The Meaning of Deuteronomy 29:25 Explained

Deuteronomy 29:25

KJV: 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:

YLT: 'And they have said, Because that they have forsaken the covenant of Jehovah, God of their fathers, which He made with them in His bringing them out of the land of Egypt,

Darby: And men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of Jehovah the God of their fathers, which he had made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt;

ASV: Then men shall say, Because they forsook the covenant of Jehovah, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Deuteronomy 29:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 29:14-29 - The Penalty Of Serving False Gods
Deuteronomy 29:15 clearly refers to the future generations, who were included in this solemn act. The word "gall," Deuteronomy 29:18, indicates the poisonous character of idolatry. The application of this passage to any man who falls short of the grace of God shows that the tendency to idolatry has its root in the apostasy of the heart, Hebrews 12:15.
We cannot say that religion is a matter of indifference; or, if we say it, we are destined to a terrible awakening. A man may say, "I shall have peace," etc., Deuteronomy 29:19, but there is no peace short of the peace of God, Isaiah 48:22; Romans 5:1-2.
With respect to Deuteronomy 29:24, the infidel Volney wrote of the present condition of Palestine: "Why is not the ancient population reproduced and perpetuated? God has doubtless pronounced a secret malediction against this land." This is one of His "secret things!" Compare Deuteronomy 29:29 with Romans 11:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 29

1  Moses exhorts them to obedience, reminding of the works they had seen
10  All are presented before the Lord to enter into his covenant
18  The great wrath on him who flatters himself in his wickedness
29  Secret things belong unto God

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 29:25 mean?

And [people] would say because that they have forsaken - the covenant of Yahweh God of their fathers which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt
וְאָ֣מְר֔וּ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָֽזְב֔וּ אֶת־ בְּרִ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר֙ כָּרַ֣ת עִמָּ֔ם בְּהוֹצִיא֥וֹ אֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם

וְאָ֣מְר֔וּ  And  [people]  would  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עַ֚ל  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָֽזְב֔וּ  they  have  forsaken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּרִ֥ית  the  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲבֹתָ֑ם  of  their  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
כָּרַ֣ת  He  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
עִמָּ֔ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
בְּהוֹצִיא֥וֹ  when  He  brought 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ  out  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרָֽיִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.