Deuteronomy 30:1 kjv
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
Deuteronomy 30:1 nkjv
"Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you,
Deuteronomy 30:1 niv
When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations,
Deuteronomy 30:1 esv
"And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you,
Deuteronomy 30:1 nlt
"In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the LORD your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions.
Deuteronomy 30 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 28:15 | "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken..." | Precedes with the conditional curses |
| Deut 28:64 | "And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people..." | Prophecy of dispersion |
| Lev 26:40-42 | "...if they shall confess their iniquity... then will I remember" | Similar condition for remembrance/return |
| Lev 26:44-45 | "...when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast..." | God's enduring covenant faithfulness |
| 1 Ki 8:47-48 | "Yet if they shall bethink themselves... and repent..." | Solomon's prayer echoing Deut's conditions |
| Neh 1:8-9 | "Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst..." | Nehemiah recalling Deut. 30's promise |
| Jer 29:10-14 | "...after seventy years be accomplished... I will perform my good" | Prophecy of Babylonian exile & return |
| Jer 32:37 | "Behold, I will gather them out of all countries..." | God's future gathering of Israel |
| Ezek 11:16 | "...yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary..." | God's presence during exile |
| Ezek 36:24-27 | "For I will take you from among the heathen... and cleanse you" | Spiritual and physical restoration |
| Hos 3:4-5 | "...Children of Israel shall abide many days... afterward they return" | Prophecy of long exile and future return |
| Amos 9:8-9 | "...I will not utterly destroy... though I will sift..." | God's sovereign sifting, not destruction |
| Isa 11:11-12 | "...set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant..." | Future return from global dispersion |
| Isa 43:5-6 | "...fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed..." | God's assurance of bringing them back |
| Lk 15:17 | "And when he came to himself, he said..." | Parable of prodigal son's 'remembering' |
| Rom 2:15 | "...which shew the work of the law written in their hearts..." | Law on the heart, spiritual awareness |
| Rom 11:25-27 | "...until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in... all Israel" | Paul's teaching on Israel's future return |
| Heb 8:10 | "...I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts" | New Covenant internalizes the law |
| Jas 1:24-25 | "...he beholdeth himself... and straightway forgetteth... looketh into the perfect law..." | The importance of remembering God's word |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | "...if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." | God's faithfulness even in unfaithfulness |
Deuteronomy 30 verses
Deuteronomy 30 1 Meaning
Deuteronomy 30:1 begins a passage of hope and restoration, serving as a powerful counterpoint to the preceding chapters detailing severe curses for disobedience. It anticipates a future time when, after suffering the predicted exile among nations due to breaking the covenant, the Israelites will finally come to a profound realization and remembrance of God's commands and their consequences. This act of "calling to mind" signals the turning point towards repentance and ultimately, their return to the land promised by God.
Deuteronomy 30 1 Context
Deuteronomy 30:1 stands at the culmination of Moses' farewell addresses to the generation poised to enter the Promised Land. Chapters 28 and 29 meticulously detail the blessings for obedience and severe curses for disobedience, culminating in the warning of exile from the land and dispersion among foreign nations. This verse acts as a bridge, transitioning from the dire warnings to a prophecy of future hope and ultimate restoration. It underscores that God's covenant is not only about immediate obedience and consequence but also includes a pathway back, conditioned upon genuine repentance, even after the most severe judgments. The historical context is a covenant renewal ceremony on the plains of Moab, impressing upon the people the gravity of their choices and the long-term implications of their faithfulness or rebellion to their covenant-keeping God.
Deuteronomy 30 1 Word analysis
- And it shall come to pass (והיה - v'haya): Literally, "and it will be." This is a common Hebrew transitional phrase, often signaling the onset of an important, often prophetic, event that is a direct consequence of what has been previously stated. It emphasizes certainty and inevitability.
- when all these things (כי יבואו עליך כל הדברים האלה - ki yavou aleicha kol ha-devarim ha-eleh): Refers comprehensively to the entire array of curses and blessings outlined in Deut 28 and 29. "All these things" signifies that no element of God's revealed consequences will be overlooked; His words will be fully realized.
- the blessing and the curse (הברכה והקללה - ha-beracha v'ha-klala): These two diametrically opposed outcomes are central to the Mosaic covenant. They represent the consequences of either faithfulness or rebellion, presented as two clear paths God laid out. This highlights the concept of moral choice and divine justice, a polemic against beliefs in apathetic deities or deterministic fate.
- which I have set before thee (אשר נתתי לפניך - asher natati lefanekha): Emphasizes God's active role in revealing the covenant terms explicitly and fairly. The choice and its consequences were not hidden but clearly presented for Israel to choose.
- and thou shalt call them to mind (והשבות אל לבבך - v'heshavota el levavekha): This is a pivotal phrase. It means "to bring back to your heart" or "to turn back to your mind." It's not merely intellectual recollection but deep, internal reflection, realization, and recognition of the covenant and their failure. This "remembering" is synonymous with repentance and a change of spiritual direction, essential for restoration.
- among all the nations (בכל הגוים - b'khol ha-goyim): Points to the severity and global extent of their predicted exile and dispersion. It underscores the public, worldwide nature of God's judgment and ultimately, His restorative power.
- whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee (אשר הדיחך יהוה אלהיך שמה - asher hidikha YHWH Eloheykha shamah): Clearly asserts that God, the LORD (YHWH) their covenant God (Eloheyka), is the one who orchestrates and permits this exile. It's not a random historical event but divine judgment and discipline, affirming His sovereignty over human affairs and His ongoing relationship with Israel even in judgment. This serves as a strong counterpoint to the idea that defeat in battle or dispersion means their god has been defeated; here, their God is the active agent of their dispersal.
Deuteronomy 30 1 Bonus section
This verse highlights the prophetic nature of Deuteronomy, reaching far beyond Moses' immediate audience to foresee the entire history of Israel's relationship with God, including periods of faithfulness, rebellion, judgment, and eventual restoration. It demonstrates the enduring faithfulness of God to His covenant promises, even when His people are unfaithful. While God allows for judgment, His ultimate intention is not destruction but a redemptive process leading to renewed fellowship. This verse also contains echoes of what later biblical theology would call "rejoice in the land of their captivity," the concept that genuine spiritual revival often occurs in places of hardship and desperation, prompting a turning to God.
Deuteronomy 30 1 Commentary
Deuteronomy 30:1 opens with a prophetic conditional clause, outlining the circumstances under which God’s promise of return would be activated. It portrays a scene of deep reflection and profound memory—a "coming to their senses"—after the painful experience of the full blessings (experienced historically, or imagined as a past glory) and curses (experienced acutely during exile) described in previous chapters. The term "call them to mind" goes beyond mere mental recall; it implies a profound spiritual awakening, a turning of the heart to acknowledge both God’s justice in their judgment and His mercy in His covenant promises. This internal transformation, which takes place "among all the nations" to which they are scattered by God's own hand, marks the prerequisite for the divine process of repentance and eventual return detailed in subsequent verses. It serves as a foundational declaration of God's justice, mercy, and faithfulness, illustrating that even in judgment, His covenantal purpose remains.
- Example for Practical Usage: Imagine a believer who has strayed far from God's commands and experienced natural consequences or spiritual "exile" (isolation, emptiness). Deut 30:1 implies that when the weight of these consequences leads them to deeply reflect and remember God's warnings and His path, true repentance begins, paving the way for spiritual restoration.