Deuteronomy 6 11

Deuteronomy 6:11 kjv

And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;

Deuteronomy 6:11 nkjv

houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant? when you have eaten and are full?

Deuteronomy 6:11 niv

houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant?then when you eat and are satisfied,

Deuteronomy 6:11 esv

and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant ? and when you eat and are full,

Deuteronomy 6:11 nlt

The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land,

Deuteronomy 6 verses

Deuteronomy 6 11 Meaning

Deuteronomy 6:11 describes the abundant, pre-existing provisions that the Israelites would inherit upon entering the Promised Land. It signifies God's lavish and unmerited blessing, as they would possess houses, cisterns, vineyards, and olive groves without having built, dug, or planted them. This verse establishes a context of divine grace and prepares the listener for the subsequent warning against forgetting the Benefactor amidst such prosperity.

Deuteronomy 6 11 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 6 begins with the fundamental call to love the Lord with all one's being (the Shema) and diligently teach His commands to future generations. Verse 11, following this, vividly portrays the abundant life awaiting Israel in Canaan. Moses recounts the nature of the Promised Land as one overflowing with blessings, which would be given to Israel not through their prior effort, but by divine grace. This sets up the critical warning in the subsequent verses (especially v. 12) about the temptation that comes with prosperity: the danger of forgetting the Lord God, their Provider and Deliverer. Historically, this promise assured a desert-weary generation that they would inherit a developed, rich land previously inhabited by Canaanites. This served as a subtle polemic against the polytheistic beliefs of the Canaanites who attributed the land's fertility and resources to local deities like Baal; instead, Yahweh, the one true God, was the sole and supreme provider of all blessings.

Deuteronomy 6 11 Word analysis

• houses: בָּתִּים (battim).
  • Signifies established, permanent dwellings, not temporary tents.
  • Suggests a settled, civilized way of life already provided for them.
• full of all good things: כָּל־טוּב (kol-tov).
  • Implies complete provision, not just basic shelter but abundance.
  • Encompasses household goods, furniture, food, and various comforts.
  • Highlights the comprehensiveness and quality of the inherited wealth.
• which you did not fill:
  • Emphasizes the lack of effort from the Israelites' side.
  • They did not labor to furnish or stock these homes; God supplied them ready-made.
• cisterns hewn out: בֹּרֹת חֲצוּבִים (borot hatzuvim).
  • Cisterns are rock-cut underground reservoirs, crucial for storing precious rainwater in arid regions.
  • "Hewn out" highlights the immense, laborious, and skilled work required over time to construct them.
  • These are vital long-term investments for water security in the land.
• which you did not hew:
  • Reiterates that the arduous, painstaking labor of constructing these essential water systems was not theirs.
  • Underscores the grace of receiving fundamental infrastructure without sweat.
• vineyards and olive trees: כְּרָמִים וּזֵיתִים (k'ramim u'zeitim).
  • Represent major agricultural assets of the region, signifying wealth and settled life.
  • Vineyards and especially olive groves take years, even decades, to mature and become fully productive.
  • These are symbols of long-term economic stability and sustenance.
• which you did not plant:
  • Stresses that Israel did not undergo the initial, waiting period or the diligent cultivation required.
  • They inherited fully grown, fruitful orchards, yielding immediate abundance.
• and when you eat and are full: וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ (v'akhálta v'savá'ta).
  • "Eat" indicates simple consumption, but "are full" (from root שבע, savah) denotes complete satisfaction and satiety.
  • It points to an abundance that transcends basic sustenance, leading to a state of comfort and contentment.
  • This "fullness" ironically sets the stage for the potential complacency and forgetfulness warned against in the next verse.

Deuteronomy 6 11 Bonus section

This verse fundamentally challenges any notion of self-made prosperity. It asserts God's sovereign hand in blessing and wealth, removing any grounds for human boasting regarding the inheritance of the Promised Land. This principle is vital: God grants the 'power to get wealth' (Deut 8:18), and Israel was reminded that their land was a divine gift, already prepared. This theological concept extends beyond the material, foreshadowing the unearned spiritual inheritance provided through Christ (Ephesians 1), where believers receive salvation and all its accompanying blessings not by their works but by God's gracious provision. The immediate and deep warning derived from this is against "prosperity theology" gone wrong – where the Giver is forgotten in the enjoyment of His gifts.

Deuteronomy 6 11 Commentary

Deuteronomy 6:11 vividly portrays God's benevolent provision, emphasizing the unmerited nature of Israel's inheritance of the Promised Land. Moses describes an "instant abundance," where the Israelites would step into pre-existing homes, access crucial water sources, and harvest from mature vineyards and olive groves—none of which they built, dug, or planted. This is a profound testament to God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, showcasing His active preparation of their inheritance. The core message is that blessings of immense magnitude awaited them, acquired by divine grace rather than human toil. However, this verse serves a crucial transitional purpose, acting as the dramatic backdrop for the critical warning that follows: that such extraordinary prosperity can, if not properly understood and remembered, become a stumbling block that leads to forgetfulness of the divine Benefactor and eventual spiritual apostasy. It calls for constant remembrance that all good gifts flow from the Lord, irrespective of one's efforts.