Deuteronomy 31:16 - Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers. This people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land, where they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
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What does "Deuteronomy 31:16" mean?
This verse from Deuteronomy 31:16 is a prophecy from God (Yahweh) to Moses about the future behavior of the Israelites after Moses' death. Let's break it down:
"Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers." This is a common euphemism in the Old Testament referring to death. God is telling Moses that he will soon die and join his ancestors.
"This people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land, where they go to be among them..." This is the core of the prophecy. "Playing the prostitute" is a metaphor for idolatry. It means the Israelites will be unfaithful to Yahweh and worship other gods ("strange gods of the land"). The phrase "where they go to be among them" means that when the Israelites are integrated in the "land" or the local culture, they will also assimilate the "strange gods".
"...and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them." This explains the consequence of their idolatry. "Forsaking" God means abandoning their relationship with Him. "Breaking the covenant" refers to violating the agreement they made with God at Mount Sinai, where they promised to worship only Him in exchange for His blessings and protection.
In essence, the verse predicts that after Moses' death, the Israelites will:
Fall into idolatry, worshipping the gods of the land they inhabit.
Abandon their exclusive worship of Yahweh.
Break the covenant they made with Him.
Significance:
Forewarning: This prophecy serves as a warning to the Israelites. It's a stark reminder of the temptations they will face and the consequences of their infidelity to God.
Theological Theme: It highlights a recurring theme in the Old Testament: the Israelites' tendency to stray from God and the consequences of their disobedience.
Prophetic Accuracy: From a biblical perspective, the subsequent history of Israel, as recounted in the books of Judges, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, is seen as a fulfillment of this prophecy. The Israelites repeatedly turned to other gods, leading to periods of hardship and punishment.
The verse is a powerful statement about the relationship between God and his people, the temptations of idolatry, and the importance of remaining faithful to a covenant.
Deuteronomy 31:16 - Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers. This people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land, where they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
What does "Deuteronomy 31:16" mean?
This verse from Deuteronomy 31:16 is a prophecy from God (Yahweh) to Moses about the future behavior of the Israelites after Moses' death. Let's break it down:
"Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers." This is a common euphemism in the Old Testament referring to death. God is telling Moses that he will soon die and join his ancestors.
"This people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land, where they go to be among them..." This is the core of the prophecy. "Playing the prostitute" is a metaphor for idolatry. It means the Israelites will be unfaithful to Yahweh and worship other gods ("strange gods of the land"). The phrase "where they go to be among them" means that when the Israelites are integrated in the "land" or the local culture, they will also assimilate the "strange gods".
"...and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them." This explains the consequence of their idolatry. "Forsaking" God means abandoning their relationship with Him. "Breaking the covenant" refers to violating the agreement they made with God at Mount Sinai, where they promised to worship only Him in exchange for His blessings and protection.
In essence, the verse predicts that after Moses' death, the Israelites will:
Fall into idolatry, worshipping the gods of the land they inhabit.
Abandon their exclusive worship of Yahweh.
Break the covenant they made with Him.
Significance:
Forewarning: This prophecy serves as a warning to the Israelites. It's a stark reminder of the temptations they will face and the consequences of their infidelity to God.
Theological Theme: It highlights a recurring theme in the Old Testament: the Israelites' tendency to stray from God and the consequences of their disobedience.
Prophetic Accuracy: From a biblical perspective, the subsequent history of Israel, as recounted in the books of Judges, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, is seen as a fulfillment of this prophecy. The Israelites repeatedly turned to other gods, leading to periods of hardship and punishment.
The verse is a powerful statement about the relationship between God and his people, the temptations of idolatry, and the importance of remaining faithful to a covenant.