Deuteronomy 8:17-20 meaning

God’s objective in disciplining and training Israel was for their good. God was seeking their best interest. Now Moses warns Israel against the danger of not listening to the voice of their Suzerain (Ruler) God, the one from whom all blessings flow. Doing so would inevitably bring divine judgment on Israel, just as the original inhabitants of Canaan.

This section expands on the previous one by stressing once again God’s initiative in His covenant relationship with Israel. The Suzerain God redeemed Israel out of bondage in Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and fed them manna when they were hungry in the wilderness. God’s purpose was to humble Israel and test them, to do good for them in the end (vv. 11-16). In the end is another way to say “as an objective.” God had a particular purpose for Israel in all he led them through in the great and terrible wilderness, and that goal was to do good for them.

Otherwise, had God not trained them through the difficulty, the Israelites might say intheir heart, my power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth. Their heart would become proud. Pride leads to all sorts of societal evils. God desires His people to prosper, and they will do so by listening and obeying Him.

The term wealth includes goods, land, strength (political and economic), energy, and status. The Israelites who were once incapable of doing anything to sustain themselves would soon think that their own power and the strength of their hand — not the limitless power of the Suzerain God — had made them prosperous. For this reason, Moses reminded the people that every gift comes from God. He exhorted them to remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth. Making wealth requires power. Energy. And God is the source of power. It is interesting to note that it is not the wealth that is the potential problem. It is the attitude. Wealth with humility is a great blessing, and wealth and power mixed with pride is a great evil. The means to retain humility is to remember that it is the LORD who is giving power to make wealth.

God granted power to make wealth to Israel for a special purpose: that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Israel’s wealth was a confirmation of the covenant promises which God swore to their fathers (Genesis 12:1-3). The phrase as it is this day seems to emphasize the active nature of God’s promise to their fathers. Even though God’s promise was made roughly 500 years prior, it was still very much alive this day.

Moses has already exhorted Israel not to forget their God. Israel’s wealth (wisdom, power, imagination, material resources, skills, and strength) was a direct blessing from God, Moses encouraged them to not forget the LORD their God. This sinful act could lead to the worst kind of disaster. When the LORD does not have priority in someone’s life, Moses warned, it would become easy to go after other gods and serve them and worship them. Doing so would be to violate the first commandment, which states, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7). The Israelites would surely perish because they would behave just like the Canaanites. As Moses said, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish. Sadly, this is exactly what transpired later in Israel’s history; they perish from the land, and are exiled. And many die. Israel is God’s chosen people, and always will be. That does not change (Romans 11:25-29). God will never reject them. But His people have responsibility, and get rewarded for their choices. If they walk in obedience, they will blessed above all peoples (Deut 7:14). But if they disobey, turn to pride and idolatry, they will perish. This principle flows throughout the Bible, that God’s acceptance is freely given, but approval and reward requires obedience. The Apostle Paul conveys this principle to his disciples throughout his letters (see examples in Romans 14:10-11;1 Cor 3:5-15; 2 Cor 5:10).

The Suzerain God chose Israel among all the peoples to be His own possession (Exodus 19:5). His choice was not based upon Israel’s merits. Rather, God’s choice was an act of divine grace. As God’s people, the Israelites were given the promises of God. However, obedience was necessary to possess and enjoy the blessings. Failure to obey would result in curses, which could be in the form of death or removal from the land. Like the Canaanite nations that the LORD expelled from the land, Israel would perish if they would not listen to the voice of the LORD their God; that is, to obey all His commandments. Observing God’s commandments is synonymous to listening to His voice. This is the way by which Israel could enjoy the blessings of their Suzerain (Ruler) God.

Biblical Text

¹⁷Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ ¹⁸But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. ¹⁹It shall come about if you ever forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. ²⁰Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the Lord your God.

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Additional Resources

Book Theme

The book of Deuteronomy is the fifth and last book of the Torah (“law”). It continues the story of the first 4 books and picks up exactly where the book of Numbers ends (with the people on the plain of Moab). Therefore, as we set the context for the book of Deuteronomy, it is important that we briefly summarize the theme of the previous books to see how the story of God unfolds.

Genesis describes God’s plan to bless the Israelites and the world through one man named Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). Exodus focuses on God’s loving act by which He rescued the Israelites from Egypt in order to have a covenant relationship with them. Once the children of Israel are redeemed, Leviticus instructs them to live a holy life that reflects the life of their covenant redeemer (cf. Lev. 19). Since the first generation of the Israelites failed to obey God wholeheartedly, the book of Numbers displays a strong contrast between God’s faithfulness and the nation’s failure. That is why the book of Deuteronomy reiterates and expands on the covenant to a new generation of Israelites poised to enter and conquer the Promised Land. The message of the book is centered around two key terms: love and loyalty (Deut. 6:4-5).

Outline of Deuteronomy:

I. Introduction: Moses will explain the law (1:1 – 5)
II. Moses’ First Sermon – a Recounting of the LORD’s Faithfulness (1:6 – 4:43)
III. Introduction to Second Sermon on expositing the Law (4:44 – 49)
IV. Moses’ Second Sermon – an Exposition of the Law Given at Mt. Sinai (5:1 – 26:19)
V. Script for Covenant Renewal Ceremony Once they enter the land (27:1 – 29:1)
VI. Moses’ Third Sermon – a Call to Obedience (29:2 – 30:20)
VII. The Last Acts of Moses (31:1 – 34:12)

Chapter Context

Deuteronomy 8 tells us God’s reason for putting Israel through difficulty in a hostile wilderness, and requiring them to rely on Him daily for their basic necessities. God did it for their good. He was training them to possess the Promised Land in a manner that would bring them blessing rather than destruction.

This chapter reminds the people of God’s provision, providing them with food, water, and clothing. This included manna — a previously unknown food God miraculously provided. Now Israel has been promised they will occupy the land, if they are courageous and obedient. In contrast to the lack of food and hardships experienced in the wilderness, Israel will enjoy prosperity in the land of Canaan and will lack nothing (Deut. 8:9; 6:3; 11:9). The Israelites are to remember that their blessing comes from their Suzerain (Ruler) God, not from themselves. They are to be grateful rather than prideful.

Moses uses the wilderness experience to encourage Israel to remember, know, and keep the entire commandment of God. Moses states that if the Israelites forget their experience and turn away from the Suzerain God to worship other gods, they will be defeated just as the original inhabitants of Canaan. The chapter can be outlined as follows:

I. Moses commands Israel to carefully observe the whole commandment of God in order to live and multiply, and go in and possess the Promised Land (v. 1).

II. Moses calls Israel to reflect on and carry lessons learned from the discipline and training they received in the wilderness experience in order to walk in God’s ways and to fear Him. (vv. 2-6).

III. Moses urges Israel to bless and thank God when they live a life of material abundance in the Promised Land. He exhorts them to choose an attitude of gratitude. (vv. 7-10).

IV. Moses exhorts Israel not to forget that their wealth in Canaan is God’s provision for them, just as the manna of the wilderness has been. He exhorts them to remain grateful, and give way to pride. (vv. 11-16).

V. God’s objective in disciplining and training Israel was for their good. God was seeking their best interest. Now Moses warns Israel against the danger of not listening to the voice of their Suzerain (Ruler) God, the one from whom all blessings flow. Failing to hear God’s voice would bring divine judgment on Israel, just as it did to the original inhabitants of Canaan. (vv. 17-20).

Deuteronomy 8:17-20 meaning

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Deuteronomy 11:26-28 meaning

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The Bible Project - Deuteronomy Summary

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