only if you carefully obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command 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.
- BSB if only you obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commandments I am giving 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 28:1–15It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all his commandments which I command you today, that Yahweh your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
- Isa 1:19–20If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
- Lev 26:3–14“‘If you walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
- Josh 1:7Only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
- Ps 19:11Moreover by them is your servant warned. In keeping them there is great reward.
- Deut 11:13–15It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to my commandments which I command you today, to love Yahweh your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
- Phil 1:27Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;
- Deut 4:9Only be careful, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.