Deuteronomy 4:29

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find [him], if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Complete Jewish Bible:

However, from there you will seek ADONAI your God; and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and being.

Berean Standard Bible:

But if from there you will seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

American Standard Version:

But from thence ye shall seek Jehovah thy God, and thou shalt find him, when thou searchest after him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

But if from thence thou shalt seek^{H1245} the LORD^{H3068} thy God^{H430}, thou shalt find^{H4672} him, if thou seek^{H1875} him with all thy heart^{H3824} and with all thy soul^{H5315}.

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Commentary for Deuteronomy 4:29

Deuteronomy 4:29 is part of Moses' second discourse to the Israelites, which occurs in the plains of Moab before they enter the Promised Land. The verse is set within the broader context of God's covenant with Israel, and Moses' exhortation to the people to remain faithful to God's laws and statutes.

**Themes:**

1. **Seeking God:** The primary theme is the call to seek the Lord with sincerity and wholehearted devotion. It emphasizes that God is not hidden from those who genuinely desire to find Him.

2. **Accessibility of God:** The verse reassures the people that God is approachable and findable, contrasting with the common ancient Near Eastern belief that gods were distant and unpredictable.

3. **Divine Response:** It promises that God will respond to those who seek Him with their entire being, implying a reciprocal relationship between God and humanity.

4. **Exclusivity of Worship:** This theme is woven throughout Deuteronomy, insisting that the Israelites must worship only Yahweh, their God, and not turn to other gods.

5. **Covenant Faithfulness:** The verse reflects the expectation of covenant loyalty, which requires the people to be fully committed to God, just as God is committed to them.

**Historical Context:**

Deuteronomy is presented as a series of speeches by Moses to the Israelites as they are encamped east of the Jordan River, poised to enter Canaan, the land promised to their ancestors. The book is set in the last days of Moses' life, around the 13th century BCE, and serves as a renewal of the covenant between God and Israel.

The Israelites have spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness due to their disobedience and lack of faith, and Moses is preparing them to live in the Promised Land without his leadership. Deuteronomy 4:29 is part of the encouragement and warning to the people to remain faithful to God's commandments once they are in the land and surrounded by other nations and their gods.

This verse particularly highlights the importance of seeking God in anticipation of the challenges they will face in the future, both spiritually and physically, as they establish themselves in a new land.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H1245
   There are 215 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בָּקַשׁ
   Transliteration: bâqash
   Pronunciation: baw-kash'
   Description: a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after; ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).
   
2. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
3. Strong's Number: H430
   There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
   Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
   Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
   Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.
   
4. Strong's Number: H4672
   There are 425 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָצָא
   Transliteration: mâtsâʼ
   Pronunciation: maw-tsaw'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present; [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
   
5. Strong's Number: H1875
   There are 152 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָּרַשׁ
   Transliteration: dârash
   Pronunciation: daw-rash'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship; ask, [idiom] at all, care for, [idiom] diligently, inquire, make inquisition, (necro-) mancer, question, require, search, seek (for, out), [idiom] surely.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3824
   There are 230 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לֵבָב
   Transliteration: lêbâb
   Pronunciation: lay-bawb'
   Description: from לָבַב; used also like לֵב; the heart (as the most interior organ); [phrase] bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, ((faint), (tender-) heart(-ed), midst, mind, [idiom] unawares, understanding.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5315
   There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
   Transliteration: nephesh
   Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
   Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.