The Meaning of Deuteronomy 11:16 Explained

Deuteronomy 11:16

KJV: Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

YLT: 'Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be enticed, and ye have turned aside, and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them,

Darby: Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside and serve other gods, and bow down to them,

ASV: Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Take heed  to yourselves, that your heart  be not deceived,  and ye turn aside,  and serve  other  gods,  and worship  them; 

What does Deuteronomy 11:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 11:1-17 - The Rewards Of Obedience
In this chapter the introductory portion of this book closes, and two final arguments are brought to bear on the chosen people, to induce them to love God and keep His charge. The one has already been referred to, consisting of those awful judgments with which God had punished the stiff-neckedness of Pharaoh and the rebellions of the Wilderness. We may as well learn sooner than later, that God will have us holy, and if we will not yield to His loving solicitations we must suffer His stern chastisements.
The other argument is derived from the blessings which they would inherit by obedience. In Egypt the irrigation of the land was laboriously effected by the tread-wheels, that raised the water from the Nile-level, but in Canaan there were two annual rainy seasons-the former, September-October; the latter, March-April. The regularity of these seasons depended on Israel's loyal obedience. We are reminded of John 4:14. May we not ask ourselves, which of these typifies our religious life? See Hebrews 4:1. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 11

1  Another exhortation to obedience
2  by their own experience of God's great works
8  by promise of God's great blessings
16  and by threatenings
18  A careful study is required in God's words
26  The blessing and curse set before them

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 11:16 mean?

Take heed to yourselves lest be deceived your heart and you turn aside and serve gods other and worship them
הִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ לָכֶ֔ם פֶּ֥ן יִפְתֶּ֖ה לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְסַרְתֶּ֗ם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם לָהֶֽם

הִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ  Take  heed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
לָכֶ֔ם  to  yourselves 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
פֶּ֥ן  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
יִפְתֶּ֖ה  be  deceived 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּתָה 
Sense: to be spacious, be open, be wide.
לְבַבְכֶ֑ם  your  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
וְסַרְתֶּ֗ם  and  you  turn  aside 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙  and  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲחֵרִ֔ים  other 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם  and  worship 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.