable truth that will be articulated. It's not just an internal thought but an external pronouncement.

• when they see (כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִרְאוּ֙ – ka’ăšer yir’ū):

  • כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (ka’ăšer) – "when, as."
  • יִרְאוּ֙ (yir’ū) – "they will see." Emphasizes direct, sensory observation. The evidence will be visually undeniable.

• the plagues of the land (מַכּ֣וֹת הָאָ֗רֶץ – makkôt hā’āreṣ):

  • מַכּ֣וֹת (makkôt) – "plagues, blows, wounds." This noun (from nākhah נָכָה "to strike, smite") often describes divine scourges and severe judgments, such as those in Exodus on Egypt. Here it refers to devastating physical afflictions upon the earth itself.
  • הָאָ֗רֶץ (hā’āreṣ) – "the land." Referring specifically to the Promised Land, the focus of the covenant.

• and the diseases (וְאֶת־תַּחֲלֻאֶ֖יהָ – wə’et-taḥalu’eyhā):

  • וְאֶת־ (wə’et-) – "and with."
  • תַּחֲלֻאֶ֖יהָ (taḥalu’eyhā) – "its diseases/sicknesses." From ḥālāh (חָלָה) "to be sick." These are illnesses that directly affect the inhabitants or the productivity of the land.

• with which the Lord has afflicted it (אֲשֶׁר֩ הֶחֱלָ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה בָּהּ֙ – ’ăšer heḥelāh YHWH bāh):

  • אֲשֶׁר֩ (’ăšer) – "which, that."
  • הֶחֱלָ֨ה (heḥelāh) – "He has made sick/afflicted." The verb ḥālāh (חָלָה) is used in the Hiphil (causative) stem, making clear that Yahweh is the active agent.
  • יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) – "the Lord." The covenant name of God. This directly attributes the calamity to the specific, personal, covenant-making God of Israel, removing any ambiguity regarding the source or purpose of the devastation.
  • בָּהּ֙ (bāh) – "in it" (referring to the land).

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "the next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner... will say": This composite phrase establishes the universal and undeniable testimony to the land's fate. It spans generations within Israel and extends to outsiders, ensuring God's justice and Israel's disobedience are made known globally. The future tense of "will say" underlines the certainty of this outcome.
  • "when they see the plagues of the land and the diseases with which the Lord has afflicted it": This links visible, tangible suffering directly to divine action. The language used (plagues, diseases) clearly connects it to God's judgments (e.g., against Egypt) and dismisses any notion of mere misfortune, emphasizing God's direct involvement in the consequences of the broken covenant.

Deuteronomy 29 22 Bonus section

This verse forms part of a specific rhetorical device often employed in Deuteronomy (and other prophetic books) where future generations or foreign observers will "ask" or "say" about Israel's desolation, thereby providing an opportunity for a theological explanation of God's justice. This "why?" question structure (seen more explicitly in Dt 29:24) serves to instruct both present and future generations about the unwavering consequences of covenant faithfulness. It underscores a key theological concept throughout the Bible: God’s name and reputation among the nations are paramount. The suffering and desolation of His people, rather than being an embarrassment, would paradoxically serve to glorify His name, as observers would acknowledge the awesome power and justice of the God who fulfilled His promises, both of blessing and of curse. Historically, the Babylonian Exile and subsequent periods of foreign domination and land desolation strongly affirmed the prophetic truth embedded in this verse.

Deuteronomy 29 22 Commentary

Deuteronomy 29:22 serves as a stark prophetic pronouncement of the inevitable and observable consequences of breaking God's covenant. Moses articulates a future where Israel's land will not merely suffer general misfortune, but explicit, visible plagues and diseases, unambiguously understood as divinely inflicted judgment. This profound devastation would not go unnoticed or misinterpreted; it would provoke questions from future Israelite generations and even foreigners. The rhetorical power of the verse lies in predicting that even those unconnected to Israel’s covenant history—travelers from "a distant land"—would recognize the extraordinary desolation and correctly attribute it to the specific, direct action of Yahweh due to Israel’s corporate sin. This emphasizes that God's justice is not hidden but demonstrably clear, both to His people and to the watching world, safeguarding His holiness and covenant fidelity. It illustrates that disobedience has intergenerational and public consequences, affecting not just the immediate offenders but staining the reputation of God and His people for centuries.

• Example (Accountability): Just as children today might look back at environmental damage from previous generations and say, "This was caused by the unchecked pollution of our ancestors," future generations in Israel would lament the physical ruin of their land, pinpointing their ancestors' spiritual idolatry as the clear cause.
• Example (Witness): When nations observed Babylon destroying Jerusalem and deporting its inhabitants, prophets like Jeremiah recorded how they understood this was not simply political defeat, but the fulfillment of the Lord's curses for Israel's sin, becoming a testimony to God's justice.