Deuteronomy 16:20

Pursue justice, and justice alone, so that you may live, and you may possess the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the assembled Israelites on the plains of Moab, issuing a judicial command before they cross the Jordan into the territory promised by the LORD.

The words — The text centers on צֶ֥דֶק (Tze.dek), meaning righteousness or justice, and תִּרְדֹּ֑ף (tir.Dof), meaning you will pursue.

The thread — This directive echoes Ezekiel 18:5, which describes a righteous man doing what is just and right, and Ezekiel 18:9, which ties that same conduct to living. Philippians 4:8 further extends the concept by listing righteousness among the virtues believers must actively contemplate.

Why it lands — The verse requires the community to make impartial justice its sole pursuit, directly conditioning their survival and land inheritance on that exclusive focus.

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

צֶ֥דֶקTze.dekrighteousness צֶ֖דֶקTze.dekrighteousness תִּרְדֹּ֑ףtir.Dofyou will pursue לְמַ֤עַןle.Ma.'anso that תִּֽחְיֶה֙tich.Yehyou may live וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ve./ya.rash.Taand/ you will take possession of אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָאָ֔רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your נֹתֵ֥ןno.Ten[is] about to giveלָֽךְ׃ סLa/khto/ you

King James Version

That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Cross-references

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
Ezekiel 18:9 He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 18:5 Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Deuteronomy 4:1 Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live and may enter and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
Deuteronomy 25:13 You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light.
Romans 10:5 For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: “The man who does these things will live by them.”