Deuteronomy - Chapter 29

Deuteronomy 29.1 These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. Deuteronomy 29.2 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; Deuteronomy 29.3 The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Deuteronomy 29.4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. Deuteronomy 29.5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. Deuteronomy 29.6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 29.7 And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote them: Deuteronomy 29.9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. Deuteronomy 29.10 Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, Deuteronomy 29.11 Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water: Deuteronomy 29.12 That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day: Deuteronomy 29.13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Deuteronomy 29.14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; Deuteronomy 29.15 But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day: Deuteronomy 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; Deuteronomy 29.17 And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) Deuteronomy 29.19 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 I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: Deuteronomy 29.20 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. Deuteronomy 29.21 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: Deuteronomy 29.22 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; Deuteronomy 29.23 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: Deuteronomy 29.24 Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Deuteronomy 29.25 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: Deuteronomy 29.26 For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: Deuteronomy 29.27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: Deuteronomy 29.28 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. Deuteronomy 29.29 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.

Deuteronomy : Chapter 29

Reflection on Deuteronomy 29 and the Renewal of the Covenant Chapter 29 of the book of Deuteronomy marks a crucial moment in Israel's history. It is a solemn act in which Moses turns to the new generation of Israelites to renew their covenant with God before their entry into Canaan. This passage reminds us of Israel's long journey from Egypt, highlighting the miracles performed by God and the people's responsibility to their Creator. Preparation for Entry into Canaan Moses, as leader and prophet, prepares his people for this decisive step. He reminds them of God's mighty works so that they may remember their identity and calling. This renewal of the covenant is not just a ceremonial act, but a call to the personal commitment of every Israelite to God. Warning Against Idolatry In this chapter, Moses warns the people of the dangers of idolatry and the grave consequences that follow. He emphasizes that breaking the covenant leads to desolation and separation from God. This warning still resonates today, calling us to examine our own faithfulness to the covenant we have with the Lord. The Importance of Personal Commitment Deuteronomy 29 emphasizes the importance for each generation of making a personal commitment to God. This chapter invites us to reflect on our own commitment and to question our relationship with the Creator. Meditate with us on five biblical passages that enrich this essential theme.

Biblical Passages to Meditate On

Hebrews 8:8-9: "But God, rebuking the people, said, 'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. ​​It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt. Because they have not kept my covenant, I have turned away from them,' declares the Lord."

2 Corinthians 3:14-16: "In fact, their minds are closed, for even today the same veil remains when people read the old covenant. It has not been removed, but only in Christ is it removed. Indeed, even today, when people read Moses, a veil covers their hearts. But when someone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed."

Acts 3:25: "You are the heirs of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors. He said to Abraham, 'In your descendants all the peoples of the earth will be blessed.'"

Jeremiah 31:31-32: "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the children of Israel and with the children of Judah. ​​It will not be like the covenant I made with your ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt; because they have broken my covenant, even though I am their lord," declares the Lord.

Romans 9:4-5: "The people of Israel. Their mission is the adoption of children; to them belong the divine glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. These are the patriarchs, and from them comes the human lineage of Christ, who is God above all, blessed forever! Amen."

Meditating on these passages, we are invited to renew our commitment to God and to recognize the depth of the covenant He has established with His people. May each of us find the strength to walk in the faithfulness and light of this new covenant.