Deuteronomy 29:16-29

Deuteronomy 29:16-29

[16] (For ye know  how we have dwelt  in the land  of Egypt;  and how we came  through  the nations  which ye passed by;  [17] And ye have seen  their abominations,  and their idols,  wood  and stone,  silver  and gold,  [18] Lest there should be  among you man,  or woman,  or family,  or tribe,  whose heart  turneth away  this day  from the LORD  our God,  and serve  the gods  of these nations;  lest there should be  among you a root  that beareth  gall  and wormwood;  [19] And it come to pass, when he heareth  the words  of this curse,  that he bless  himself in his heart,  saying,  I shall have peace,  though  in the imagination  of mine heart,  to add  drunkenness  to thirst:  [20] The LORD  will  not spare  him, but then the anger  of the LORD  and his jealousy  shall smoke  against that man,  and all the curses  that are written  in this book  shall lie  upon him, and the LORD  shall blot out  his name  from under heaven.  [21] And the LORD  shall separate  him unto evil  out of all the tribes  of Israel,  according to all the curses  of the covenant  that are written  in this book  of the law:  [22] So that the generation  to come  of your children  that shall rise up  after  you, and the stranger  that shall come  from a far  land,  shall say,  when they see  the plagues  of that land,  and the sicknesses  which the LORD  hath laid  upon it; [23] And that the whole land  thereof is brimstone,  and salt,  and burning,  that it is not sown,  nor beareth,  nor any grass  groweth  therein, like the overthrow  of Sodom,  and Gomorrah,  Admah,  and Zeboim,  which the LORD  overthrew  in his anger,  and in his wrath:  [24] Even all nations  shall say,  Wherefore hath the LORD  done  thus unto this land?  what meaneth the heat  of this great  anger?  [25] Then men shall say,  Because they have forsaken  the covenant  of the LORD  God  of their fathers,  which he made  with them when he brought them forth  out of the land  of Egypt:  [26] and served  other  gods,  and worshipped  them, gods  whom they knew  not, and whom he had not given  unto them: [27] And the anger  of the LORD  was kindled  against this land,  to bring  upon it all the curses  that are written  in this book:  [28] And the LORD  rooted  them out of their land  in anger,  and in wrath,  and in great  indignation,  and cast  them into another  land,  as it is this day.  [29] The secret  things belong unto the LORD  our God:  but those things which are revealed  belong unto us and to our children  for  ever,  that we may do  all the words  of this law. 

What does Deuteronomy 29:16-29 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

This generation needed to obey the laws of the Mosaic Covenant ( Deuteronomy 29:21) under which the nation already lived to experience the maximum benefits of this covenant. The maximum benefits included not only ownership of the land but also the use (occupation) of it. The rebellious Israelite could anticipate physical death ( Deuteronomy 29:20). Disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant ( Deuteronomy 29:25) would result in the Israelites being driven out of the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 29:29 the "secret things" refer to those things God knows but has not revealed (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9). In the context this refers specifically to how Israel would respond to the covenant in the future. The "things revealed" refer to what God has revealed so that humankind may enjoy God"s blessings. In the context this refers to the Mosaic Covenant.