The Meaning of Deuteronomy 28:1 Explained

Deuteronomy 28:1

KJV: And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

YLT: 'And it hath been, if thou dost hearken diligently to the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all His commands which I am commanding thee to-day, that Jehovah thy God hath made thee uppermost above all the nations of the earth,

Darby: And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to take heed to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that Jehovah thy God will set thee supreme above all nations of the earth;

ASV: And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that Jehovah thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken  diligently  unto the voice  of the LORD  thy God,  to observe  [and] to do  all his commandments  which I command  thee this day,  that the LORD  thy God  will set  thee on high  above all nations  of the earth: 

What does Deuteronomy 28:1 Mean?

Study Notes

if thou shalt hearken
Deuteronomy 28-29 are, properly, an integral part of the Palestinian covenant, Deuteronomy 30:1-9 .
turn thy captivity
The Palestinian Covenant gives the conditions under which Israel entered the land of promise. It is important to see that the nation has never as yet taken the land under the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant, nor has it ever possessed the whole land (cf. Genesis 15:18 ; Numbers 34:1-12 . The Palestinian Covenant is in seven parts.
(1) Dispersion for disobedience, Deuteronomy 30:1 ; Deuteronomy 28:63-68 (See Scofield " Genesis 15:18 ")
(2) The future repentance of Israel while in the dispersion, Deuteronomy 30:2 .
(3) The return of the Lord, Deuteronomy 30:3 ; Amos 9:9-14 ; Acts 15:14-17 .
(4) Restoration to the land, Deuteronomy 30:5 ; Isaiah 11:11 ; Isaiah 11:12 ; Jeremiah 23:3-8 ; Ezekiel 37:21-25
(5) National conversion, Deuteronomy 30:6 ; Romans 11:26 ; Romans 11:27 ; Hosea 2:14-16
(6) The judgment of Israel's oppressors, Deuteronomy 30:7 ; Isaiah 14:1 ; Isaiah 14:2 ; Joel 3:1-8 ; Matthew 25:31-46
(7) National prosperity, Deuteronomy 30:9 ; Amos 9:11-14
For Another Point of View: See Topic 301242
See, for the other seven covenants:
EDENIC (See Scofield " Genesis 1:28 ") ADAMIC See Scofield " Genesis 3:15 " ABRAHAMIC See Scofield " Genesis 15:18 " NOAHIC See Scofield " Genesis 9:1 " MOSAIC See Scofield " Exodus 19:25 " DAVIDIC See Scofield " 2 Samuel 7:16 " NEW See Scofield " Hebrews 8:8 "

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 28:1-19 - Blessings Upon The Obedient
A remarkable chapter! The epitome of what Israel might have been, contrasted with what she became! It is on account of the transgressions that the centuries have augmented her sum of misery. Oh, that we may never have to lament what we might have been!
These opening verses contain the Beatitudes of the Old Testament. They have their counterparts in the New. Remember that God bends over your life, rejoicing to do you good, and finding pleasure in whatever may enrich your life or flow through it to enrich others. Ask especially that in His great power and grace He shall smite your enemies before you, and establish you unto himself, and open to you His good treasure. If you are in Christ, all things are yours. Possess your possessions, 1 Corinthians 3:21-22; Obadiah 1:17; Obadiah 1:19-20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 28

1  The blessings for obedience
15  The curses for disobedience

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 28:1 mean?

Now it shall come to pass if diligently you obey the voice of Yahweh your God to observe carefully to do - all His commandments which I command you today that will set you Yahweh your God high above nations of the earth
וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־ שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע֙ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־ כָּל־ מִצְוֺתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם וּנְתָ֨נְךָ֜ יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ עֶלְי֔וֹן עַ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ

וְהָיָ֗ה  Now  it  shall  come  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
שָׁמ֤וֹעַ  diligently 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
תִּשְׁמַע֙  you  obey 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְּקוֹל֙  the  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
יְהוָ֣ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לִשְׁמֹ֤ר  to  observe  carefully 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
לַעֲשׂוֹת֙  to  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
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.
מִצְוֺתָ֔יו  His  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
מְצַוְּךָ֖  command  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
הַיּ֑וֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וּנְתָ֨נְךָ֜  that  will  set  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עֶלְי֔וֹן  high 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עֶלְיׄון 
Sense: high, upper.
עַ֖ל  above 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גּוֹיֵ֥י  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאָֽרֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.