Deu 28:1-13 | NET2full | STEP | “ If you indeed obey the Lord your God and are careful to observe all his commandments I am giving you today , the Lord your God will elevate you above all the nations of the earth .

‏ Deuteronomy 28:1-13

The Covenant Blessings

1 “If you indeed ^{▼▼tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “indeed.”} obey the Lord your God and are careful to observe all his commandments I am giving ^{▼▼tn Heb “commanding”; NAB “which I enjoin on you today” (likewise in v. 15).} you today, the Lord your God will elevate you above all the nations of the earth. 2 All these blessings will come to you in abundance ^{▼▼tn Heb “come upon you and overtake you” (so NASB, NRSV); NIV11 “come on you and accompany you.”} if you obey the Lord your God: 3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field. ^{▼▼tn Or “in the country” (so NAB, NIV, NLT). This expression also occurs in v. 15.} 4 Your children ^{▼▼tn Heb “the fruit of your womb” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).} will be blessed, as well as the produce of your soil, the offspring of your livestock, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks. 5 Your basket and your mixing bowl will be blessed. 6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. ^{▼▼sn Come in…go out. To “come in” and “go out” is a figure of speech (merism) indicating all of life and its activities.} 7 The Lord will cause your enemies who attack ^{▼▼tn Heb “who rise up against” (so NIV).} you to be struck down before you; they will attack you from one direction ^{▼▼tn Heb “way” (also later in this verse and in v. 25).} but flee from you in seven different directions. 8 The Lord will decree blessing for you with respect to your barns and in everything you do—yes, he will bless you in the land he ^{▼▼tn Heb “the Lord your God.” Because English would not typically reintroduce the proper name following a relative pronoun (“he will bless…the Lord your God is giving”), the pronoun (“he”) has been employed here in the translation.} is giving you. 9 The Lord will designate you as his holy people just as he promised you, if you keep his commandments ^{▼▼tn Heb “the commandments of the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in the previous verse.} and obey him. ^{▼▼tn Heb “and walk in his ways” (so NAB, NASB, NIV84, NRSV, NLT).} 10 Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you belong to the Lord, ^{▼▼tn Heb “the name of the Lord is called over you.” The Hebrew idiom indicates ownership; see 2 Sam 12:28; Isa 4:1, as well as BDB 896 s.v. קָרָא Niph. 2.d.(4).} and they will respect you. 11 The Lord will greatly multiply your children, ^{▼▼tn Heb “the fruit of your womb” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “will give you a lot of children.”} the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your soil in the land that he ^{▼▼tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 28:8.} promised your ancestors ^{▼▼tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 36, 64).} he would give you. 12 The Lord will open for you his good treasure house, the heavens, to give you rain for the land in its season and to bless all you do; ^{▼▼tn Heb “all the work of your hands.”} you will lend to many nations but you will not borrow from any. 13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his ^{▼▼tn Heb “the Lord your God’s.” See note on “he” in 28:8.} commandments that I am urging ^{▼▼tn Heb “commanding” (so NRSV); NASB “which I charge you today.”} you today to be careful to do.