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30 All these blessings and curses I have spoken about will happen to you. Take them to heart when you are among all the nations where Yahweh your Elohim will scatter you. If you and your children return to Yahweh your Elohim and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul, doing everything I command you today, he will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you from all the nations of the world where Yahweh your Elohim will scatter you. Even if you are scattered to the most distant country in the world, Yahweh your Elohim will gather you and bring you back from there. Yahweh your Elohim will bring you to the land your ancestors owned. You will take possession of it, and Yahweh will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors were.

Yahweh your Elohim will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants. You will love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul, and you will live. Then Yahweh your Elohim will put all these curses on your enemies, those who hate you and persecute you. You will again obey Yahweh and follow all his commands that I’m giving you today. Yahweh your Elohim will give you many blessings in everything you do: You will have many children. Your animals will have many offspring. Your soil will produce many crops. Yahweh will again delight in making you as prosperous as he made your ancestors. 10 He will do this if you obey Yahweh your Elohim and follow his commands and laws that are written in this Book of Teachings and return to Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.

11 This command I’m giving you today isn’t too hard for you or beyond your reach. 12 It’s not in heaven. You don’t have to ask, “Who will go to heaven to get this command for us so that we can hear it and obey it?” 13 This command isn’t on the other side of the sea. You don’t have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it for us so that we can hear it and obey it?” 14 No, these words are very near you. They’re in your mouth and in your heart so that you will obey them.

Choose between Life and Death

15 Today I offer you life and prosperity or death and destruction. 16 This is what I’m commanding you today: Love Yahweh your Elohim, follow his directions, and obey his commands, laws, and rules. Then you will live, your population will increase, and Yahweh your Elohim will bless you in the land that you’re about to enter and take possession of.

17 But your hearts might turn away, and you might not listen. You might be tempted to bow down to other gods and worship them. 18 If you do, I tell you today that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live for a long time in the land that you’re going to take possession of when you cross the Jordan River.

19 I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live. 20 Love Yahweh your Elohim, obey him, and be loyal to him. This will be your way of life, and it will mean a long life for you[a] in the land that Yahweh swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 30:20 Or “He is your life, and he will let you live for a long time.”

Prosperity After Turning to the Lord

30 When all these blessings and curses(A) I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations,(B) and when you and your children return(C) to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart(D) and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes[a](E) and have compassion(F) on you and gather(G) you again from all the nations where he scattered(H) you.(I) Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens,(J) from there the Lord your God will gather(K) you and bring you back.(L) He will bring(M) you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous(N) than your ancestors. The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants,(O) so that you may love(P) him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. The Lord your God will put all these curses(Q) on your enemies who hate and persecute you.(R) You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land.(S) The Lord will again delight(T) in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law(U) and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.(V)

The Offer of Life or Death

11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.(W) 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven(X) to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”(Y) 13 Nor is it beyond the sea,(Z) so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”(AA) 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.(AB)

15 See, I set before you today life(AC) and prosperity,(AD) death(AE) and destruction.(AF) 16 For I command you today to love(AG) the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live(AH) and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.(AI) You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you(AJ) that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.(AK) Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love(AL) the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life,(AM) and he will give(AN) you many years in the land(AO) he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 30:3 Or will bring you back from captivity