Deuteronomy 1:41

Unsuccessful Conquest of Canaan

1:41 Then you responded to me and admitted, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will now go up and fight as the Lord our God has told us to do.” So you each put on your battle gear and prepared to go up to the hill country.

Deuteronomy 4:26

4:26 I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you¹ today that you will surely and swiftly be removed² from the very land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not last long there because you will surely be³ annihilated.

Deuteronomy 11:17

11:17 Then the anger of the Lord will erupt⁴ against you and he will close up the sky⁵ so that it does not rain. The land will not yield its produce, and you will soon be removed⁶ from the good land that the Lord⁷ is about to give you.

Deuteronomy 13:5

13:5 As for that prophet or dreamer,⁸ he must be executed because he encouraged rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, redeeming you from that place of slavery, and because he has tried to entice you from the way the Lord your God has commanded you to go. In this way you must purge out evil from within.⁹

Deuteronomy 15:9

15:9 Be careful lest you entertain the wicked thought that the seventh year, the year of cancellation of debts, has almost arrived, and your attitude¹⁰ be wrong toward your impoverished fellow Israelite¹¹ and you do not lend¹² him anything; he will cry out to the Lord against you and you will be regarded as having sinned.¹³

Deuteronomy 31:17

31:17 At that time¹⁴ my anger will erupt against them¹⁵ and I will abandon them and hide my face from them until they are devoured. Many disasters and distresses will overcome¹⁶ them¹⁷ so that they¹⁸ will say at that time, ‘Have not these disasters¹⁹ overcome us²⁰ because our²¹ God is not among us²²?’

Deuteronomy 31:21

31:21 Then when²³ many disasters and distresses overcome them²⁴ this song will testify against them,²⁵ for their²⁶ descendants will not forget it.²⁷ I know the²⁸ intentions they have in mind²⁹ today, even before I bring them³⁰ to the land I have promised.”

¹sn I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you. This stock formula introduces what is known form-critically as a רִיב (riv) or controversy pattern. It is commonly used in the ancient Near Eastern world in legal contexts and in the OT as a forensic or judicial device to draw attention to Israel’s violation of the Lord’s covenant with them (see Deut 30:19; Isa 1:2; 3:13; Jer 2:9). Since court proceedings required the testimony of witnesses, the Lord here summons heaven and earth (that is, all creation) to testify to his faithfulness, Israel’s disobedience, and the threat of judgment.

²tn Or “be destroyed”; KJV “utterly perish”; NLT “will quickly disappear”; CEV “you won’t have long to live.”

³tn Or “be completely” (so NCV, TEV). It is not certain here if the infinitive absolute indicates the certainty of the following action (cf. NIV) or its degree.

⁴tn Heb “will become hot”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “will be kindled”; NAB “will flare up”; NIV, NLT “will burn.”

⁵tn Or “heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

⁶tn Or “be destroyed”; NAB, NIV “will soon perish.”

⁷tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 11:4.

⁸tn Heb “or dreamer of dreams.” See note on this expression in v. 1.

⁹tn Heb “your midst” (so NAB, NRSV). The severity of the judgment here (i.e., capital punishment) is because of the severity of the sin, namely, high treason against the Great King. Idolatry is a violation of the first two commandments (Deut 5:6-10) as well as the spirit and intent of the Shema (Deut 6:4-5).

¹⁰tn Heb “your eye.”

¹¹tn Heb “your needy brother.”

¹²tn Heb “give” (likewise in v. 10).

¹³tn Heb “it will be a sin to you.”

¹⁴tn Heb “on that day.” This same expression also appears later in the verse and in v. 18.

¹⁵tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.

¹⁶tn Heb “find,” “encounter.”

¹⁷tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.

¹⁸tn Heb “he.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “they.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.

¹⁹tn Heb “evils.”

²⁰tn Heb “me.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “us,” which is necessary in any case in the translation because of contemporary English style.

²¹tn Heb “my.”

²²tn Heb “me.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “us,” which is necessary in any case in the translation because of contemporary English style.

²³tn Heb “Then it will come to pass that.”

²⁴tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.

²⁵tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.

²⁶tn Heb “his.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “their.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.

²⁷tn Heb “it will not be forgotten from the mouth of his seed.”

²⁸tn Heb “his.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “their.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.

²⁹tn Heb “which he is doing.”

³⁰tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.