Deuteronomy 11:2

KJV

And know ye this day: for [I speak] not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,

KJV (with Strong's)

And know {H3045} ye this day {H3117}: for I speak not with your children {H1121} which have not known {H3045}, and which have not seen {H7200} the chastisement {H4148} of the LORD {H3068} your God {H430}, his greatness {H1433}, his mighty {H2389} hand {H3027}, and his stretched out {H5186} arm {H2220},

Complete Jewish Bible

Today it is you I am addressing -not your children, who haven't known or experienced the discipline of ADONAI your God, his greatness, his strong hand, his outstretched arm,

Berean Standard Bible

Know this day that it is not your children who have known and seen the discipline of the LORD your God: His greatness, His mighty hand, and His outstretched arm;

American Standard Version

And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children that have not known, and that have not seen the chastisement of Jehovah your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his outstretched arm,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 11:2 serves as a profound call from Moses to the generation poised to enter the Promised Land, urging them to deeply internalize the experiential knowledge of God's mighty acts. Moses explicitly directs his exhortation not to their children, who lack firsthand experience, but to those who personally witnessed and endured the Lord's redemptive discipline, His immense majesty, and the irresistible power of His delivering hand and outstretched arm throughout the Exodus and wilderness wanderings. This verse fundamentally underscores that a vibrant, obedient covenant relationship with God is rooted in a personal, transformative encounter with His character and power, rather than mere inherited tradition.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Deuteronomy 11:2 is strategically placed within Moses' second major discourse to Israel, delivered on the plains of Moab as they prepare to cross into Canaan. This address, spanning chapters 5-26, is a covenant renewal sermon, re-presenting the Law to a new generation. Chapter 11 particularly functions as a passionate exhortation to love and obey the Lord, building upon the foundational commands and historical review of chapters 5-10. Verse 2 directly follows a command to obey God's statutes and judgments, emphasizing that such obedience must flow from a deeply personal and experienced understanding of God's character and His powerful interventions in their history. It sets the stage for Moses to elaborate on the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience, grounding these consequences in the collective memory of God's faithfulness and discipline. This verse is pivotal in shifting from a recounting of past events to an urgent call for present and future commitment.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The audience of Deuteronomy 11 were the Israelites who had grown up during the forty-year wilderness wandering, a generation distinct from their rebellious parents who perished in the desert. They were the direct beneficiaries of God's miraculous provision (like manna and water) and protection, but also the recipients of His stern discipline, particularly evident after the rebellion at Kadesh Barnea. They stood on the precipice of a monumental transition: from nomadic life to settled agricultural existence in Canaan, a land promised to their ancestors but also saturated with pagan influences. Moses' appeal to their "knowing" and "seeing" was a masterstroke of rhetorical persuasion, leveraging their collective, tangible memory of God's interventions—from the plagues in Egypt to the daily sustenance in the wilderness—as the irrefutable basis for their covenant faithfulness. This historical memory was crucial for their identity and future obedience in a new land.
* **Key Themes:** Deuteronomy 11:2 powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Deuteronomy and the broader Pentateuch. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Experiential Knowledge and Remembrance**. Moses consistently calls Israel to "remember" what the Lord has done, as seen in passages like [Deuteronomy 8:2](/deuteronomy/8-2 "Deuteronomy 8:2 - Remembering the Wilderness Journey"), emphasizing that true understanding of God comes not merely from intellectual assent or inherited stories, but from personally witnessing and experiencing His actions. Secondly, the verse underscores **God's Sovereign Power and Deliverance**, using the iconic phrases "his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm" to describe His irresistible ability to act on behalf of His people and against their enemies, most notably in the [Exodus from Egypt](/exodus/12 "Exodus 12 - The Passover and Exodus"). Finally, the crucial concept of **Divine Chastisement (Discipline)** is presented. God's discipline, though sometimes severe, is portrayed not as arbitrary punishment but as loving instruction designed to refine, correct, and teach His people obedience and dependence, a theme echoed throughout the wisdom literature, such as in [Proverbs 3:11-12](/proverbs/3-11-12 "Proverbs 3:11-12 - The Lord's Discipline and Love").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Know (Hebrew, _yâdaʻ_):** This verb (H3045) signifies far more than simple intellectual apprehension; it denotes an intimate, experiential, and relational knowledge. When Moses commands "know ye this day," he is calling the Israelites to a present, active, and deeply personal awareness of God's character and deeds, forged through their shared history. This "knowing" implies a recognition that leads to understanding, trust, and ultimately, obedience, a transformative knowledge that shapes one's entire being. It is the kind of knowing that comes from direct engagement and personal encounter.
* **Chastisement (Hebrew, _mûwçâr_):** This term (H4148) is often translated as "discipline," "instruction," or "correction." It encompasses the full spectrum of God's pedagogical methods, including trials, hardships, and even judgments, all intended to teach, train, and refine His people. It is a loving, corrective process aimed at spiritual growth and conformity to His will, rather than punitive retribution for its own sake. It highlights God's role as a divine parent, guiding His children through various means.
* **Greatness (Hebrew, _gôdel_):** This noun (H1433) refers to magnitude, whether literally or figuratively. In this context, it speaks to the immense majesty, supreme power, and unparalleled sovereignty of the LORD. Moses is calling them to acknowledge the sheer scale and awe-inspiring nature of God's being and His actions, which transcend human comprehension and demonstrate His unique status as the one true God. This greatness is tangibly displayed in His interventions.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And know ye this day:"** This opening imperative is a direct and urgent command from Moses, calling the present generation of Israelites to actively remember, internalize, and apply the lessons of their past. "This day" emphasizes the immediate relevance and profound significance of their experiential knowledge, urging them to cultivate a conscious and ongoing awareness of God's acts in their lives. It sets a tone of personal accountability and present engagement.
* **"for [I speak] not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God,"** Moses clarifies the specific audience for his message, deliberately distinguishing the generation standing before him from their offspring. The children, having been born and raised primarily in the wilderness, had not personally witnessed the initial, foundational acts of God's deliverance from Egypt or the severe, yet corrective, discipline (chastisement) that the previous generation experienced. This sharp contrast highlights the unique privilege and weighty responsibility of the current generation, whose faith is rooted in direct, tangible experience, making their obligation to obey all the more profound.
* **"his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,"** This concluding clause elaborates on the specific manifestations of God's power and character that the current generation *had* indeed witnessed. "His greatness" refers to God's immense majesty, sovereignty, and unparalleled might. "His mighty hand and his stretched out arm" are powerful, recurring idioms that vividly describe God's irresistible strength, His active and direct intervention in human history, and His unwavering commitment to delivering His people and executing His purposes. These phrases encapsulate the miraculous events of the Exodus, the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the sustained provision and protection throughout the wilderness journey, all testifying to God's overwhelming power.

#### Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 11:2 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with maximum impact. The most prominent is **Contrast**, as Moses explicitly differentiates between the generation he is addressing ("ye...which have known, and which have seen") and their children ("which have not known, and which have not seen"). This contrast serves to underscore the unique privilege and weighty responsibility of the current generation, whose faith is grounded in firsthand experience rather than mere hearsay or inherited tradition. Furthermore, the verse utilizes **Repetition** and **Parallelism** with the phrases "have not known, and which have not seen," reinforcing the children's lack of direct encounter with God's acts and emphasizing the importance of personal experience. The vivid imagery of "his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm" is a powerful **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human body parts to God to describe His active, irresistible power and direct intervention in history, making His actions more comprehensible and impactful for the audience. Finally, the verse functions as a strong example of **Rhetorical Appeal** (specifically, an appeal to shared experience and memory), as Moses directly leverages the collective memory and shared history of the Israelites, aiming to evoke a deep sense of gratitude, awe, and renewed commitment to the covenant based on undeniable evidence of God's character and power.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 11:2 profoundly connects to the broader theological landscape of the Old Testament by underscoring the vital role of experiential knowledge in a covenant relationship with God. It teaches that true faith is not merely intellectual assent to abstract doctrines, but a living, dynamic response to God's tangible actions in history and in individual lives. The "chastisement" reveals God's commitment to His people's holiness, demonstrating that His discipline is an act of love, designed to refine and instruct, not merely to punish. This understanding of God's character as both mighty deliverer and loving disciplinarian forms the bedrock for Israel's obedience and trust. The emphasis on "seeing" and "knowing" serves as a perpetual reminder that God is not distant, but actively involved in the affairs of humanity, displaying His greatness for all to witness and respond to with faithfulness.

* [Exodus 6:6](/exodus/6-6 "Exodus 6:6 - God's Mighty Hand of Deliverance")
* [Hebrews 12:5-11](/hebrews/12-5-11 "Hebrews 12:5-11 - The Lord's Discipline for His Children")
* [Psalm 103:7](/psalms/103-7 "Psalm 103:7 - God Made Known His Ways to Moses")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 11:2 offers profound lessons for believers today, reminding us that our faith is meant to be deeply experiential and rooted in a personal encounter with God's power and presence. Just as the Israelites were called to remember God's "mighty hand" in their history, we are invited to reflect on the ways God has intervened in our own lives—His provision, His protection, His guidance, and His loving discipline. These personal testimonies become the bedrock of our trust, enabling us to face future challenges with confidence in His unchanging character. Furthermore, the concept of "chastisement" encourages us to reframe difficulties and corrections not as arbitrary punishments, but as God's loving instruction, designed to refine our character, deepen our dependence on Him, and draw us into greater conformity with His will. This verse challenges us to move beyond a secondhand faith, inherited from others, to cultivate a vibrant, firsthand relationship with the living God, constantly "knowing" Him through His active presence in our daily lives and in the unfolding story of redemption. It compels us to share our own experiences of God's greatness and faithfulness, ensuring that future generations do not merely hear stories, but are inspired to seek their own transformative encounters with Him.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific ways have you personally "known" and "seen" the "chastisement" (discipline or correction) of the Lord in your life, and how has it shaped your character or understanding of God?**
* **How does reflecting on God's "greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm" (both in biblical history and in your own experience) strengthen your faith and trust in Him today?**
* **What steps can you take to move from a secondhand understanding of God to a more intimate, experiential "knowing" of Him, as encouraged by Moses in this verse?**

### FAQ

**What is the significance of Moses addressing "not your children" in this verse?**

Answer: Moses' specific address to the generation that "has known, and which has seen" (as opposed to "your children which have not known, and which have not seen") is highly significant. It underscores the foundational importance of **experiential knowledge** in their covenant relationship with God. The generation standing before Moses had personally witnessed the miraculous events of the Exodus, the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, God's provision in the wilderness, and His disciplinary actions (chastisement). Their faith was not based on hearsay or inherited tradition, but on direct, tangible encounters with God's power and character. This distinction serves as a powerful rhetorical device, reminding them of their unique privilege and the weight of their responsibility to obey, as their understanding was forged through personal history with the Divine. It emphasizes that those who have personally experienced God's mighty acts have a deeper basis for obedience and a greater accountability, and are therefore uniquely positioned to respond to Moses' exhortation to "know ye this day" the Lord your God.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 11:2, with its emphasis on God's "greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament Israelites witnessed God's power in physical deliverance from Egypt, the New Testament reveals God's "mighty hand" at work in an even greater, spiritual deliverance from sin and death. The "chastisement of the LORD" that taught Israel obedience foreshadows the perfect obedience of Christ, who "learned obedience through what he suffered" ([Hebrews 5:8](/hebrews/5-8 "Hebrews 5:8 - Christ Learned Obedience Through Suffering")), thereby becoming the source of eternal salvation. The "greatness" of God, once veiled in cloud and fire, is fully revealed in Christ, who is "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" ([Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Hebrews 1:3 - Christ, the Radiance of God's Glory")). Jesus is the ultimate demonstration of God's "stretched out arm" of salvation, not through physical conquest, but through His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection, which accomplished eternal redemption for all who believe ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God So Loved the World")). Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers now experience an intimate, experiential "knowing" of God that far surpasses the Old Covenant, as the law is written on hearts and we are given a "spirit of adoption" to cry "Abba, Father!" ([Romans 8:15](/romans/8-15 "Romans 8:15 - Spirit of Adoption")). Thus, the call to "know ye this day" is fulfilled in the New Covenant through a personal relationship with Christ, who is the full revelation of God's power, love, and redemptive purpose, enabling a deeper, more transformative knowledge of God than ever before.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Proverbs 22:19

That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

Deuteronomy 8:19

And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

Acts 26:22

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

Deuteronomy 7:19

The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.

Deuteronomy 9:26

I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Deuteronomy 4:34

Or hath God assayed to go [and] take him a nation from the midst of [another] nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Deuteronomy 5:24

And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.