if only you obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commandments I am giving you today.
Parallel translations
- WEB if only you diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you today.
- KJV Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.
- NKJV only if you carefully obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today.
- NASB if only you listen obediently to the voice of the Lord your God, to follow carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today.
- NLT You will receive this blessing if you are careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The promised blessing was conditioned on diligently obeying everything God commanded. God's generosity met covenant faithfulness.
Overview
The 'no poor among you' ideal of verse 4 depends on Israel carefully heeding the Lord's voice. This conditional structure runs through Deuteronomy: blessing follows obedience, and ruin follows rebellion. Since Israel never rendered such obedience, the verse ultimately drives us to Christ, who alone obeyed perfectly and secures blessing for his people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Deut 28:1–15“Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
- Isa 1:19–20If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.
- Lev 26:3–14If you follow My statutes and carefully keep My commandments,
- Josh 1:7Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go.
- Ps 19:11By them indeed Your servant is warned; in keeping them is great reward.
- Deut 11:13–15So if you carefully obey the commandments I am giving you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,
- Phil 1:27Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,
- Deut 4:9Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 15:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.