Deuteronomy 4 26

Deuteronomy 4:26 kjv

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 4:26 nkjv

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed.

Deuteronomy 4:26 niv

I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 4:26 esv

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed.

Deuteronomy 4:26 nlt

"Today I call on heaven and earth as witnesses against you. If you break my covenant, you will quickly disappear from the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will live there only a short time; then you will be utterly destroyed.

Deuteronomy 4 verses

Deuteronomy 4 26 Meaning

This verse serves as a solemn declaration of divine judgment against Israel, emphasizing the certainty and swiftness of their utter destruction and expulsion from the Promised Land if they turn away from God and His covenant. It acts as a severe warning of the consequences of disobedience, specifically idolatry, stating that their tenure in the land they are about to enter will be tragically cut short.

Deuteronomy 4 26 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 4 is part of Moses's first great discourse to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, delivered just before they enter the Promised Land. This chapter functions as a strong exhortation for the people to remain faithful to God's covenant, recalling the revelation at Mount Horeb (Sinai) and warning them against idolatry. Verses 25-31 specifically describe the consequences of adopting idolatrous practices once they settle in Canaan. Verse 26, therefore, stands as a dire pronouncement of judgment, vividly outlining the catastrophic outcome—utter destruction and expulsion—if they abandon the Lord, reinforcing the conditional nature of their continued possession of the land.

Deuteronomy 4 26 Word analysis

• I call heaven and earth to witness: The Hebrew for "call to witness" is עוּד (ud), meaning to protest, bear witness, or admonish. The phrase שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ (shamayim va'aretz, heaven and earth) evokes a solemn legal or covenantal oath, common in ancient Near Eastern treaties. Unlike human witnesses who might fail, heaven and earth are God's enduring creations, incapable of error or omission. This highlights the absolute certainty and irreversible nature of the coming judgment, serving as a cosmic attestation to the binding character of the covenant. God Himself invokes His creation as guarantors, signifying His sovereign power and the immutability of His decrees.

• against you this day: The phrase הַיּוֹם (hayyom, this day) emphasizes the present moment, imbuing it with extreme urgency and solemnity. It underscores that this warning is immediate and directly applies to the current generation, making their choices critically significant for their future. It is a decisive point in their history, a foundational moment of covenant renewal.

• soon utterly perish: The Hebrew uses a strong intensifying double verb construction for "perish": אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן (abod to'vedun, literally "perishing, you will perish") along with מַהֵר (maher, quickly, soon). This indicates an inescapable, swift, and total destruction or disappearance. It signifies not just loss of life but the disintegration of their unique status as God's people in the land. This contrasts sharply with the promise of "long life" repeatedly given to the obedient.

• from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it: This precisely defines the theater of judgment: the very land they are on the cusp of possessing. The irony is poignant; they are to be driven out of the place they fought to acquire, the land promised as an inheritance. This highlights the conditional nature of their tenure in Canaan, dependent entirely on covenant faithfulness.

• ye shall not prolong your days upon it: This phrase לֹא תַאֲרִיכוּן יָמִים עָלֶיהָ (lo ta'arikun yamim aleyha, not prolong days upon it) is the direct negation of one of the covenant's chief blessings—living long and prospering in the land (e.g., Deu 4:40, 5:16). Their stay will be abruptly cut short, marking a divine reversal of blessing due to disobedience.

• but shall utterly be destroyed: Another intense double verb for destruction, הִשָּׁמֵד תִּשָּׁמֵדוּן (hishshamed tishshamedun, "destroying, you will be destroyed"), confirming the completeness and finality of their desolation. This is not mere scattering but a comprehensive ruin, reflecting the gravity of forsaking their Creator and entering into idolatry.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day": This constitutes a legalistic and covenantal indictment, signaling an immediate and incontrovertible divine verdict. By calling cosmic entities as witnesses, God declares the unbreakable validity and public accountability of His covenant, indicating the absolute certainty of His pronouncement. It underscores that the judgment is just and universally acknowledged.
  • "that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed": This entire phrase functions as a compound curse, a stark antithesis to the blessings of possessing and dwelling in the land for many generations. The repeated emphasis on "utterly perish" and "utterly be destroyed" through rhetorical double-verb constructions amplifies the intensity and comprehensiveness of the impending destruction and expulsion. The "not prolong your days" specifically reverses the core covenantal blessing of longevity in the land, underlining that disobedience directly undermines the very foundation of their national existence in the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 4 26 Bonus section

The concept of heaven and earth as witnesses is found throughout Scripture, indicating an enduring record of human actions and divine pronouncements. This particular warning foreshadowed centuries of Israelite history, providing the theological framework for understanding their later expulsions from the land. It wasn't merely a consequence of military defeat but a direct result of covenantal infidelity. The emphasis on "utterly perish" and "utterly be destroyed" also speaks to the profound spiritual destruction inherent in idolatry, which disconnects a people from the true source of life and blessing, leading to their demise not only physically but culturally and spiritually. This verse highlights the profound connection between obedience, presence in the land, and the very identity and purpose of Israel.

Deuteronomy 4 26 Commentary

Deuteronomy 4:26 issues one of the Bible's most severe conditional warnings, forming a cornerstone of Israel's covenant with God. Moses's calling heaven and earth to witness underscores the divine authority and unwavering certainty of this decree. It emphasizes that Israel's possession of the land is not absolute but entirely contingent on their fidelity to the Mosaic covenant. The repeated use of strong, emphatic verbs for "perish" and "destroy" reveals the complete and devastating nature of the judgment awaiting them should they engage in idolatry. This prophetic warning found historical fulfillment multiple times, notably in the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, where Israel was indeed cast out of the land. The verse thus serves as a powerful reminder of God's holy character, the gravity of sin, and the conditional aspects of Old Covenant blessings, where covenant breaking inevitably leads to curses and the loss of what was promised for obedience.