Deuteronomy 4:30
in Deuteronomy 4When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and listen to His voice.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, in the latter days thou shalt return to Jehovah thy God, and hearken unto his voice:
KJV
When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
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This verse in Deuteronomy 4
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
But if from there you will seek the LORD your God
on Deuteronomy 4:29-31
A promise to the scattered follows the threat, "you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul," the language of 6:5. They are offered what the covenant asked at the start, and Jeremiah 29:13 repeats the promise to exiles. Verse 31 grounds it in God's character, "a merciful God" who will not "forget the covenant with your fathers."
This site's exposition
in later days you will return
The return is placed in distress, after all these things have happened, and it ends where Horeb began, with Israel listening to his voice. Matthew Henry holds that afflictions are sent to bring people back to God. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown give two readings of the later days, the close of the captivities or the age of the Messiah, and leave both open.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
When thou art in tribulation,....
Here, [1.] He foresees their revolt from God to idols, that in process of time, when they had remained long in the land and were settled upon their lees, they would corrupt themselves, and make a graven image; this was the sin that would most easily beset them,
Thirdly, Afflictions are sent to engage and quicken us to see God, and, by the grace of God working with them, many are thus reduced to their right mind, "When these things shall come upon thee, it is to be hoped that thou wilt turn to the Lord they God, for thou seest what comes of turning from him;" see Dan. ix.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God--either towards the destined close of their captivities, when they evinced a returning spirit of repentance and faith, or in the age of Messiah, which is commonly called "the latter days," and when the scattered tribes of Israel shall be converted to the Gospel of Christ.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
LAST Lord's-Day the title of my discourse was, "Conversions Desired" and my earnest prayer to God has been that the effect of this morning's sermon may be conversions accomplished. I cannot be happy unless I indulge the hope that some will, this morning, turn to God with full purpose of heart, led to do so by the power of Divine Grace. For this I sought the Lord and at this I resolved to aim. I asked myself, "What is the most likely subject in the hand of the Holy Spirit to lead men to the Lord?
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
LAST Lord's-Day the title of my discourse was, "Conversions Desired" and my earnest prayer to God has been that the effect of this morning's sermon may be conversions accomplished. I cannot be happy unless I indulge the hope that some will, this morning, turn to God with full purpose of heart, led to do so by the power of Divine Grace. For this I sought the Lord and at this I resolved to aim. I asked myself, "What is the most likely subject in the hand of the Holy Spirit to lead men to the Lord? Shall I preach the terrors of the Lord, or shall I proclaim the sweetness of Divine mercy? Each of these has its proper use, but which will be most likely to answer our design today?" I remembered the fable of the sun and the wind. These rival powers competed as to which could compel the traveler to cast away his cloak. The wind blew boisterously and tugged at the garment as if it would tear it from the traveler's shoulders, but he buttoned it closer about him and held it firmly with his hands. The battle was not to the strong and threatening. Then the sun burst forth from behind a cloud, when the wind had ceased its blustering, and smiled upon the traveler with warmth of kindness until he loosened his cloak and, by-and- by, was glad to take it off altogether. The soft, sweet influence of the sun had vanquished where the storm had raged in vain. So I thought, perhaps if I preach the tender mercy of God and His readiness to forgive, it may be to my hearers as the warm beams of the sun to the traveler and they will cast away the garments of their sin and self-righteousness. I know that the arrows of love are keen and wound many hearts which are invulnerable to the sword of wrath.
When thou art in tribulation in the latter days - Are not these the times spoken of? And is there not still hope for Israel?
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בַּצַּ֣ר | batzar | when <the> it is distress | H6862 → | 109 times |
| לְךָ֔ | lekha | to you | ||
| וּמְצָא֕וּךָ | umetzaukha | and they will come upon you | H4672 → | 455 times |
| כֹּ֖ל | kol | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַדְּבָרִ֣ים | hadevarim | the things | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הָאֵ֑לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| בְּאַחֲרִית֙ | beacharit | at [the] end of | H319 → | 61 times |
| הַיָּמִ֔ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| וְשַׁבְתָּ֙ | veshavta | and you will return | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ | veshama'ta | and you will listen | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בְּקֹלֽוֹ׃ | bekolo | to voice his | H6963 → | 506 times |
בַּצַּ֣רwhen <the> it is distress
batzarH6862 →109 times
לְךָ֔to you
lekha
וּמְצָא֕וּךָand they will come upon you
umetzaukhaH4672 →455 times
כֹּ֖לall
kolH3605 →5413 times
הַדְּבָרִ֣יםthe things
hadevarimH1697 →1440 times
הָאֵ֑לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
בְּאַחֲרִית֙at [the] end of
beacharitH319 →61 times
הַיָּמִ֔יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
וְשַׁבְתָּ֙and you will return
veshavtaH7725 →1056 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖and you will listen
veshama'taH8085 →1159 times
בְּקֹלֽוֹ׃to voice his
bekoloH6963 →506 times
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
Jeremiah 23:20The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has fully accomplished the purposes of His heart. In the days to come you will understand this clearly.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 30:24
The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has fully accomplished the purposes of His heart. In the days to come you will understand this.
- Isaiah 55:11
so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
- Jeremiah 30:24
Through
Hosea 3:5Afterward, the people of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 30:9
Instead, they will serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
- Jeremiah 50:4–5
“In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the LORD their God.
- Ezekiel 34:23–24
I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
- Isaiah 2:2
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to…
- Ezekiel 37:22–25
I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. Then they will no longer be two nations and will never…
- Jeremiah 30:9
Through
Genesis 49:1Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come:
it leads to
- Numbers 24:14
Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”
- Numbers 24:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1283: “Conversions Encouraged” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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.