The Israelites Will Return

30 When all these blessings and curses I have described happen to you, and the Lord your God has ·sent [driven] you away to other nations [2 Kin. 25:1–21; 2 Chr. 36:17–20; Jer. 39:1–10; 52:1–30], ·think about [call to mind; meditate on] these things. ² Then you and your children will return to the Lord your God, and you will ·obey him [listen to his voice] with ·your whole being [^Lall your heart/mind and all your soul] in everything I am commanding you today. ³ Then the Lord your God will ·give you back your freedom [restore your fortunes]. He will ·feel sorry for [have mercy on] you, and he will bring you back again from the nations where he scattered you [2 Chr. 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1—2:70]. ⁴ He may ·send [drive] you to the ends of the ·earth [^Lheavens], but he will gather you and bring you back from there, ⁵ back to the land that belonged to your ·ancestors [fathers]. It will be yours. He will give you success, and there will be more of you than there were of your ·ancestors [fathers]. ⁶ The Lord your God will ·prepare you and your descendants [^Lcircumcise your heart and the heart of your seed] to love him with ·your whole being [^Lall your heart/mind and all your soul] so that you will live. ⁷ The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies, who hate you and ·are cruel to [persecute] you. ⁸ And you will again ·obey [listen to the voice of] the Lord, keeping all his commands that I ·give [command] you today. ⁹ The Lord your God will make you ·successful [prosperous] in ·everything you do [^Lall the work of your hands]. ·You will have many children, your cattle will have many calves, and your fields will produce good crops [^L…in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your land], because the Lord will again be ·happy [pleased; delighted] with you, just as he was with your ·ancestors [fathers]. ¹⁰ But you must ·obey [listen to the voice of] the Lord your God by keeping all his commands and ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] that are written in this ·Book [Scroll] of the ·Teachings [Laws; Instructions]. You must return to the Lord your God with ·your whole being [^Lall your heart/mind and all your soul].

Choose Life or Death

¹¹ This command I ·give [command] you today is not too hard for you; it is not ·beyond what you can do [far away]. ¹² It is not up in heaven. You do not have to ask, “Who will go up to heaven and get it for us so we can obey it and keep it?” ¹³ It is not on the other side of the sea. You do not have to ask, “Who will go across the sea and get it? Who will tell it to us so we can keep it?” ¹⁴ No, the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it [Rom. 10:6–8].

¹⁵ Look, today I offer you life and ·success [prosperity; good things], death and ·destruction [failure; bad things]. ¹⁶ I command you today to love the Lord your God, to ·do what he wants you to do [^Lwalk in his ways/paths], and to keep his commands, his ·rules [statutes; ordinances, requirements], and his laws. Then you will live and ·grow in number [multiply], and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to take as your ·own [possession].

¹⁷ But if you turn away from the Lord and do not ·obey [listen to] him, if you are led to bow and serve other gods, ¹⁸ I tell you today that you will surely be destroyed. And you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan River to enter and ·take as your own [possess].

¹⁹ Today I ask heaven and earth to be witnesses. I am offering you life or death, blessings or curses. Now, choose life! Then you and your ·children [^Lseed] may live. ²⁰ To choose life is to love the Lord your God, ·obey him [listen to his voice], and ·stay close [cling] to him. He is your life, and he will let you live many years in the land, the land he ·promised [swore] to give your ·ancestors [fathers] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [Gen. 12:1–3; 15:17–20].