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Deuteronomy 16:20

in Deuteronomy 16

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

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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

KJV

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

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This verse in Deuteronomy 16

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

Against the Pelagians 2.3 · Written before 420.

In another place: "You shall follow justly after that which is just," lest we turn from justice, by asserting our own view of truth, recalling the experience of Saul and Agag.

This site's exposition

That which is altogether just shalt thou follow

The Hebrew doubles a single word here, and John Gill renders it justice, justice, where the King James carries the force of the repetition with altogether just. The verb behind follow is closer to pursue than to keep, so the court is sent after justice rather than told to wait for it to arrive. What hangs on the charge is tenure, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, which ties Israel's hold on the ground to the conduct of its own courts.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church1 voice

Law slays a man when the minister of the law slays, and this with a just order having been observed, a just cause, and a just intention. It is necessary that there be a just order and a just cause, that is, that one be …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

That which is altogether just shalt thou follow,.... Or "justice", "justice" (a), strict justice, and nothing else: that thou mayest live and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee; that is, continue in the possession of it. (a) צדק צדק.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Justice, justice, shalt thou follow. " This is that which the magistrate is to have in his eye, on this he must be intent, and to this all personal regards must be sacrificed, to do right to all and wrong to none.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Judges and officers shalt thou make--These last meant heralds or bailiffs, employed in executing the sentence of their superiors. in all thy gates--The gate was the place of public resort among the Israelites and other Eastern people, where business was transacted and causes decided.

The words behind it

13 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • צֶ֥דֶקrighteousness

    tzedekH6664 →119 times

  • צֶ֖דֶקrighteousness

    tzedekH6664 →119 times

  • תִּרְדֹּ֑ףyou will pursue

    tirdofH7291 →143 times

  • לְמַ֤עַןso that

    lemaanH4616 →272 times

  • תִּֽחְיֶה֙you may live

    tichyehH2421 →282 times

  • וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣and you will take possession of

    veyarashtaH3423 →231 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הָאָ֔רֶץthe land

    haaretzH776 →2504 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־which

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • יְהוָ֥הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָGod your

    ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times

  • נֹתֵ֥ן[is] about to give

    notenH5414 →2011 times

  • לָֽךְ׃ סto you

    lakh

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

9 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Philippians 4:8Finally, 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.20 works1 Thessalonians 5:15Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.5 worksEzekiel 18:9He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live, declares the Lord GOD.4 worksEzekiel 18:5Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:3 worksMicah 6:8He 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?3 works1 Timothy 6:11But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.3 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
Deuteronomy 25:13–16You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light.2 worksRomans 10:5For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: “The man who does these things will live by them.”2 worksDeuteronomy 4:1Hear 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.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    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?

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 10:12–13

      And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your…

    • Proverbs 21:3

      To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.

    • Colossians 3:12

      Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

    • Jeremiah 22:3

      This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.…

  • Through

    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.

    it leads to

    • James 3:17

      But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

    • Titus 2:7

      In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,

    • Romans 12:9–21

      Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

    • 2 Corinthians 8:21

      For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.

Where this verse is studied

About Deuteronomy

Moses Comes Down from Mount Sinai, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Moses Comes Down from Mount Sinai, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Deuteronomy: the study guide →Read Deuteronomy 16 →

This page draws on Bonaventure, Collationes de decem praeceptis, Collation 6 (Paris, Lent 1267); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Against the Pelagians 2.3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Deuteronomy 16 →