Deuteronomy 31:21
in Deuteronomy 31And when many troubles and afflictions have come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants. For I know their inclination, even before I bring them into the land that I swore to give them.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are come upon them, that this song shall testify before them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they frame this day, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.
KJV
And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.
⋯
This verse in Deuteronomy 31
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Now therefore, write down for yourselves this song
on Deuteronomy 31:19-21
The song is commissioned as evidence for a trial that has not opened. Verse 21 says why it will hold: “it will not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants”.
This site's exposition
For I know their inclination
Inclination translates yetser, the Hebrew word for what a mind forms or plans. The same word describes the evil bent of the human heart before and after the flood at Genesis 6:5 and 8:21. God reads Israel's bent before they cross.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
), which would be such manifest indications of God's displeasure against them that they themselves would be constrained to own it: Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us? Those that have sinned away their God will find that thereby they pull all mischiefs upon their own heads.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them,....
When their troubles come upon them, this song shall not be forgotten, but may serve as a glass to show them their own faces, that they may humble themselves, and return to him from whom they have revolted. Note, Those for whom God has mercy in store he may leave to fall, yet he will provide means for their recovery. Medicines are prepared before-hand for their cure.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the Lord said unto Moses, . . . this people will rise up--In this remarkable interview, Moses was distinctly apprised of the infidelity of Israel, their corruptions of the true religion through intercourse with the idolatrous inhabitants of Canaan (Am 5:26), and their chastisements in consequence of those national defections.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
This song shall testify against them - Because in it their general defection is predicted, but in such a way as to show them how to avoid the evil; and if they did not avoid the evil, and the threatened punishment should come upon them, then the song should testify against them, by showing that they had been sufficiently warned, and might have lived to God, and so escaped those disasters.
The words behind it
31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְ֠הָיָה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| תִמְצֶ֨אןָ | timtzena | they will come upon | H4672 → | 455 times |
| אֹת֜וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רָע֣וֹת | raot | calamities | H7451 → | 662 times |
| רַבּוֹת֮ | rabot | many | H7227 → | 454 times |
| וְצָרוֹת֒ | vetzarot | and troubles | H6869 → | |
| וְ֠עָנְתָה | veanetah | and it will testify | H6030 → | 331 times |
| הַשִּׁירָ֨ה | hashirah | the song | H7892 → | 59 times |
| הַזֹּ֤את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| לְפָנָיו֙ | lefanav | <to> before it | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| לְעֵ֔ד | leed | to a witness | H5707 → | 70 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִשָּׁכַ֖ח | tishakhach | it will be forgotten | H7911 → | 102 times |
| מִפִּ֣י | mipi | from [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| זַרְע֑וֹ | zaro | offspring its | H2233 → | 229 times |
| כִּ֧י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָדַ֣עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יִצְר֗וֹ | yitzro | intention its | H3336 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ה֤וּא | hu' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| עֹשֶׂה֙ | ʾoseh | [is] making | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הַיּ֔וֹם | haiyom | this day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| בְּטֶ֣רֶם | beterem | <in> before | H2962 → | |
| אֲבִיאֶ֔נּוּ | ʾavienu | I will bring it | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָאָ֖רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נִשְׁבָּֽעְתִּי׃ | nishbaeti | I swore | H7650 → | 186 times |
וְ֠הָיָהand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
תִמְצֶ֨אןָthey will come upon
timtzenaH4672 →455 times
אֹת֜וֹ<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
רָע֣וֹתcalamities
raotH7451 →662 times
רַבּוֹת֮many
rabotH7227 →454 times
וְצָרוֹת֒and troubles
vetzarotH6869 →
וְ֠עָנְתָהand it will testify
veanetahH6030 →331 times
הַשִּׁירָ֨הthe song
hashirahH7892 →59 times
הַזֹּ֤את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
לְפָנָיו֙<to> before it
lefanavH6440 →2123 times
לְעֵ֔דto a witness
leedH5707 →70 times
כִּ֛יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִשָּׁכַ֖חit will be forgotten
tishakhachH7911 →102 times
מִפִּ֣יfrom [the] mouth of
mipiH6310 →498 times
זַרְע֑וֹoffspring its
zaroH2233 →229 times
כִּ֧יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יָדַ֣עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יִצְר֗וֹintention its
yitzroH3336 →
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
ה֤וּאit
hu'H1931 →1879 times
עֹשֶׂה֙[is] making
ʾosehH6213 →2628 times
הַיּ֔וֹםthis day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
בְּטֶ֣רֶם<in> before
beteremH2962 →
אֲבִיאֶ֔נּוּI will bring it
ʾavienuH935 →2568 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָאָ֖רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נִשְׁבָּֽעְתִּי׃I swore
nishbaetiH7650 →186 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
Isaiah 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Psalms 33:11
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.
- Ephesians 1:9–11
And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
- Isaiah 43:13
Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”
- Proverbs 19:21
Through
Genesis 6:5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.
it leads to
- Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
- Romans 1:28–31
Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
- Mark 7:21–23
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
- Jeremiah 4:14
Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
- Matthew 15:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
About Deuteronomy

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Berean Standard Bible, Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Hebrew text, Deuteronomy 31:21; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
