Deuteronomy 29:25

And the people will answer, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The nations answer their own question about God’s great outburst of anger by identifying Israel’s destruction as a direct result of covenant violation. Their response occurs in Deuteronomy 29 during a retrospective explanation of national judgment.

The words — עָֽזְב֔וּ ('a.ze.Vu) translates literally as "they forsook" or "they abandoned," paired with בְּרִ֥ית (be.Rit), meaning "covenant." These terms mark a deliberate rupture of a binding agreement rather than mere oversight.

The thread — This covenant breach pattern appears in 1 Kings 19:10, where Elijah reports Israel has forsaken God’s covenant, and in Hebrews 8:9, which quotes the Exodus generation’s failure to remain in it. The references trace a consistent biblical link between covenant violation and divine judgment.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to acknowledge that national disaster follows explicit covenant breach. It demands a clear-eyed assessment of how collective consequences stem directly from violating stated divine terms.

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

וְאָ֣מְר֔וּve./'A.me.Ruand/ people will say עַ֚ל'alon אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherthat עָֽזְב֔וּ'a.ze.Vuthey forsook אֶת־'et-<obj.>בְּרִ֥יתbe.Rit[the] covenant of יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.Hei[the] God of אֲבֹתָ֑ם'a.vo.Ta/mancestors/ their אֲשֶׁר֙'a.Sherwhich כָּרַ֣תka.Rathe made עִמָּ֔ם'i.Ma/mwith/ them בְּהוֹצִיא֥וֹbe./ho.tzi.'/Owhen/ brought out/ he אֹתָ֖ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them מֵאֶ֥רֶץme./'E.retzfrom/ [the] land of מִצְרָֽיִם׃mitz.Ra.yimEgypt

King James Version

Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:

Cross-references

Hebrews 8:9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide by My covenant, and I disregarded them, declares the Lord.
1 Kings 19:10 “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the LORD lays waste the earth and leaves it in ruins. He will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants—
Isaiah 47:6 I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke.
Jeremiah 22:9 Then people will reply, ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.’”
Jeremiah 31:32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 40:2 The captain of the guard found Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster on this place,
Jeremiah 50:7 All who found them devoured them, and their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the LORD, their true pasture, the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’