Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 8:11-20

Remember the Wilderness: Humility, Bread, and the Danger of a Full Stomach

From the wilderness as school of humbling (vv. 1-5) through the land's lush abundance and the prosperity warning (vv. 6-18) to the stark consequence of forgetting (vv. 19-20) — the chapter moves from the past formation through the present gift to the future danger, with remembrance as the single discipline that connects all three.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

11 Be careful not to forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes, which I am giving you this day.

12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses in which to dwell,

13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all that you have is multiplied,

14 then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

15 He led you through the vast and terrifying wilderness with its venomous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty and waterless land. He brought you water from the rock of flint.

16 He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper.

17 You might say in your heart, “The power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me.”

18 But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day.

19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish.

20 Like the nations that the LORD has destroyed before you, so you will perish if you do not obey the LORD your God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Original words

Be careful הִשָּׁ֣מֶר H8104 Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular not פֶּן־ H6435 Conjunction to forget תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח H7911 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular by failing לְבִלְתִּ֨י H1115 Preposition-l to keep שְׁמֹ֤ר H8104 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct His commandments מִצְוֺתָיו֙ H4687 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular and ordinances וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו H4941 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and statutes וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו H2708 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular which אֲשֶׁ֛ר H834 Pronoun - relative I אָנֹכִ֥י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular am giving you מְצַוְּךָ֖ H6680 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular this day הַיּֽוֹם׃ H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Otherwise פֶּן־ H6435 Conjunction when you eat תֹּאכַ֖ל H398 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular and are satisfied וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ H7646 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular when you build תִּבְנֶ֖ה H1129 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular fine טוֹבִ֛ים H2896 Adjective - masculine plural houses וּבָתִּ֥ים H1004 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural in which to dwell וְיָשָֽׁבְתָּ׃ H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

and when your herds וּבְקָֽרְךָ֤ H1241 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and flocks וְצֹֽאנְךָ֙ H6629 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular grow large יִרְבְּיֻ֔ן H7235 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun and your silver וְכֶ֥סֶף H3701 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular and gold וְזָהָ֖ב H2091 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular increase יִרְבֶּה־ H7235 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and all וְכֹ֥ל H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative you have לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular is multiplied יִרְבֶּֽה׃ H7235 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

then your heart לְבָבֶ֑ךָ H3824 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular will become proud וְרָ֖ם H7311 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular and you will forget וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֙ H7911 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular who brought you out הַמּוֹצִיאֲךָ֛ H3318 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular of the land מֵאֶ֥רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֖יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular out of the house מִבֵּ֥ית H1004 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of slavery עֲבָדִֽים׃ H5650 Noun - masculine plural
Verse 15

Original words

He led הַמּוֹלִ֨יכֲךָ֜ H1980 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular you through the vast הַגָּדֹ֣ל H1419 Article | Adjective - masculine singular and terrifying וְהַנּוֹרָ֗א H3372 Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular wilderness בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר׀ H4057 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular with its venomous שָׂרָף֙ H8314 Adjective - masculine singular snakes נָחָ֤שׁ׀ H5175 Noun - masculine singular and scorpions וְעַקְרָ֔ב H6137 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular a thirsty וְצִמָּא֖וֹן H6774 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative vvv אֵֽין־ H369 Adverb and waterless [land] מָ֑יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural He brought הַמּוֹצִ֤יא H3318 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular you לְךָ֙ Preposition | second person masculine singular water מַ֔יִם H4325 Noun - masculine plural from the rock מִצּ֖וּר H6697 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of flint הַֽחַלָּמִֽישׁ׃ H2496 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 16

Original words

He fed you הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥ H398 Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular in the wilderness בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר H4057 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular with manna מָן֙ H4478 Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative your fathers אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ H1 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular had not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle known יָדְע֖וּן H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | Paragogic nun in order to לְמַ֣עַן H4616 Conjunction humble you עַנֹּֽתְךָ֗ H6031 Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular . . . וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ H4616 Conjunction and test you נַסֹּתֶ֔ךָ H5254 Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular so that in the end בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃ H319 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular He might cause you to prosper לְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֖ H3190 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

You might say וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular in your heart בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ H3824 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular The power כֹּחִי֙ H3581 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular and strength וְעֹ֣צֶם H6108 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of my hands יָדִ֔י H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular have made עָ֥שָׂה H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֶּֽה׃ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular wealth הַחַ֥יִל H2428 Article | Noun - masculine singular for me לִ֖י Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 18

Original words

But remember וְזָֽכַרְתָּ֙ H2142 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker that it is the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular . . . כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction [who] ה֗וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular gives הַנֹּתֵ֥ן H5414 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular you לְךָ֛ Preposition | second person masculine singular the power כֹּ֖חַ H3581 Noun - masculine singular to gain לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct wealth חָ֑יִל H2428 Noun - masculine singular in order to לְמַ֨עַן H4616 Conjunction confirm הָקִ֧ים H6965 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker His covenant בְּרִית֛וֹ H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular that אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative He swore נִשְׁבַּ֥ע H7650 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to your fathers לַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular even to this הַזֶּֽה׃פ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular day כַּיּ֥וֹם H3117 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

- וְהָיָ֗ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular If אִם־ H518 Conjunction you ever forget שָׁכֹ֤חַ H7911 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . תִּשְׁכַּח֙ H7911 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular and go וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֗ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular after אַחֲרֵי֙ H310 Preposition other אֲחֵרִ֔ים H312 Adjective - masculine plural gods אֱלֹהִ֣ים H430 Noun - masculine plural to worship וַעֲבַדְתָּ֖ם H5647 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural and bow down וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִ֣יתָ H7812 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to them לָהֶ֑ם Preposition | third person masculine plural I testify הַעִדֹ֤תִי H5749 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular against you בָכֶם֙ Preposition | second person masculine plural today הַיּ֔וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular that כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction you will surely perish אָבֹ֖ד H6 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . תֹּאבֵדֽוּן׃ H6 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Verse 20

Original words

Like the nations כַּגּוֹיִ֗ם H1471 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural that אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has destroyed מַאֲבִ֣יד H6 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular before you מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural so כֵּ֖ן H3651 Adverb you will perish תֹאבֵד֑וּן H6 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun . . . עֵ֚קֶב H6118 Conjunction if you do not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle obey תִשְׁמְע֔וּן H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun . . . בְּק֖וֹל H6963 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃פ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.