Deuteronomy 30 6

Deuteronomy 30:6 kjv

And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Deuteronomy 30:6 nkjv

And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Deuteronomy 30:6 niv

The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.

Deuteronomy 30:6 esv

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.

Deuteronomy 30:6 nlt

"The LORD your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!

Deuteronomy 30 verses

Deuteronomy 30 6 Meaning

Deuteronomy 30:6 conveys a profound prophetic promise from God that He Himself will perform a spiritual transformation upon the hearts of His people, Israel, and their descendants. This divine act of "circumcising the heart" is an internal renewal, making their inner being fully receptive to God's love and commands. The ultimate purpose of this transformation is to enable them to truly and wholly love the Lord their God with every fiber of their being, leading to genuine spiritual life and the covenant blessings that come from faithful devotion.

Deuteronomy 30 6 Context

Deuteronomy 30:6 is situated within Moses' final exhortation to Israel before their entry into the Promised Land. Chapters 28 and 29 meticulously detail the blessings for obedience and severe curses for disobedience, culminating in warnings of exile and scattering. Deuteronomy 30, however, shifts from the conditional warnings to a message of hope and divine initiative. It promises that even if Israel experiences the predicted dispersion due to unfaithfulness (Deut 30:1), their eventual repentance will lead to restoration. Verse 6 stands out as a unique and critical prophecy within this restoration context. While previous verses in Deuteronomy (e.g., 10:16) had commanded Israel to "circumcise their hearts" – implying a human responsibility for inner change – verse 6 unequivocally states that "the Lord your God will circumcise your heart." This highlights a pivotal shift: a future divine action to bring about the inner transformation that Israel was repeatedly unable to accomplish on its own, ensuring their capacity to love and obey God wholeheartedly. This prophecy looks beyond Israel's contemporary failure under the Law to God's ultimate gracious provision for their full covenant devotion and blessed life.

Deuteronomy 30 6 Word analysis

• (ul)

  • And the Lord your God (וּמָל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - uMal YHWH Eloheykha): "YHWH Eloheykha" signifies the covenant-keeping God of Israel, personally connected to them. The conjunction "And" connects this divine action directly to the previous verses speaking of restoration, emphasizing God's direct, future intervention.
  • will circumcise (וּמָל - uMal): A powerful future tense verb, indicating an active, sovereign, and definite work of God. It directly counters the call for human self-circumcision of the heart mentioned elsewhere, signifying that this ultimate transformation is entirely a divine act. The verb is often associated with the removal of an impediment.
  • your heart (אֶת־לְבָבְךָ - et-levavkha): The Hebrew word "levav" (or "lev") is more comprehensive than the English "heart." It refers to the totality of the inner being – the seat of intellect, will, emotions, conscience, and moral character. It represents the core of one's being and the source of decision-making.
  • and the heart of your offspring (וְאֶת־לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ - v'et-levav zarekha): This extends the promise beyond the current generation to future generations. It underscores the generational nature of God's covenant faithfulness and His long-term plan for Israel, implying an enduring spiritual legacy.
  • so that you will love (לְאַהֲבָה - l'ahavah): The Hebrew word "ahavah" (love) denotes not merely an emotion but loyal devotion, active obedience, and deep commitment stemming from an inner inclination. This phrase reveals the purpose of the heart's circumcision.
  • the Lord your God (אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - et-YHWH Eloheykha): Reiterates the covenant relationship and the specific object of their empowered love.
  • with all your heart (בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ - b'khol-levavkha): "B'khol" means "with all." Emphasizes the totality and completeness of this love, stemming from the entirely renewed inner being.
  • and with all your soul (וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ - u'vkhol-nafshekha): "Nafesh" (soul) can refer to life breath, vital essence, personal self, desire, and life force. Coupled with "heart," it signifies loving God with the whole of one's person, every aspect of life and vitality. This echoes the Shema.
  • that you may live (לְמַעַן חַיֶּיךָ - l'ma'an chayeyka): The ultimate result or goal. This "life" is not just physical existence, but true spiritual vitality, thriving in a covenant relationship with God, leading to abundant blessings and ultimate well-being. It is life in its fullest sense, both here and eternally.

• (ul)

  • "circumcise your heart": This metaphorical command/promise points to the removal of spiritual hardness, stubbornness, or resistance to God's will. Just as physical circumcision set Israel apart physically, spiritual circumcision marks an inward setting apart for God, removing the 'foreskin' of an unregenerate, disobedient will. It signifies a decisive separation from sin and a radical reorientation toward God.
  • "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul": This phrasing mirrors the Shema (Deut 6:5), the foundational commandment for Israel. Its repetition here underscores that the purpose of the divine heart-circumcision is to empower genuine, holistic obedience and loyal devotion that the human will, on its own, was incapable of sustaining. It points to a grace-empowered ability to fulfill the greatest commandment.

Deuteronomy 30 6 Bonus section

This verse foreshadows the necessity of spiritual rebirth and the role of the Holy Spirit. While physical circumcision was a sign of the Old Covenant, it could not change the heart's natural bent towards sin. This prophetic promise in Deut 30:6 is taken up significantly by New Testament authors who highlight that the New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34, Ezek 36:26-27) is precisely God's gracious fulfillment of this ancient promise. The "circumcision of Christ" or "circumcision made without hands" (Col 2:11) is understood as the spiritual cleansing and heart-renewal brought about by the Holy Spirit when a person puts their faith in Jesus Christ. It marks the shift from external rituals to internal transformation. This means that loving God with a whole heart, which was commanded under the Old Covenant but enabled by God only under the New, is now a reality for all who are "in Christ" through the Spirit. The verse thereby acts as a theological bridge between the Law's demands and the Spirit's empowerment.

Deuteronomy 30 6 Commentary

Deuteronomy 30:6 is a pivotal verse, moving beyond the conditional framework of the Old Covenant and providing a prophetic glimpse into the New Covenant. Moses foresees a time when God will accomplish what Israel could not: perform an internal transformation of the heart. This "circumcision of the heart" is God's initiative to change the very disposition of His people, replacing their hardened, rebellious hearts with soft, receptive ones that are inclined to Him. The immediate and profound result is the capacity to genuinely love the Lord God with all their being—intellect, will, emotions, and strength—a love rooted not in external compulsion but internal inclination. This divine work is not just for Israel, but also for their "offspring," emphasizing a generational covenant faithfulness. The ultimate purpose, "that you may live," speaks to true spiritual life, not merely physical existence, but an abundant, flourishing life lived in communion with God and obedience to His commands. This verse underscores the human inability to fully obey without divine enablement and points to the necessity of spiritual regeneration (as fulfilled in Christ through the Holy Spirit) to achieve true righteousness and intimate communion with God.