Deuteronomy 30:2 kjv
And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
Deuteronomy 30:2 nkjv
and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deuteronomy 30:2 niv
and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,
Deuteronomy 30:2 esv
and return to the LORD your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deuteronomy 30:2 nlt
If at that time you and your children return to the LORD your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today,
Deuteronomy 30 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Dt 6:5 | "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart..." | The core command from which this verse builds. |
| Lev 26:40-42 | "If they confess their iniquity... then I will remember my covenant..." | Conditions for national repentance and return. |
| 1 Ki 8:47-48 | "if they repent in the land... and return to You with all their heart..." | Solomon's prayer foreseeing repentance in exile. |
| Neh 1:9 | "But if you return to Me and keep My commandments..." | God's promise of restoration upon return. |
| Ps 78:6 | "That the generation to come might know them, the children yet unborn..." | Importance of passing commands to next gen. |
| Ps 95:7b-8 | "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." | The immediacy of God's call to obey His voice. |
| Isa 55:7 | "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord..." | A call to genuine turning/repentance. |
| Jer 29:13 | "You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." | God responds to sincere seeking. |
| Joel 2:12-13 | "Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart... and turn to the Lord your God." | Urgent call to repent from the heart. |
| Ezek 11:19-20 | "I will give them one heart... that they may walk in My statutes..." | God enabling obedience with a new heart. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | "I will give you a new heart... and cause you to walk in My statutes..." | God's divine provision for internal obedience. |
| Hos 6:1 | "Come, let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, that He may heal us..." | Encouragement to return for healing. |
| Zec 1:3 | "Therefore say to them, 'Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me... and I will return to you.'" | Mutuality of return between God and His people. |
| Mal 3:7 | "Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the Lord of hosts." | A final call for Israel to return. |
| Mt 22:37-38 | "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul..." | Jesus quoting Deut 6:5, core of the Law. |
| Lk 11:28 | "But He said, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'" | Blessedness of hearing and obeying God's word. |
| Acts 3:19 | "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away..." | Apostolic call to repentance and conversion. |
| Rom 2:29 | "...circumcision is that of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter..." | True transformation is internal, spiritual. |
| Rom 11:26-27 | "And in this way all Israel will be saved... when I take away their sins." | Prophetic hope for future salvation of Israel. |
| Heb 3:7-8 | "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." | Warning against delayed obedience to God's voice. |
| Jas 1:22 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only..." | Practical call for active obedience. |
Deuteronomy 30 verses
Deuteronomy 30 2 Meaning
Deuteronomy 30:2 describes a future point where, after facing the consequences of disobedience, the people of Israel will turn back to the Lord their God. This turning is characterized by active obedience to all His commands, expressed through deep, heartfelt devotion and commitment that extends to both the present generation and their descendants. It emphasizes a complete transformation of heart and will, demonstrating genuine repentance and re-alignment with God's covenant requirements.
Deuteronomy 30 2 Context
Deuteronomy 30:2 is nestled within Moses' concluding address to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. Chapters 28 and 29 meticulously detail the blessings for obedience to the covenant and the severe curses and future exile that would result from disobedience. Chapter 29 reiterates the covenant, predicting that Israel would eventually break it and be scattered. Deuteronomy 30, therefore, is a profound message of hope and restoration. It paints a picture of future repentance, foretelling that even after exile and scattering (Deut 30:1), if Israel genuinely turns back to God with full heart and soul, He will mercifully gather them, restore them to their land, and grant them a transformed heart to obey Him perfectly. Verse 2 is the essential human action that precedes God's promised restoration.
Deuteronomy 30 2 Word analysis
- and return: The Hebrew word is וְשַׁבְתָּ֣ (ve-shavta), from the root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning to turn, turn back, or repent. It signifies a profound change of direction, a spiritual conversion or re-orientation back towards God. It's not a mere physical return to a place, but a turning of the will and affections. This "turning" is foundational in both Old and New Testaments for reconciliation with God.
- to the Lord your God: Hebrew עַד־יְהוָה֮ אֱלֹהֶיךָ֒ (`ad Yahweh Eloheicha). "Yahweh" (the Lord) is the personal covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and specific relationship with Israel. "Eloheicha" (your God) underscores the personal and intimate nature of this covenant. The turning is directed specifically to the covenant-making God of Israel.
- and obey: Hebrew וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֣ (ve-shama`ta), from the root שָׁמַע (shama`), meaning to hear, listen, or obey. In biblical Hebrew, hearing often implies active, obedient response, not just passive reception of sound. It implies an internal agreement that leads to external compliance.
- His voice: Hebrew בְּקֹלוֹ (beqolō), referring to the directives, commands, and communication of God Himself, usually through His revealed Law.
- according to all that I command you today: Hebrew כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אָנֹכִ֖י מְצַוְּךָ֣ הַיּ֑וֹם (kekol asher anokhi metzavveka hayyom). "All" (kol) highlights the comprehensive nature of the required obedience – it is not partial or selective. "I" (anokhi) refers to Moses, acting as God's representative in delivering the divine commands. "Today" (hayyom) emphasizes the immediacy and relevance of these commands for the generation present, and by extension, for all future generations who would stand under this covenant.
- you and your children: Hebrew אַתָּ֣ה וּבָנֶ֗יךָ (attah uvaneicha). This phrase extends the responsibility and the blessings/curses of the covenant across generations. It highlights the familial and communal nature of the covenant and the imperative of training the next generation in God's ways.
- with all your heart: Hebrew בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֙ (bekol-levavkha). The "heart" (levav) in Hebrew thought is not merely the seat of emotions, but the center of intellect, will, decision-making, and inner character. "All your heart" implies complete inner commitment, intellectual assent, and a whole-hearted desire to serve God.
- and with all your soul: Hebrew וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ (uvekhol-nafshekha). The "soul" (nefesh) refers to one's life, vital breath, desires, and being itself. "All your soul" means dedicating one's entire existence, passion, energy, and deepest affections to God. Together, "heart" and "soul" denote total, unreserved, and holistic devotion, covering the entire internal and external being.
Deuteronomy 30 2 Bonus section
Deuteronomy 30:2 is closely linked to Deuteronomy 30:6, which states, "And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." This connection is crucial, as verse 6 explains how the radical obedience and devotion described in verse 2 become possible. The human act of "returning" (v. 2) is met by God's transformative work of "circumcising the heart" (v. 6), enabling the very love and obedience that is commanded. This shows the interplay between human responsibility and divine enabling grace in the covenant relationship. This passage is also significant because it foretells the eventual spiritual transformation of Israel in the latter days, pointing to a new covenant (Jer 31) where God's law would be written on hearts, an inward change that empowers true obedience.
Deuteronomy 30 2 Commentary
Deuteronomy 30:2 presents a profound picture of repentance and restoration. It is the human side of a divine promise: if Israel, having experienced the consequences of disobedience and dispersion, chooses to turn wholeheartedly back to Yahweh their covenant God, genuinely heeding His commands in their entirety, then restoration will follow. The verse's power lies in its emphasis on radical, internal change, reflected in outward action. It's a call not to superficial compliance, but to a total redirection of one's entire being – mind, will, affections, and life-force – towards God and His ways. This commitment extends beyond the individual to encompass the entire family, underscoring the communal and generational nature of Israel's relationship with God. This verse functions as a timeless blueprint for authentic turning to God, applicable to both nations and individuals seeking renewed fellowship with the Divine.