Deuteronomy 8:18
in Deuteronomy 8But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But thou shalt remember Jehovah thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as at this day.
KJV
But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 8
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
You might say in your heart
on Deuteronomy 8:17-18
The danger is a sentence said in the heart, "The power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me". Verse 18 gives wealth a purpose, "to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers", so it is covenant business before it is reward.
This site's exposition
gives you the power to gain wealth
Remember answers the boast of verse 17, naming the power claimed for the hands as the gift of the LORD your God. Adam Clarke lists what that power includes, wisdom, skill, strength, health and a fertile earth.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
By these words [Scripture] is showing clearly that it is God who grants us gifts of good things and that we ought as servants of the grace of God to sow God's gracious gifts and enable our neighbors to become people of honor. The aim is for the man of self-control to enable those who are continent to find their fulfillment, the man of courage to do the same for the noble, the man of practical wisdom for the understanding, and the man of justice for the just.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God,....
It is our duty to get wisdom, and above all our gettings to get understanding; and yet it is God's grace that gives wisdom, and when we have got it we must not say, It was the might of our hand that got it, but must own it was God that gave us power to get it, and therefore to him we must give the praise and consecrate the use of it.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
God - giveth thee power to get wealth - Who among the rich and wealthy believes this saying? Who gives wisdom, understanding, skill, bodily strength, and health? Is it not God? And without these, how can wealth be acquired? Whose is providence? Who gives fertility to the earth? And who brings every proper purpose to a right issue? Is it not God? And without these also can wealth be acquired?
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְזָֽכַרְתָּ֙ | vezakharta | and you will remember | H2142 → | 230 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ה֗וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הַנֹּתֵ֥ן | hanoten | [is] the [one who] gives | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לְךָ֛ | lekha | to <the> you | ||
| כֹּ֖חַ | koach | strength | H3581 → | 126 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת | laasot | to acquire | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| חָ֑יִל | chayil | wealth | H2428 → | 246 times |
| לְמַ֨עַן | lemaan | so as | H4616 → | 272 times |
| הָקִ֧ים | hakim | to carry out | H6965 → | 628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּרִית֛וֹ | berito | covenant his | H1285 → | 284 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נִשְׁבַּ֥ע | nishba' | he swore | H7650 → | 186 times |
| לַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ | laavoteikha | to ancestors your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| כַּיּ֥וֹם | kaiyom | as the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַזֶּֽה׃ פ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
וְזָֽכַרְתָּ֙and you will remember
vezakhartaH2142 →230 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
ה֗וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
הַנֹּתֵ֥ן[is] the [one who] gives
hanotenH5414 →2011 times
לְךָ֛to <the> you
lekha
כֹּ֖חַstrength
koachH3581 →126 times
לַעֲשׂ֣וֹתto acquire
laasotH6213 →2628 times
חָ֑יִלwealth
chayilH2428 →246 times
לְמַ֨עַןso as
lemaanH4616 →272 times
הָקִ֧יםto carry out
hakimH6965 →628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּרִית֛וֹcovenant his
beritoH1285 →284 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
נִשְׁבַּ֥עhe swore
nishba'H7650 →186 times
לַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָto ancestors your
laavoteikhaH1 →1212 times
כַּיּ֥וֹםas the day
kaiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַזֶּֽה׃ פ<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 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
Proverbs 10:22The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.
it leads to
- Psalms 107:38
He blesses them, and they multiply greatly; He does not let their herds diminish.
- Genesis 26:12
Now Isaac sowed seed in the land, and that very year he reaped a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him,
- 1 Samuel 2:7–8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
- Genesis 24:35
“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.
- Genesis 12:2
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
- Psalms 107:38
Through
Deuteronomy 7:8But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand…
it leads to
- Exodus 20:2
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
- Exodus 32:13
Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will…
- Exodus 20:2
Through
Deuteronomy 7:12If you listen to these ordinances and keep them carefully, then the LORD your God will keep His covenant and the loving devotion that He swore to your fathers.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 28:1–14
“Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above…
- Deuteronomy 28:1–14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, Book 2; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 2; John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.