The Meaning of Deuteronomy 31:29 Explained

Deuteronomy 31:29

KJV: For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

YLT: for I have known that after my death ye do very corruptly, and have turned aside out of the way which I commanded you, and evil hath met you in the latter end of the days, because ye do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, to make Him angry with the work of your hands.'

Darby: For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and will turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and mischief will befall you at the end of days; because ye do evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

ASV: For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For I know  that after  my death  ye will utterly  corrupt  [yourselves], and turn aside  from the way  which I have commanded  you; and evil  will befall  you in the latter  days;  because ye will do  evil  in the sight  of the LORD,  to provoke him to anger  through the work  of your hands. 

What does Deuteronomy 31:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 31:14-29 - The Charge To His Successor
Moses had already announced that Joshua would succeed him; but in view of the great difficulties which confronted the new leader, it was expedient that the guiding pillar should give him the symbol and pledge of God's endorsement.
Two other sources of their allegiance were proposed. First, a song. National songs lay hold on memory and have a powerful effect in stirring the deepest emotions. This song, composed under the divine impulse, embodied the substance of the preceding pleadings and exhortations, and was suitable to be taught to the generations that followed. Be sure that nothing more efficiently preserves religion than noble hymns! Learn and teach them! Secondly, the book. See Deuteronomy 31:24, etc. We have already heard of this. See Exodus 17:14; Exodus 24:4-7. No doubt it was to this necessity of recording the Law and chronicling the story of the Exodus that we owe the origin of the sacred books which bear the name of Moses. See John 5:46. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 31

1  Moses encourages the people
7  He encourages Joshua
9  He delivers the law unto the priests to be read in the seventh year
14  God gives a charge to Joshua
19  and a song to testify against the people
24  Moses delivers the book of the law to the Levites to keep
28  He makes a protestation

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 31:29 mean?

For I know that after my death because utterly you will become corrupt and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you and will befall you evil in latter the days you will do - evil in the sight of Yahweh to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands
כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אַחֲרֵ֤י מוֹתִי֙ כִּֽי־ הַשְׁחֵ֣ת תַּשְׁחִת֔וּן וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־ הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתִי אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְקָרָ֨את אֶתְכֶ֤ם הָֽרָעָה֙ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֔ים תַעֲשׂ֤וּ אֶת־ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לְהַכְעִיס֖וֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיכֶֽם

יָדַ֗עְתִּי  I  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אַחֲרֵ֤י  that  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
מוֹתִי֙  my  death 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הַשְׁחֵ֣ת  utterly 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
תַּשְׁחִת֔וּן  you  will  become  corrupt 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם  and  turn  aside 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ  the  way 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
צִוִּ֖יתִי  I  have  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
וְקָרָ֨את  and  will  befall 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
הָֽרָעָה֙  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית  in  latter 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַחֲרִית  
Sense: after part, end.
הַיָּמִ֔ים  the  days 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
תַעֲשׂ֤וּ  you  will  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
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.
הָרַע֙  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
בְּעֵינֵ֣י  in  the  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְהַכְעִיס֖וֹ  to  provoke  Him  to  anger 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּעַס  
Sense: to be angry, be vexed, be indignant, be wroth, be grieved, provoke to anger and wrath.
בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה  through  the  work 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
יְדֵיכֶֽם  of  your  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, second person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.