Deuteronomy 2:7

KJV

For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God [hath been] with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

KJV (with Strong's)

For the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430} hath blessed {H1288} thee in all the works {H4639} of thy hand {H3027}: he knoweth {H3045} thy walking {H3212} through this great {H1419} wilderness {H4057}: these forty {H705} years {H8141} the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430} hath been with thee; thou hast lacked {H2637} nothing {H1697}.

Complete Jewish Bible

For ADONAI your God has blessed you in everything your hands have produced. He knows that you have been traveling through this vast desert; these forty years ADONAI your God has been with you; and you have lacked nothing.'

Berean Standard Bible

Indeed, the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. The LORD your God has been with you these forty years, and you have lacked nothing.

American Standard Version

For Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee in all the work of thy hand; he hath known thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years Jehovah thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 2:7 serves as a profound declaration of God's steadfast faithfulness and comprehensive provision for the Israelites during their arduous forty-year journey through the wilderness. Moses, addressing the new generation on the brink of entering the Promised Land, powerfully recounts the Lord's intimate awareness of their every step, His unwavering companionship, and His miraculous sustenance, ensuring that despite the harsh and desolate environment, they experienced no lack. This verse encapsulates the divine commitment to His covenant people, transforming a period of discipline and testing into a vivid display of His boundless grace and sovereign care.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Deuteronomy 2:7 is situated within Moses' second major discourse in the book of Deuteronomy, delivered on the plains of Moab to the generation prepared to enter Canaan. This section, specifically [Deuteronomy 1:6-3:29](/deuteronomy/1-6-29 "Moses' Historical Review of the Wilderness Journey"), provides a historical recounting of Israel's journey from Mount Horeb (Sinai) up to their current encampment. More precisely, [Deuteronomy 2:1-23](/deuteronomy/2 "Deuteronomy 2 - Wilderness Wanderings and Interactions with Edom, Moab, and Ammon") details their circuitous route around the territories of Edom, Moab, and Ammon, nations with whom God explicitly commanded Israel not to engage in conflict due to their ancestral ties to Abraham and Lot. Within this historical recap, verse 7 functions as a crucial theological interjection, offering the divine rationale and assurance that underpinned their successful, albeit prolonged, wilderness trek. It serves as a powerful reminder of God's consistent guidance as they stand on the precipice of conquest.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical backdrop is the culmination of forty years of wilderness wandering, a period primarily ordained as divine discipline for the previous generation's rebellion and disobedience at Kadesh-barnea ([Numbers 14](/numbers/14 "Numbers 14 - Israel's Rebellion and God's Judgment")). This new generation, having known only a nomadic existence, would have been intimately familiar with the harsh realities of desert life. Culturally, nomadic survival was inherently precarious, marked by scarcity and absolute dependence on limited natural resources, making the assertion of "lacking nothing" a truly miraculous and counter-intuitive claim. The "works of thy hand" would have encompassed their daily labors: tending flocks, setting up and breaking down camp, maintaining community order, and any simple efforts to sustain themselves in a barren land. The wilderness itself was a crucible, a place of profound testing and purification, designed to strip away self-reliance and compel Israel to depend solely on Yahweh.

* **Key Themes:**
* **Divine Provision and Sufficiency:** The preeminent theme is God's comprehensive and miraculous provision for His people. Despite traversing a "great wilderness"—a barren and inhospitable environment—Israel "lacked nothing," a profound testament to God's ability to sustain life against all natural odds. This theme resonates throughout their wilderness narrative, from the daily provision of [manna and quail](/exodus/16 "Exodus 16 - God Provides Manna and Quail") to the miraculous supply of water from the rock ([Exodus 17:1-7](/exodus/17-1-7 "Exodus 17:1-7 - Water from the Rock at Rephidim")). Even their clothing and sandals miraculously endured the journey, as explicitly highlighted in [Deuteronomy 8:4](/deuteronomy/8-4 "Deuteronomy 8:4 - Your Clothes Did Not Wear Out").
* **God's Intimate Knowledge and Sustained Presence:** The phrase "he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness" underscores God's personal, experiential knowledge (*yada'*) of every struggle, every step, and every challenge faced by His people. This portrays not a distant, detached deity, but one intimately involved in their daily lives. This intimate knowledge is inextricably linked with His constant presence, "the LORD thy God hath been with thee," a profound assurance of His unwavering companionship and covenantal faithfulness, fulfilling His foundational promise to be with them ([Exodus 3:12](/exodus/3-12 "Exodus 3:12 - God's Promise to Moses to Be With Moses")).
* **Blessing on Human Endeavor:** The declaration "hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand" emphasizes that even within their challenging nomadic existence, God's blessing extended to and empowered their efforts. While their "works" might have been simple—daily tasks of survival, tending flocks, raising families, and maintaining community—God's favor made them fruitful and sustainable in circumstances where human effort alone would have inevitably failed. This principle suggests that God's blessing empowers and multiplies human labor, even in seemingly unproductive or desolate environments, ensuring that their efforts are not in vain.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Blessed (Hebrew, _bârak'_):** This primitive root means "to kneel," and by implication, "to bless God (as an act of adoration)" or "man (as a benefit)." In this context, it signifies God bestowing favor, prosperity, and comprehensive well-being upon Israel. The blessing was not merely a good wish but an active, divine empowerment that ensured fruitfulness and success in all their undertakings, transforming their efforts into sustainable outcomes despite the harsh environment.
* **Great (Hebrew, _gâdôwl'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to grow, to be great," this adjective describes something large, mighty, or significant in any sense. Here, "great wilderness" emphasizes the vastness, formidable nature, and inherent dangers of the desert through which Israel traveled. It highlights the magnitude of the challenge and, by contrast, the even greater magnitude of God's sustaining power.
* **Lacked (Hebrew, _châçêr'_):** Used in the negative ("thou hast lacked nothing"), this word means "to be diminished, to fail, to be in want, or to be deficient." Its negation here powerfully conveys a state of complete sufficiency and divine abundance. It emphasizes that God's provision was perfect, comprehensive, and left no essential need unmet, despite the inherent scarcity of the wilderness environment. It speaks to a supernatural provision that transcended natural limitations.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand":** This clause establishes the foundational premise of God's active and comprehensive benevolence. It declares that divine blessing was not passive but directly empowered and made fruitful every endeavor, however humble, undertaken by the Israelites during their wilderness journey. It highlights God's comprehensive favor extending to their daily labor and sustenance, ensuring their efforts were not futile.
* **"he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness":** This phrase emphasizes God's intimate, personal, and experiential awareness of their entire forty-year journey. The "great wilderness" signifies a vast, dangerous, and challenging environment, yet God's knowledge (*yada'*) was not distant or abstract but deeply relational, implying His constant observation and understanding of their every step, struggle, and need. He was not merely aware of their route but intimately acquainted with their experience.
* **"these forty years the LORD thy God [hath been] with thee":** This declaration underscores the continuous and unwavering presence of God throughout the entire period of their wilderness sojourn. The "forty years" represent a significant epoch of testing, discipline, and formation, yet through it all, God's covenantal presence and companionship remained steadfast, providing guidance, protection, and sustenance, demonstrating His enduring commitment.
* **"thou hast lacked nothing":** This climactic statement serves as the ultimate proof and summary of God's perfect and miraculous provision. Despite the inherent desolation and dangers of the wilderness, Israel experienced no fundamental deficiency in essential needs. This speaks to a supernatural supply that transcended natural limitations, ensuring their complete sufficiency in food, water, clothing, and all essential requirements for survival and flourishing.

#### Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 2:7 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. **Hyperbole** is evident in the phrase "thou hast lacked nothing," which, while literally true regarding essential needs, emphasizes the miraculous and extraordinary nature of God's provision in an otherwise barren and inhospitable land. This intentional overstatement underscores the totality and completeness of God's care. **Personification** is subtly present in "he knoweth thy walking," attributing to God an intimate, experiential knowledge and understanding akin to a human companion who walks alongside and comprehends every step of a journey. The repeated use of "the LORD thy God" throughout the verse functions as a form of **anaphora** and **emphasis**, powerfully reinforcing the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and Israel, and highlighting the specific identity of their faithful provider. The verse itself functions as a concise **summary statement**, encapsulating the entire forty-year period of divine faithfulness into a single, memorable declaration, serving as both a historical testimony and a theological assurance for the new generation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 2:7 powerfully articulates the theological truth of God's sovereign care and comprehensive provision for His covenant people. It demonstrates that divine faithfulness is not contingent on human merit or ideal circumstances, but flows solely from God's unchanging character and His unwavering commitment to His promises. The "forty years" in the wilderness, often viewed as a period of punishment and testing, is here profoundly reframed as a testament to God's sustaining grace, transforming a place of desolation and hardship into a classroom for dependence and a vivid display of divine sufficiency. This verse lays a foundational principle: when God is intimately "with" His people, they will "lack nothing" essential for their journey and purpose, underscoring His omnipotence, benevolence, and meticulous oversight. It teaches that true security and provision come from God alone, not from human ingenuity or worldly resources.

* [Psalm 23:1](/psalm/23-1 "Psalm 23:1 - The Lord is My Shepherd")
* [Philippians 4:19](/philippians/4-19 "Philippians 4:19 - God Will Supply All Your Needs")
* [Matthew 6:31-33](/matthew/6-31-33 "Matthew 6:31-33 - Do Not Worry About Your Life")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 2:7 offers profound encouragement and a powerful invitation to trust for believers navigating their own "wilderness" seasons. Life often presents periods of uncertainty, scarcity, and apparent desolation, whether in finances, relationships, health, or spiritual growth. This verse reminds us that even in such challenging environments, God's intimate knowledge of our journey, His constant presence, and His comprehensive provision remain unwavering. We are called to reflect on God's past faithfulness in our lives, recognizing how He has sustained us through difficult times and provided for our needs in unexpected ways. This reflection should cultivate a confident dependence on Him for future needs. Just as Israel learned to rely solely on manna and water in the desert, we are encouraged to seek God's kingdom first, trusting that He knows our needs and will supply them according to His divine wisdom and boundless resources. This truth liberates us from anxiety and empowers us to walk in faith, knowing that our "God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you currently experiencing a "wilderness" season, and how does Deuteronomy 2:7 speak to your fears or anxieties in that context?**
* **How has God's intimate knowledge ("He knoweth thy walking") and constant presence ("hath been with thee") been evident in your past journey, even through difficult times?**
* **What practical steps can you take to cultivate a deeper trust in God's provision, even when circumstances seem to suggest lack or when human efforts feel insufficient?**

### FAQ
**Was Israel truly without *any* needs during the 40 years, or does "lacked nothing" mean something else?**

Answer: The phrase "lacked nothing" (Hebrew: *chasar*) in Deuteronomy 2:7 refers to Israel's essential needs for survival and flourishing in the wilderness. It does not imply a life of luxury, comfort, or freedom from all discomforts, but rather a miraculous and comprehensive provision of fundamental necessities such as food, water, shelter, and even clothing and footwear that did not wear out ([Deuteronomy 8:4](/deuteronomy/8-4 "Deuteronomy 8:4 - Your Clothes Did Not Wear Out")). Despite the barren and hostile environment, God supernaturally ensured they had precisely what was necessary to sustain life and continue their journey towards the Promised Land. This was a direct testament to His supernatural care, distinguishing their experience from what would be naturally possible in such a desolate region. It emphasizes God's perfect sufficiency and unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, ensuring His people were not diminished or defeated by the harsh conditions.

**How does this verse relate to the idea of God testing Israel in the wilderness?**

Answer: Deuteronomy 2:7 reveals a crucial paradox within the wilderness experience: while God indeed tested Israel for forty years ([Deuteronomy 8:2](/deuteronomy/8-2 "Deuteronomy 8:2 - God Humbled and Tested Israel")), this testing was not designed to destroy them but to humble them, prove their hearts, and teach them absolute dependence on Him. The very fact that they "lacked nothing" despite the rigorous testing demonstrates God's underlying grace and profound commitment to their well-being even during periods of discipline. The testing was a pedagogical tool, revealing their hearts and teaching them that "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" ([Deuteronomy 8:3](/deuteronomy/8-3 "Deuteronomy 8:3 - Man Lives by Every Word of God")). Thus, the constant provision was an integral part of the testing, showing that God's faithfulness endured even when Israel's did not, and that His ultimate purpose was their spiritual formation and good.

**Does "blessed thee in all the works of thy hand" mean God will bless all my efforts today, regardless of their nature?**

Answer: The phrase "blessed thee in all the works of thy hand" in Deuteronomy 2:7 speaks to God's favor upon the legitimate, God-ordained efforts of His covenant people. For ancient Israel, this primarily referred to their daily tasks of survival, tending flocks, and maintaining community within the context of their wilderness journey and adherence to God's commands. For believers today, this principle suggests that God's blessing extends to our diligent and righteous labor undertaken in obedience to His will and for His glory. It does not imply a blanket endorsement of all human endeavors, especially those contrary to biblical principles or motivated by selfish ambition. Rather, it assures us that when we commit our work to the Lord and strive to honor Him in our vocations, He is intimately involved and can bring fruitfulness and provision even in challenging circumstances ([Colossians 3:23](/colossians/3-23 "Colossians 3:23 - Whatever You Do, Work Heartily for the Lord")). It encourages a mindset of faithful stewardship and humble dependence, recognizing that true and lasting blessing comes from God's hand alone.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 2:7 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies God's provision, presence, and purpose. While the verse speaks of God's miraculous sustenance of Israel in a physical wilderness, Christ is the spiritual manna, the true "bread of life" who ensures that those who come to Him "shall never hunger" ([John 6:35](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life")). He is the living water, from whom those who believe "will never thirst" ([John 4:14](/john/4-14 "John 4:14 - Jesus Offers Living Water")). The intimate knowledge and constant presence of God with Israel, "He knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee," powerfully foreshadow the Incarnation, where God literally "dwelt among us" in the person of Jesus Christ ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")). Furthermore, the promise that Israel "lacked nothing" points to the complete spiritual sufficiency found in Christ; in Him, believers are "complete" ([Colossians 2:10](/colossians/2-10 "Colossians 2:10 - Complete in Christ")), lacking nothing essential for salvation, sanctification, and eternal life. He is the Good Shepherd who ensures His sheep "shall not want" ([Psalm 23:1](/psalm/23-1 "The Lord is My Shepherd"), echoed in [John 10:11](/john/10-11 "John 10:11 - The Good Shepherd")). Thus, Deuteronomy 2:7 serves as a powerful Old Testament shadow, revealing the character of the God who, through His Son, provides all that we truly need, both physically and spiritually, for our journey through the wilderness of this world to the promised eternal rest.

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

Nehemiah 9:21

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, [so that] they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

Luke 22:35

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

Deuteronomy 8:2

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, [and] to prove thee, to know what [was] in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Deuteronomy 8:4

Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

Deuteronomy 29:5

And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.

Job 23:10

But he knoweth the way that I take: [when] he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Psalms 31:7

I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;