Deuteronomy 8:11 kjv
Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
Deuteronomy 8:11 nkjv
"Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,
Deuteronomy 8:11 niv
Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
Deuteronomy 8:11 esv
"Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today,
Deuteronomy 8:11 nlt
"But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the LORD your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today.
Deuteronomy 8 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 6:12 | "Then beware lest you forget the LORD..." | Echoes warning against forgetting God |
| Deut 8:3 | "...man does not live by bread alone..." | Highlights true sustenance is from God |
| Deut 8:14 | "...and your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD..." | Connects forgetfulness to pride |
| Deut 8:18 | "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth..." | Reminds source of blessings is God |
| Psa 9:17 | "The wicked shall be turned into hell, all the nations that forget God." | Warning to those who forget God's sovereignty |
| Psa 106:13, 21 | "They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel... They forgot God their Savior..." | Historical example of Israel's forgetfulness |
| Prov 3:1 | "My son, do not forget my law..." | Admonition to remember and keep teaching |
| Prov 30:8-9 | "Give me neither poverty nor riches... Lest I be full and deny You, and say, 'Who is the LORD?'" | Prays against dangers of prosperity |
| Jer 2:32 | "Can a virgin forget her ornaments...? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number." | Lament over Israel's spiritual amnesia |
| Hos 13:6 | "According to their pasture, so they were filled; They were filled and their heart was lifted up; Therefore they forgot Me." | Direct link between prosperity and forgetting God |
| Amos 2:4 | "...because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept His commandments..." | Condemnation for disobedience to law |
| Mat 13:22 (Mark 4:19) | "...the deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this world choke the word..." | Riches as a hindrance to God's word |
| Mark 10:23-25 | "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" | Emphasizes difficulty riches bring for faith |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare... For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil..." | Warnings against destructive pursuit of wealth |
| Rev 3:17 | "Because you say, 'I am rich... and have need of nothing' — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" | Laodicea's spiritual poverty despite wealth |
| John 14:15 | "If you love Me, keep My commandments." | New Covenant principle of obedience |
| 1 John 5:3 | "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments..." | Connection between love for God and obedience |
| Phil 4:11-13 | "...I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound..." | Contentment in all circumstances, not just wealth |
| Heb 2:1 | "Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away." | General warning against spiritual neglect |
| James 1:22-25 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." | Call to actively practice God's word |
Deuteronomy 8 verses
Deuteronomy 8 11 Meaning
Deuteronomy 8:11 serves as a profound warning to the people of Israel as they stand on the brink of entering the prosperous Promised Land. It cautions them against the spiritual complacency and forgetfulness of God that can arise from material abundance. The core message is a command to remain vigilant and intentionally committed to observing God's law, emphasizing that true faithfulness is demonstrated not only by memory but by obedience, thereby preventing apostasy and spiritual decline.
Deuteronomy 8 11 Context
This verse is situated in Deuteronomy chapter 8, part of Moses' farewell addresses to the second generation of Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. The preceding verses (Deut 8:2-6) remind them of God's leading, humbling, and testing in the wilderness, teaching them dependence on Him and His word, not on material sustenance alone. The subsequent verses (Deut 8:7-9) describe the abundant goodness and prosperity of the land they are about to inherit, setting up a crucial contrast. Verse 8:10 speaks of eating, being full, and blessing God, which forms a pivot point. Therefore, 8:11 is a pivotal warning: once they enjoy this prosperity, the danger of forgetting God (the source of their blessings) and His commands is real. It's a prophetic warning against the complacency that often accompanies material security, linking Israel's future faithfulness directly to their remembrance of God's law amidst abundance.
Deuteronomy 8 11 Word analysis
- Beware: This is a strong, urgent command (Hebrew: shamar, often translated as "keep," "watch," "guard"). Here, it functions as a critical imperative, signaling the grave danger of what is to follow. It demands vigilant attention and deliberate action.
- that you do not forget: (Hebrew: shakhach). More than a simple lapse of memory, "forgetting" God in this context implies a profound disregard or abandonment of Him and His covenant relationship. It suggests spiritual amnesia where God's deeds, provisions, and commands are no longer held in active consciousness or esteemed as central to life. It often leads to ceasing to act as though He is real or relevant.
- the Lord your God: Emphasizes the personal and covenantal relationship (Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God). He is not a distant deity but their God, who brought them out of Egypt, sustained them, and is giving them the land. Forgetting Him is breaking faith with their personal covenant partner.
- by not keeping: This phrase clarifies how the forgetting manifests—it's not just an internal thought, but an active failure to obey. Disobedience is the practical outworking of spiritual forgetfulness.
- His commandments: (Hebrew: mitzvot). General term for God's divine instructions, particularly ethical and moral precepts.
- His judgments: (Hebrew: mishpatim). Refers to judicial laws, rulings, and statutes concerning justice and civil matters, reflecting God's righteousness.
- and His statutes: (Hebrew: chuqqot). Ordained ordinances or decrees, often ritual or ceremonial laws, fixed decrees. Together, "commandments, judgments, and statutes" (also rendered "decrees, laws, and regulations") comprise the complete body of the Mosaic Law, representing the comprehensive divine will for Israel. Neglecting any part means forgetting the Lawgiver Himself.
- which I command you today: This stresses the immediacy, authority, and ongoing relevance of the command. Moses reiterates that these laws are not archaic but are directly given and apply to this generation, at this pivotal moment in their history.
Deuteronomy 8 11 Bonus section
The Hebrew root for "beware" (shamar) often implies a careful guarding, indicating that remembering God and keeping His commands requires conscious effort, not just passive awareness. This vigilance is crucial, especially in moments of ease, where spiritual discipline might naturally wane. This verse highlights the profound connection between remembering God, obedience, and national prosperity or failure; neglecting one impacts the others. It serves as a pre-emptive theological explanation for Israel's future periods of apostasy during times of peace and affluence in the Promised Land. The triple repetition of "His" (commandments, judgments, statutes) underscores that these laws are divinely ordained, not human creations, thus emphasizing God's singular authority over every aspect of life.
Deuteronomy 8 11 Commentary
Deuteronomy 8:11 acts as a pivotal and perpetual caution: spiritual decline often germinates in times of material blessing. While often tested in deprivation, humanity's greatest spiritual vulnerability frequently emerges when comforts abound. The verse diagnoses forgetfulness not as a passive memory lapse, but an active, willful neglect of God's Person and His expressed will. This forgetfulness is directly equated with failing to observe God's comprehensive law—His moral commandments, righteous judgments, and prescribed statutes. It reveals that the heart's true state is exposed through one's obedience or disobedience, regardless of outward circumstances. The verse anticipates the cyclical pattern of prosperity leading to pride, then forgetfulness of God, and finally, moral failure and divine judgment that characterized much of Israel's subsequent history. For believers today, it stands as a timeless admonition to cultivate vigilance, humility, and sustained obedience to Christ's teachings, recognizing that every blessing is from God and necessitates an even greater commitment to Him rather than fostering self-sufficiency.