Deuteronomy 11:9

and so that you may live long in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses speaks to the Israelites assembled on the plains of Moab, immediately prior to their crossing of the Jordan. He positions covenant obedience as the necessary condition for inheriting the territory.

The words — The phrase תַּאֲרִיכוּ יָמִים (ta'ariju yamim) literally means "you may prolong days." It is governed by the conjunction וּ/לְמַ֨עַן (u./le.ma'an), rendered "and so that," which ties extended life directly to the preceding command to keep every instruction.

The thread — The promise of prolonged life in the land resurfaces in the covenant stipulations of Deuteronomy 4:40 and 6:2. The designation of the territory as a land flowing with milk and honey recalls the initial deliverance oath recorded in Exodus 3:8.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to treat territorial inheritance as strictly conditional upon sustained obedience to the commandments. It establishes an unmediated, practical link between covenant fidelity and long-term possession.

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

וּלְמַ֨עַןu./le.Ma.'anand/ so that תַּאֲרִ֤יכוּta.'a.Ri.khuyou may prolong יָמִים֙ya.Mimdays עַל־'al-on הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הha./'a.da.Mahthe/ land אֲשֶׁר֩'a.Sherwhich נִשְׁבַּ֨עnish.Ba'he swore יְהוָ֧הYah.wehYahweh לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶ֛םla./'a.vo.tei./Khemto/ ancestors/ your לָתֵ֥תla./Tetto/ giveלָהֶ֖םla./Hemto/ themוּלְזַרְעָ֑םu./le./zar.'A/mand/ to/ offspring/ their אֶ֛רֶץ'E.retza land זָבַ֥תza.Vatflowing of חָלָ֖בcha.Lavmilk וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ סu./de.Vashand/ honey

King James Version

And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Cross-references

Exodus 3:8 I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
Deuteronomy 4:40 Keep His statutes and commandments, which I am giving you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.
Deuteronomy 6:2 so that you and your children and grandchildren may fear the LORD your God all the days of your lives by keeping all His statutes and commandments that I give you, and so that your days may be prolonged.
Ezekiel 20:6 On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.
Deuteronomy 5:16 Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Deuteronomy 9:5 It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Deuteronomy 6:18 Do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, so that it may be well with you and that you may enter and possess the good land that the LORD your God swore to give your fathers,
Psalms 34:12 Who is the man who delights in life, who desires to see good days?
Proverbs 3:2 for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
Proverbs 3:16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.