Deuteronomy 29:19
in Deuteronomy 29because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself, saying, ‘I will have peace, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my own heart.’ This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to destroy the moist with the dry.
KJV
And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
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This verse in Deuteronomy 29
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Compare on the thought Jer 23:17. The secret and presumptuous sinner is meant who flatters himself that all is well and will be well with him, since he follows his own devices and prospers. Compare Psa 73:11 ff. To add drunkenness to thirst - The sense is probably: “Himself, drinking iniquity like water, Job 15:16, he corrupts and destroys others who are thirsting for it or prone to it.” The sense of the whole passage from Deu 29:16 onward to Deu 29:20 may be exhibited thus: “Ye have seen the abominations of idolatry among the pagan.
This site's exposition
man, or woman, or family, or tribe
on Deuteronomy 29:18-19
The danger is named at every scale, man, woman, family or tribe, so no unit is too small or too large to carry it. The root that beareth gall and wormwood is taken up at Hebrews 12:15 as a root of bitterness springing up and troubling many, following the Greek of the Septuagint, and Acts 8:23 uses the gall half of the pair to Simon. Verse 19 quotes the man in his own words, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, which Albert Barnes sets beside Jeremiah 23:17 and Psalm 73, and the closing clause about drunkenness and thirst is rendered in the reverse order by other translators.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
To add drunkenness to thirst - The words may be rendered, to add thirst to drunkenness, and so the sense may be, that when he hath multiplied his sins, and made himself as it were drunk with them, yet he is not satisfied therewith, but still whets his appetite, and provokes his thirst after more, as drunkards often use means to make themselves thirst after more drink.
And it cometh to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse,....
And such an ensnaring sin is idolatry. [3.] God's just severity against him for the sin, and for the impious affront he put upon God in saying he should have peace though he went on, so giving the lie to eternal truth, Gen. iii. There is scarcely a threatening in all the book of God that sounds more dreadful than this. O that presumptuous sinners would read it and tremble!
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
It was of the greatest consequence to impress all with the strong and abiding conviction, that while the covenant of grace had special blessings belonging to it, it at the same time had curses in reserve for transgressors, the infliction of which would be as certain, as lasting and severe. This was the advantage contemplated in the law being rehearsed a second time.
To add drunkenness to thirst - A proverbial expression denoting the utmost indulgence in all sensual gratifications.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָ֡ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּשָׁמְעוֹ֩ | beshameo | when hears he | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֨י | divrei | [the] words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הָֽאָלָ֜ה | haalah | the oath | H423 → | 35 times |
| הַזֹּ֗את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וְהִתְבָּרֵ֨ךְ | vehitbarekh | and he will bless himself | H1288 → | 330 times |
| בִּלְבָב֤וֹ | bilvavo | in heart his | H3824 → | 252 times |
| לֵאמֹר֙ | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שָׁל֣וֹם | shalom | peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| יִֽהְיֶה־ | yihyeh- | it will belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִּ֔י | li | to <the> me | ||
| כִּ֛י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בִּשְׁרִר֥וּת | bishrirut | in [the] stubbornness of | H8307 → | |
| לִבִּ֖י | libi | heart my | H3820 → | 595 times |
| אֵלֵ֑ךְ | ʾelekh | I walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לְמַ֛עַן | lemaan | so as | H4616 → | 272 times |
| סְפ֥וֹת | sefot | to sweep away | H5595 → | |
| הָרָוָ֖ה | haravah | the watered [ground] | H7302 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| הַצְּמֵאָֽה׃ | hatzemeah | the thirsty [ground] | H6771 → |
וְהָיָ֡הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
בְּשָׁמְעוֹ֩when hears he
beshameoH8085 →1159 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דִּבְרֵ֨י[the] words of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
הָֽאָלָ֜הthe oath
haalahH423 →35 times
הַזֹּ֗את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
וְהִתְבָּרֵ֨ךְand he will bless himself
vehitbarekhH1288 →330 times
בִּלְבָב֤וֹin heart his
bilvavoH3824 →252 times
לֵאמֹר֙<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
שָׁל֣וֹםpeace
shalomH7965 →236 times
יִֽהְיֶה־it will belong
yihyeh-H1961 →3559 times
לִּ֔יto <the> me
li
כִּ֛יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
בִּשְׁרִר֥וּתin [the] stubbornness of
bishrirutH8307 →
לִבִּ֖יheart my
libiH3820 →595 times
אֵלֵ֑ךְI walk
ʾelekhH1980 →1546 times
לְמַ֛עַןso as
lemaanH4616 →272 times
סְפ֥וֹתto sweep away
sefotH5595 →
הָרָוָ֖הthe watered [ground]
haravahH7302 →
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
הַצְּמֵאָֽה׃the thirsty [ground]
hatzemeahH6771 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Ephesians 4:17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
it leads to
- Romans 1:21
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
- 1 Peter 4:3–4
For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2
Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live,…
- Colossians 3:5–8
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
- Ephesians 2:1–3
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
- Romans 1:21
Through
Numbers 15:30But the person who sins defiantly, whether a native or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD. That person shall be cut off from among his people.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:26
If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
- Psalms 19:13
Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression.
- Hebrews 10:26
Through
Numbers 15:39These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own…
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:26
He who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.
- Proverbs 28:26
Where this verse is studied
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.