The Meaning of Deuteronomy 32:47 Explained

Deuteronomy 32:47

KJV: For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

YLT: for it is not a vain thing for you, for it is your life, and by this thing ye prolong days on the ground whither ye are passing over the Jordan to possess it.'

Darby: For it is no vain word for you, but it is your life, and through this word ye shall prolong your days on the land whereunto ye pass over the Jordan to possess it.

ASV: For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For it [is] not a vain  thing  for you; because it [is] your life:  and through this thing  ye shall prolong  [your] days  in the land,  whither ye go over  Jordan  to possess  it. 

What does Deuteronomy 32:47 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 32:36-52 - Moses Views What Others Shall Possess
Sometimes God leaves us to ourselves that we may learn our weakness and sinfulness. Then, when our power is gone and we seem destined to be destroyed, we begin to repent of our idolatry and apostasy and to long after our former blessed experiences. At such times He draws graciously near to us again, to heal, to quicken and to deliver. He renders swift vengeance to the evils that have desolated us, and is merciful with a great compassion. See Deuteronomy 32:43. In that remarkable verse, quoted in Romans 15:10, the appeal goes forth to all the world to join with God's people in glad acknowledgment of His saving mercy.
This noble song declares for all ages the way of life and peace as contrasted with soul-death and misery. Every line of it has been fulfilled in the history of the Jews. May we not hope, also, that the time is not far distant when Jew and Gentile shall rejoice together in the bonds of common Christian fellowship? Note Deuteronomy 32:46-47. The love and service of God are life. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 32

1  Moses' song, which sets forth God's mercy and vengeance
46  He exhorts them to set their hearts upon it
48  God sends him up to mount Nebo to see the land, and to die

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 32:47 mean?

For not a thing futile it [is] for you because it [is] your life and by word this you shall prolong [your] days in the land which you cross over - the Jordan there to possess -
כִּ֠י לֹֽא־ דָבָ֨ר רֵ֥ק הוּא֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּי־ ה֖וּא חַיֵּיכֶ֑ם וּבַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה תַּאֲרִ֤יכוּ יָמִים֙ עַל־ הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹבְרִ֧ים אֶת־ הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ פ

דָבָ֨ר  a  thing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
רֵ֥ק  futile 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רֵיק  
Sense: empty, vain.
הוּא֙  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מִכֶּ֔ם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
כִּי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
ה֖וּא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
חַיֵּיכֶ֑ם  your  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
וּבַדָּבָ֣ר  and  by  word 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּ֗ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
תַּאֲרִ֤יכוּ  you  shall  prolong 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָרַךְ 
Sense: to be long, prolong.
יָמִים֙  [your]  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
עֹבְרִ֧ים  cross  over 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
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.
הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן  the  Jordan 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַרְדֵּן  
Sense: the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km).
לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ  to  possess 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation