Deuteronomy 30:20

Green's Literal Translation

to love Jehovah your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him. For He is your life, and the length of your days so that you may live in the land which Jehovah has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give it to them.

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

Update Bible Version
to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

English Revised Version
to love the LORD thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

New Century Version
To choose life is to love the Lord your God, obey him, and stay close to him. He is your life, and he will let you live many years in the land, the land he promised to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

New English Translation
I also call on you to love the Lord your God, to obey him and be loyal to him, for he gives you life and enables you to live continually in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Webster's Bible Translation
That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave to him (for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days) that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD swore to thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

World English Bible
to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Amplified Bible
by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding closely to Him; for He is your life [your good life, your abundant life, your fulfillment] and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD promised (swore) to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and that thou loue thi Lord God, and obeie to his vois, and cleue to hym, for he is thi lijf, and the lengthe of thi daies; that thou dwelle in the lond, for which the Lord swoor to thi fadris, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he schulde yyue it to hem.

Young's Literal Translation
to love Jehovah thy God, to hearken to His voice, and to cleave to Him (for He [is] thy life, and the length of thy days), to dwell on the ground which Jehovah hath sworn to thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them.'

Berean Standard Bible
and that you may love the LORD your God, obey Him, and hold fast to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life in the land the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Contemporary English Version
Be completely faithful to the Lord your God, love him, and do whatever he tells you. The Lord is the only one who can give life, and he will let you live a long time in the land that he promised to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

American Standard Version
to love Jehovah thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Bible in Basic English
In loving the Lord your God, hearing his voice and being true to him: for he is your life and by him will your days be long: so that you may go on living in the land which the Lord gave by an oath to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
That thou mayest loue the Lord thy God, and be obedient to his voyce, and cleaue vnto hym: For he is thy life, & the length of thy dayes, that thou mayest dwell vpon the earth, which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers, Abraham, Isahac, and Iacob, to geue them.

Complete Jewish Bible
loving Adonai your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him — for that is the purpose of your life! On this depends the length of time you will live in the land Adonai swore he would give to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya‘akov." Haftarah Nitzavim: Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) 61:10–63:9 B'rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Nitzavim: Romans 9:30–10:13; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 12:14 –15

Darby Translation
in loving Jehovah thy God, in hearkening to his voice, and in cleaving to him—for this is thy life and the length of thy days—that thou mayest dwell in the land which Jehovah swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Easy-to-Read Version
You must love the Lord your God and obey him. Never leave him, because he is your life. And he will give you a long life in the land that he, the Lord , promised to give to your ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

JPS Old Testament (1917)
to love the LORD thy God, to hearken to His voice, and to cleave unto Him; for that is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

King James Version (1611)
That thou maiest loue the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voyce, and that thou mayest cleaue vnto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy dayes, that thou mayest dwell in the land, which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Iacob, to giue them.

New Life Bible
Love the Lord your God and obey His voice. Hold on to Him. For He is your life, and by Him your days will be long. You will be allowed to live in the land the Lord promised to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

New Revised Standard
loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
to love Yahweh thy God, to hearken unto his voice, and to cleave unto him, - for, he, is thy life, and thy length of days, that thou mayest abide upon the soil which Yahweh sware to thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, to give unto them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
By louing the Lorde thy God, by obeying his voyce, and by cleauing vnto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy dayes: that thou mayest dwell in the lande which the Lorde sware vnto thy fathers, Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob, to giue them.

George Lamsa Translation
That you may love the LORD your God, and that you may obey his voice, and that you may cleave to him; for he is your life and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to you.

Good News Translation
Love the Lord your God, obey him and be faithful to him, and then you and your descendants will live long in the land that he promised to give your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And that thou mayst love the Lord thy God, and obey his voice, and adhere to him (for he is thy life, and the length of thy days,) that thou mayst dwell in the land, for which the Lord swore to thy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would give it them.

Revised Standard Version
loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him; for that means life to you and length of days, that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
to love the Lord thy God, to hearken to his voice, and cleave to him; for this is thy life, and the length of thy days, that thou shouldest dwell upon the land, which the Lord sware to thy fathers, Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them.

Christian Standard Bible®
love the Lord your God, obey him, and remain faithful to him. For he is your life, and he will prolong your days as you live in the land the Lord swore to give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Hebrew Names Version
to love the LORD your God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya`akov, to give them.

King James Version
That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Lexham English Bible
by loving Yahweh your God by listening to his voice and by clinging to him, for he is your life and the length of your days in order for you to live on the land that Yahweh swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them."

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
yt ye maye loue the LORDE youre God, and herken vnto his voyce, and cleue vnto him: (For he is thy life and thy loge age) that thou mayest dwell in the londe, which the LORDE sware vnto thy fathers Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, to geue them.

New American Standard Bible
by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding close to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, so that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

New King James Version
that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

New Living Translation
You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord , you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

Legacy Standard Bible
by loving Yahweh your God, by listening to His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ Behold, I have set before you today life and good and death and evil, ¹⁶ in that I am commanding you today to love Jehovah your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands and His statutes, and His judgments, and you shall live and multiply, and Jehovahyour God shall bless you in the land where youare going in, to possess it. ¹⁷ But if you turn away your heart, and you do not listen, and are drawn on, even you will bow down to other gods, and serve them; ¹⁸ I have declared to you today that you shall certainly perish. You shall not prolong your days in the land to which you are crossing the Jordan, to go in there to possess it. ¹⁹ I call Heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, that you may live, you and your seed, ²⁰ to love Jehovah your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him. For He is your life, and the length of your days so that you may live in the land which Jehovah has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give it to them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

love: Deuteronomy 30:6, Deuteronomy 30:16, Deuteronomy 10:12, Deuteronomy 11:22

cleave: Deuteronomy 4:4, Deuteronomy 10:20, Joshua 23:8, Acts 11:23, Romans 12:9

thy life: Psalms 27:1, Psalms 30:5, Psalms 36:9, Psalms 66:9, John 11:25, John 11:26, John 14:6, John 17:3, Acts 17:25, Acts 17:28, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 3:3, Colossians 3:4, Revelation 21:6, Revelation 22:1, Revelation 22:17

thou mayest: Deuteronomy 4:40, Deuteronomy 5:16, Deuteronomy 11:9, Deuteronomy 12:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 5:5 - nine Genesis 12:7 - Unto thy Deuteronomy 13:4 - and cleave Deuteronomy 20:6 - eaten of it 1 Kings 3:3 - loved Psalms 34:12 - What Psalms 37:29 - General Ecclesiastes 7:12 - the excellency Jeremiah 7:23 - Obey Jeremiah 11:7 - in the Jeremiah 35:15 - ye shall dwell Acts 7:38 - lively

Cross-References

Genesis 29:34
And she conceived again and bore a son. And she said, Now, this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne to him three sons. So his name was called Levi.

Genesis 30:15
And she said to her, is your taking my husband a little thing ? Will you also take my son's love-apples? And Rachel said, So he shall be with you tonight, for your son's love apples.

Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob's first-born; and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun.

Genesis 46:14
And the sons of Zebulun: Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.

Genesis 49:13
Zebulun shall live at the seashore, and he shall be a haven of ships, even his border beside Sidon.

Judges 4:10
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh. And he went up with ten thousand men at his feet. And Deborah went up with him.

Judges 5:14
Out of Ephraim they came, those whose root was against Amalek. After you, Benjamin, among your peoples; and out of Machir came down commanders; and out of Zebulun the ones that hold the staff of the scribe.

Psalms 68:27
There is little Benjamin ruling them; the leaders of Judah in their crowd, and the leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali.

Matthew 4:13
And having left Nazareth, having come He lived at Capernaum, beside the sea in the districts of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That thou mayest love the Lord thy God,.... And show it by keeping his commands:

[and] that thou mayest obey his voice; in his word, and by his prophets:

and that thou mayest cleave unto him; and to his worship, and not follow after and serve other gods:

for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days; the God of their lives, and the Father of their mercies; the giver of long life, and all the blessings of it; and which he had promised to those that were obedient, to him, and which they might expect:

that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them; the land of Canaan, often thus described; this was the grand promise made to obedience to the law, and was typical of eternal life and happiness; which is had, not through man's obedience to the law, but through the obedience and righteousness of Christ.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ignorance of the requirements of the law cannot be pleaded Deuteronomy 30:10-14; hence, Deuteronomy 30:15-20 life and death, good and evil, are solemnly set before the people for their own choice; and an earnest exhortation to choose the better part concludes the address.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14. “The righteousness which is of faith” is really and truly described in these words of the Law; and, under Paul’s guidance (see marginal references) we affirm was intended so to be. For the simplicity and accessibility which Moses here attributes to the Law of God neither is nor can be experimentally found in it except through the medium of faith; even though outwardly and in the letter that Law be written out for us so “that he may run that readeth,” and be set forth in its duties and its sanctions as plainly as it was before the Jews by Moses. The seeming ease of the commandment, and yet its real impossibility to the natural man, form part of the qualifications of the Law to be our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.

Deuteronomy 30:11

Not hidden from thee - Rather, not too hard for thee, as in Deuteronomy 17:8.

Neither is it far off - Compare Luke 17:21.

Deuteronomy 30:13

The paraphrase of this verse in the Jerusalem Targum is noteworthy, and should be compared with Paul’s rendering in Romans 10:7 : “Neither is the law beyond the great sea, that thou shouldest say, Oh that we had one like Jonah the prophet who could descend into the depths of the sea and bring it to us!”

Deuteronomy 30:14

In thy mouth, and in, thy heart - Compare Deuteronomy 6:6; Deuteronomy 11:18-20.

Deuteronomy 30:20

That thou mayest love the Lord - Compare Deuteronomy 6:5. Love stands first as the essential and only source of obedience.

He is thy life - Or, “that” (i. e., “to love the Lord”) “is thy life;” i. e., the condition of thy life and of its prolongation in the promised land. Compare Deuteronomy 4:40; Deuteronomy 32:47.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 30:20. That thou mayest love the Lord — Without love there can be no obedience.

Obey his voice — Without obedience love is fruitless and dead.

And - cleave unto him — Without close attachment and perseverance, temporary love, however sincere and fervent - temporary obedience, however disinterested, energetic, and pure while it lasts - will be ultimately ineffectual. He alone who endures to the end, shall be saved. Reader, how do matters stand between God and thy soul? He cannot persevere in the grace of God whose soul is not yet made a partaker of that grace. Many talk strenuously on the impossibility of falling from grace, who have not yet tasted that the Lord is gracious. How absurd to talk and dispute about the infallibility of arriving safely at the end of a way in which a man has never yet taken one hearty step! It is never among those that have the grace of God, but among those that have it not, that we find an overweening confidence.