The Meaning of Deuteronomy 4:30 Explained

Deuteronomy 4:30

KJV: When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;

YLT: in distress being to thee, and all these things have found thee, in the latter end of the days, and thou hast turned back unto Jehovah thy God, and hast hearkened to His voice;

Darby: In thy tribulation, and when all these things shall come upon thee, at the end of days, thou shalt return to Jehovah thy God, and shalt hearken to his voice,

ASV: When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, in the latter days thou shalt return to Jehovah thy God, and hearken unto his voice:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When thou art in tribulation,  and all these things  are come  upon thee, [even] in the latter  days,  if thou turn  to the LORD  thy God,  and shalt be obedient  unto his voice; 

What does Deuteronomy 4:30 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 4:15-31 - Jehovah "a Jealous God"
How often Moses repeats, "take heed." We must watch as well as pray and keep our souls diligently. We must specially beware of idols-that is, any visible thing which takes the place of the unseen and eternal, veiling it from our view. The soul must learn to lean on the everlasting arm.
How true that description of the iron furnace! The metaphor is derived from the process of smelting metal. We have had our Egypts, where by trials the real ore of character was disintegrated from its rocky matrix. But though God may remove us from outward affliction, He is Himself the furnace of purification, by His Spirit and Word, and in the secrets of our hearts, Deuteronomy 4:24. But His fire burns our bonds, while our heads are unsinged, Daniel 3:25.
If these words meet the eyes of any who are among the scattered and vanished ones, let them seek God again, and they shall certainly find Him; for He is merciful, He will not fail nor destroy, nor forget the olden Covenant, Deuteronomy 4:30-31. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 4

1  An exhortation to obedience
41  Moses appoints the three cities of refuge on that side of Jordan
44  Recapitulation

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 4:30 mean?

When in distress you are and come upon you all things these in latter the days and when you turn to Yahweh your God and obey His voice
בַּצַּ֣ר לְךָ֔ וּמְצָא֕וּךָ כֹּ֖ל הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה בְּאַחֲרִית֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וְשַׁבְתָּ֙ עַד־ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּקֹלֽוֹ

בַּצַּ֣ר  When  in  distress 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
לְךָ֔  you  are 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
וּמְצָא֕וּךָ  and  come  upon  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural, second person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
הַדְּבָרִ֣ים  things 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֵ֑לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
בְּאַחֲרִית֙  in  latter 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַחֲרִית  
Sense: after part, end.
הַיָּמִ֔ים  the  days 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וְשַׁבְתָּ֙  and  when  you  turn 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖  and  obey 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְּקֹלֽוֹ  His  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.