The Meaning of Deuteronomy 29:20 Explained

Deuteronomy 29:20

KJV: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.

YLT: Jehovah is not willing to be propitious to him, for then doth the anger of Jehovah smoke, also His zeal, against that man, and lain down on him hath all the oath which is written in this book, and Jehovah hath blotted out his name from under the heavens,

Darby: Jehovah will not pardon him, but the anger of Jehovah and his jealousy will then smoke against that man, and all the curse shall be upon him that is written in this book; and Jehovah will blot out his name from under the heavens;

ASV: Jehovah will not pardon him, but then the anger of Jehovah and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him, and Jehovah will blot out his name from under heaven.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  will  not spare  him, but then the anger  of the LORD  and his jealousy  shall smoke  against that man,  and all the curses  that are written  in this book  shall lie  upon him, and the LORD  shall blot out  his name  from under heaven. 

What does Deuteronomy 29:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 29:14-29 - The Penalty Of Serving False Gods
Deuteronomy 29:15 clearly refers to the future generations, who were included in this solemn act. The word "gall," Deuteronomy 29:18, indicates the poisonous character of idolatry. The application of this passage to any man who falls short of the grace of God shows that the tendency to idolatry has its root in the apostasy of the heart, Hebrews 12:15.
We cannot say that religion is a matter of indifference; or, if we say it, we are destined to a terrible awakening. A man may say, "I shall have peace," etc., Deuteronomy 29:19, but there is no peace short of the peace of God, Isaiah 48:22; Romans 5:1-2.
With respect to Deuteronomy 29:24, the infidel Volney wrote of the present condition of Palestine: "Why is not the ancient population reproduced and perpetuated? God has doubtless pronounced a secret malediction against this land." This is one of His "secret things!" Compare Deuteronomy 29:29 with Romans 11:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 29

1  Moses exhorts them to obedience, reminding of the works they had seen
10  All are presented before the Lord to enter into his covenant
18  The great wrath on him who flatters himself in his wickedness
29  Secret things belong unto God

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 29:20 mean?

not would Yahweh spare him for then would burn the anger of Yahweh and His jealousy against man that and would settle on him every oath that is written in book this and would blot out - his name from under heaven
לֹא־ יֹאבֶ֣ה יְהוָה֮ סְלֹ֣חַֽ לוֹ֒ כִּ֣י אָ֠ז יֶעְשַׁ֨ן אַף־ יְהוָ֤ה וְקִנְאָתוֹ֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וְרָ֤בְצָה בּוֹ֙ כָּל־ הָ֣אָלָ֔ה הַכְּתוּבָ֖ה בַּסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה וּמָחָ֤ה אֶת־ שְׁמ֔וֹ מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם

יְהוָה֮  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
סְלֹ֣חַֽ  spare 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַח  
Sense: to forgive, pardon.
יֶעְשַׁ֨ן  would  burn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשַׁן  
Sense: to smoke, be angry, be wroth.
אַף־  the  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
יְהוָ֤ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְקִנְאָתוֹ֙  and  His  jealousy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קִנְאָה  
Sense: ardour, zeal, jealousy.
בָּאִ֣ישׁ  against  man 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הַה֔וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וְרָ֤בְצָה  and  would  settle 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: רָבַץ  
Sense: to stretch oneself out, lie down, lie stretched out.
בּוֹ֙  on  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָ֣אָלָ֔ה  oath 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אָלָה  
Sense: oath.
הַכְּתוּבָ֖ה  that  is  written 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
בַּסֵּ֣פֶר  in  book 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
הַזֶּ֑ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וּמָחָ֤ה  and  would  blot  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָחָא 
Sense: to wipe, wipe out.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁמ֔וֹ  his  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
מִתַּ֖חַת  from  under 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
הַשָּׁמָֽיִם  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.