Bible Strands

Deuteronomy 11:10

For the land that you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated on foot, like a vegetable garden.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses speaks to the Israelites assembled on the plains of Moab, immediately before they cross the Jordan River. He contrasts the territory they are about to occupy with Egypt, the place of their recent bondage.

The words — The Hebrew אַתָּה (atah) translates literally to "you," directly addressing the covenant community. The phrase לְרִשְׁתָּהּ (lerishta/h) means "to take possession of it," framing the upcoming geography as a secured inheritance rather than a conquest of chance.

The thread — The contrast between human irrigation and divine rain appears in the covenant framework of Leviticus 26:3-4 and Deuteronomy 11:13-14. The explicit link between Egyptian agricultural practices and divine judgment resurfaces in Zechariah 14:18.

Why it lands — The text states that the new land operates on a different provision system, requiring reliance on rainfall rather than manual watering. Readers must acknowledge that covenant obedience replaces self-sufficient labor as the basis for survival and stability.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּ֣יkiforהָאָ֗רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ landאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhereאַתָּ֤ה'a.Tahyouבָא־va'-[are] about to goשָׁ֙מָּה֙Sha.ma/hthere/ towardsלְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּle./rish.Ta/hto/ take possession of/ itלֹ֣אlo'notכְאֶ֤רֶץkhe./'E.retz[is] like/ [the] land ofמִצְרַ֙יִם֙mitz.Ra.yimEgyptהִ֔ואhi'itאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhereיְצָאתֶ֖םye.tza.Temyou came outמִשָּׁ֑םmi./Shamfrom/ thereאֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sherwhereתִּזְרַע֙tiz.Ra'you sowedאֶֽת־'et-<obj.>זַרְעֲךָ֔zar.'a./Khaseed/ yourוְהִשְׁקִ֥יתָve./hish.Ki.taand/ you watered [it]בְרַגְלְךָ֖ve./rag.le./Khawith/ foot/ yourכְּגַ֥ןke./Ganlike/ [the] garden ofהַיָּרָֽק׃hai./ya.Rak<the>/ vegetable[s]

King James Version

For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:

Cross-references