Deuteronomy 32 7

Deuteronomy 32:7 kjv

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.

Deuteronomy 32:7 nkjv

"Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; Your elders, and they will tell you:

Deuteronomy 32:7 niv

Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.

Deuteronomy 32:7 esv

Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.

Deuteronomy 32:7 nlt

Remember the days of long ago;
think about the generations past.
Ask your father, and he will inform you.
Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you.

Deuteronomy 32 verses

Deuteronomy 32 7 Meaning

Deuteronomy 32:7 instructs the people of Israel to deeply consider and reflect upon God's historical dealings with them from ancient times, across multiple generations. It emphasizes seeking wisdom and knowledge from their fathers and community elders, who serve as vital conduits for preserving and transmitting the nation's spiritual heritage and understanding of God's works and ways. This commandment underscores the importance of learning from the past to understand the present and guide the future, ensuring faithfulness to God's covenant.

Deuteronomy 32 7 Context

Deuteronomy 32:7 is part of the "Song of Moses" (Deut 32:1-43), a prophetic and poetic composition delivered by Moses just before his death. This song serves as a covenant lawsuit and a witness against Israel, foretelling their future rebellion and the consequences, while also affirming God's ultimate faithfulness and redemption. The call to remember in verse 7 serves to anchor the nation's identity in God's historical actions on their behalf.

The broader context of Deuteronomy is a series of Moses' farewell addresses to the second generation of Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. It reiterates the Mosaic Law, emphasizing obedience born out of love for God. Historically and culturally, oral tradition was paramount in ancient Near Eastern societies for transmitting crucial knowledge, history, laws, and religious practices. Fathers and elders were the primary custodians of this heritage. This verse stands in subtle polemic against the tendencies toward short-sightedness and spiritual amnesia, which often led surrounding nations to discard ancestral wisdom for immediate gratification or shifting allegiances to new deities. For Israel, their history with Yahweh was their unique foundation, unlike the mutable mythologies of their pagan neighbors.

Deuteronomy 32 7 Word analysis

• Remember (זָכוֹר, zakhor): This is not merely intellectual recall or a casual thought. In Hebrew, "remember" often implies an active engagement, a call to reflect upon, consider deeply, and act in response to what is remembered. It means to keep something alive and present in one's mind, ready for application.
• The days of old (יְמוֹת עוֹלָם, y'mot olam): Literally "days of eternity" or "ancient days." This refers to a distant, foundational past—God's earliest interactions with Abraham, the exodus from Egypt, and the wilderness journey. It stresses the enduring nature of God's deeds throughout history.
• Consider (בִּינוּ, binu): From the root meaning "to understand," "to discern," or "to perceive with insight." This word goes beyond simple recall; it demands careful thought, contemplation, and drawing out the deeper meaning or implications of past events. It implies understanding the 'why' and 'how' of God's dealings.
• The years of many generations (שְׁנוֹת דּוֹר וָדוֹר, sh'not dor va dor): Literally "years of generation and generation." This emphasizes the continuous, unfolding narrative of God's covenant faithfulness and human response over successive human lifetimes. It highlights the accumulated wisdom and experience of an entire lineage.
• Ask thy father (שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ, sh'al avicha): "Ask" implies seeking instruction or authoritative information. The "father" represents the immediate patriarch, the head of the household, responsible for the primary transmission of faith and history within the family unit.
• And he will shew thee (וְיַגֵּדְךָ, v'yaggedkha): Literally "and he will declare to you" or "tell you." This highlights the active role of the father in teaching and recounting the historical acts of God. It implies authoritative communication and passing on foundational truths.
• Thy elders (זְקֵנֶיךָ, z'keneicha): Refers to the "old ones" or the respected, experienced leaders and wise individuals within the community. Elders represented not only advanced age but also accumulated wisdom, discernment, and communal authority derived from their knowledge of tradition and experience with God.
• And they will tell thee (וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ, v'yomru lakh): This phrase reiterates the active role of teaching, conveying knowledge, and providing guidance. The elders' testimony complements the father's instruction, broadening the scope of historical and theological understanding from the family to the wider community.

Words-group analysis:

• "Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations": This pairing uses synonymous parallelism to emphasize a deep and abiding reflection on Israel's history with God. It moves from general historical reflection ("days of old") to the specific transmission across family lines ("years of many generations"). The shift from "remember" (action, retention) to "consider" (discernment, understanding) implies an escalating depth of engagement with the past.
• "Ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee": This highlights the twin pillars of oral tradition in ancient Israel: the family unit and the community leadership. It emphasizes the importance of both paternal and communal wisdom for grasping the covenantal history. The verbs "shew" (declarative, illustrative) and "tell" (informative, interpretive) collectively depict a comprehensive transfer of knowledge.

Deuteronomy 32 7 Bonus section

The injunction in Deuteronomy 32:7 is fundamentally a safeguard against spiritual amnesia. In an era without widespread literacy, memory and oral tradition were critical for maintaining identity and religious continuity. Forgetting the "days of old" was not merely a loss of historical facts; it was a rejection of the covenant and an invitation to idolatry, treating Yahweh as merely one deity among many or irrelevant. This emphasis on remembering God's actions in history forms a key distinction between Israel's faith and the cyclical myths or fleeting cults of surrounding nations. Their God was a God of specific, verifiable historical interventions, not just an abstract force. The Song of Moses itself, delivered publicly, served as part of this corporate memory, a future reminder when Israel would inevitably stray. This verse, therefore, promotes active engagement with a living historical faith.

Deuteronomy 32 7 Commentary

Deuteronomy 32:7 is a profound call to historical consciousness and intergenerational spiritual education. Moses, acting as a prophet, urges Israel not to forget their unique history as God's covenant people. Their identity, purpose, and relationship with Yahweh are inextricably linked to God's past actions – His deliverance, provision, judgment, and unwavering faithfulness. This historical recollection is not mere nostalgia but a foundation for present obedience and future hope. By actively remembering and contemplating God's deeds across generations, Israel could discern God's character, understand His law, and learn from the successes and failures of their ancestors.

The verse identifies the critical agents of this transmission: fathers and elders. This highlights the vital role of family and community in spiritual formation. The father's duty to instruct his children (Deut 6:7) is echoed here, reinforcing the home as the primary seminary for faith. The elders, embodying accumulated wisdom and collective memory, further solidify this transmission within the wider community, ensuring continuity and authority. Their witness guards against misinterpretations or forgetfulness that could lead to apostasy. The ultimate goal is to foster a people rooted in the reality of God's historical interaction with them, understanding that their future depends on remembering the one true God who brought them out of Egypt and established them as His own.