Deuteronomy 29:16

For you yourselves know how we lived in the land of Egypt and how we passed through the nations on the way here.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites assembled at Moab, speaking to both the present generation and future descendants during a covenant renewal before entering the Promised Land.

The words — The Hebrew phrase יָשַׁבְנוּ בְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם (ya.Shav.nu be./'E.retz mitz.Ra.yim) literally means "we dwelt in the land of Egypt." The conjunction כִּי (ki) functions as "for," grounding the following warning in remembered history.

The thread — The motif of traveling through foreign territories appears in Deuteronomy 2:4, 2:9, and 2:19, where God commands the people to pass through the lands of Esau, Moab, and Ammon without provoking war.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge past deliverance as the necessary foundation for heeding the warning against the idols described in Deuteronomy 29:17.

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

כִּֽי־ki-for אַתֶּ֣ם'a.Temyou יְדַעְתֶּ֔םye.da'.Temyou know אֵ֥ת'et<obj.>אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-this:יָשַׁ֖בְנוּya.Shav.nuwe dwelt בְּאֶ֣רֶץbe./'E.retzin/ [the] land of מִצְרָ֑יִםmitz.Ra.yimEgypt וְאֵ֧תve./'Etand/ <obj.>אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-this:עָבַ֛רְנוּ'a.Var.nuwe passed בְּקֶ֥רֶבbe./Ke.revin/ [the] midst of הַגּוֹיִ֖םha./go.Yimthe/ nations אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich עֲבַרְתֶּֽם׃'a.var.Temyou passed through

King James Version

(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by;

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 2:4 and command the people: ‘You will pass through the territory of your brothers, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so you must be very careful.
Deuteronomy 2:9 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”
Deuteronomy 2:19 But when you get close to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the Ammonites. I have given it to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”
Deuteronomy 2:24 “Arise, set out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.
Deuteronomy 3:1 Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet us in battle at Edrei.