Deuteronomy 31 21

Deuteronomy 31:21 kjv

And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

Deuteronomy 31:21 nkjv

Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them."

Deuteronomy 31:21 niv

And when many disasters and calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath."

Deuteronomy 31:21 esv

And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give."

Deuteronomy 31:21 nlt

And when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them, for it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know the intentions of these people, even now before they have entered the land I swore to give them."

Deuteronomy 31 verses

Deuteronomy 31 21 Meaning

Deuteronomy 31:21 is a powerful prophetic statement affirming God's omniscience regarding Israel's future apostasy. It declares that when divine judgment—in the form of severe troubles and evils—comes upon the nation due to their rebellion, the divinely inspired song given to them will serve as an irrefutable witness against them. This song, explicitly commanded to be taught to their descendants, will endure through generations, proving God's prior knowledge of their inherent inclination to stray from the covenant, even before they fully inhabit the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 31 21 Context

This verse is situated in Deuteronomy chapter 31, which marks Moses' final acts before his death and Israel's entry into the Promised Land. Having renewed the covenant, exhorted the people to obey, and commissioned Joshua as his successor, Moses is commanded by God to write down the words of "this song" (chapter 32). This song serves a specific prophetic and evidentiary purpose: to stand as a perpetual witness against Israel's predictable future apostasy. The historical context is critical—Israel stands poised at the threshold of Canaan, having witnessed God's mighty acts, yet God already knows the rebellious inclination of their hearts that will lead them astray once they are settled in the land and forget their deliverer. This reveals God's perfect knowledge, not just of events, but of the very 'purpose' or 'inclination' of their inner being.

Deuteronomy 31 21 Word analysis

• "many evils and troubles": Hebrew: hara'ot harabbot v'hatzarot (הָרָעוֹת הָרַבּוֹת וְהַצָּרוֹת). Hara'ot means "the evils," "the calamities" or "the disasters." Rabbot means "many" or "great." Tzarot means "distresses," "afflictions," or "tribulations." This phrase highlights not a singular difficulty, but a series of profound and diverse hardships that would overwhelm them, indicative of the severe and extensive judgments predicted in the covenant curses (Deut 28; Lev 26).
• "this song": Hebrew: hashshirah hazzot (הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת). This refers specifically to the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 32. In ancient Israel, songs were powerful didactic and mnemonic tools, easily memorized and passed down. This song is uniquely divinely ordained for a specific, prophetic purpose.
• "shall confront them": Hebrew: ta'aneh (תַּעֲנֶה). This verb means "it shall answer," "respond," or "testify against." The song isn't merely a passive record; it actively rises up against them in their time of distress, acting as an indictment and a self-indictment. It signifies the song speaking authoritatively to their guilt.
• "as a witness": Hebrew: le'ed (לְעֵד). This emphasizes the song's legal and testimonial function. In a covenantal context, a witness affirms the terms and provides irrefutable evidence. The song stands as God's eternal witness, testifying to His prior declaration of their future unfaithfulness, thus justifying the consequences they face.
• "it will not be forgotten out of the mouths of their offspring": Hebrew: ki lo tisshakach mippi zar'o (כִּי לֹא תִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ). This is a divine guarantee of the song's perpetual remembrance. Even as Israel would spiritually "forget" God, this prophetic song detailing their forgetting would remain known, ensuring the witness's enduring power and accountability across generations. "Offspring" implies a lasting, collective memory and responsibility.
• "for I know": Hebrew: ki yada'ti (כִּי יָדַעְתִּי). A declaration of God's absolute omniscience. He is not merely predicting based on historical patterns, but stating what He already inherently knows as the sovereign, all-knowing God. This underscores His supreme knowledge and that their future rebellion is no surprise to Him.
• "the purposes that they are already forming": Hebrew: et yetzer machshavto (אֶת־יֵצֶר מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ). Yetzer is a crucial term, meaning "inclination," "imagination," "device," or "formation." It refers to the deep, inner disposition or underlying bent of the human heart. This phrase echoes Gen 6:5 ("every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually") and Gen 8:21 ("the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth"). God is discerning the deep, inner "shaping" or "forming" of evil intent within them even now, before they even experience the full blessings of the land. This speaks to the ingrained tendency towards idolatry and rebellion within their hearts from the outset.
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "when many evils and troubles have come upon them": This anticipates the consequences of their disobedience described in the covenant curses. It speaks to a future state where God's just judgments are unmistakably manifest, driven by their actions.
  • "this song shall confront them as a witness": The song, which Moses is commanded to write, becomes a legal document, a testimony that speaks against Israel's actions, demonstrating God's justice and foresight. Its power lies in its direct and active accusation.
  • "for it will not be forgotten out of the mouths of their offspring": This clause assures the permanence of the witness. The song's enduring presence in Israel's collective memory means they cannot claim ignorance of God's warnings or the reasons for their afflictions. It is a memory tool designed for self-conviction.
  • "for I know the purposes that they are already forming, before I bring them into the land": This reveals the ultimate ground for the song's existence and purpose: God's divine foreknowledge. He knows the innate rebellious inclination of their heart (yetzer) even before they receive the full blessing of the land. This underscores that their apostasy is not merely a reaction to adverse circumstances but a deeply rooted inclination existing even in prosperity, which validates the subsequent divine judgment.

Deuteronomy 31 21 Bonus section

The yetzer concept in this verse is crucial for understanding the biblical view of human sin. It implies that rebellion is not merely an outward act or situational weakness but originates from an ingrained, internal disposition or "bent" of the human heart toward sin, even when God's blessings are poured out. This deep insight into the human condition highlights the need for divine intervention to truly transform the heart. Furthermore, the commanded perpetuation of the song through "offspring" signifies God's insistence on historical memory and collective responsibility within the covenant, ensuring that the lessons of faithfulness and the consequences of apostasy are transmitted across generations, providing both warning and a call to return. This also points forward to the New Covenant, where God promises to replace the stony heart with a new one and write His law on their hearts, addressing the root problem of the yetzer.

Deuteronomy 31 21 Commentary

Deuteronomy 31:21 profoundly illustrates God's perfect foreknowledge and His commitment to justice within His covenant relationship with Israel. God, omnisciently, perceives the deep, intrinsic inclination (the yetzer) of Israel's heart to stray from Him, even before they enter and possess the Promised Land. This prophetic verse foretells that when severe judgments inevitably befall Israel due to their unfaithfulness, the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32) will stand as an active, perpetual witness against them. This witness serves multiple purposes: it justifies God's disciplinary actions by demonstrating His prior knowledge of their rebellion, prevents Israel from claiming ignorance as an excuse, and serves as a powerful reminder of their covenant obligations, offering a potential path to repentance. It underscores that disobedience does not surprise God, and His righteous plans account for human failings, providing both predictive revelation and a foundation for accountability.