TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Deuteronomy 30:1–10. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
These verses may be considered either as a conditional promise or as an absolute prediction.
I.They are chiefly to be considered as a conditional promise, and so they belong to all persons and all people, and not to Israel only; and the design of them is to assure us that the greatest sinners, if they repent and be converted, shall have their sins pardoned, and be restored to God's favour. This is the purport of the covenant of grace, it leaves room for repentance in case of misdemeanour, and promises pardon upon repentance, which the covenant of innocency did not. Now observe here,
1.How the repentance is described which is the condition of these promises.
(1.)It begins in serious consideration, Deu 30:1. "Thou shalt call to mind that which thou hadst forgotten or not regarded." Note, Consideration is the first step towards conversion. Isa 46:8, Bring to mind, O you transgressors. The prodigal son came to himself first, and then to his father. That which they should call to mind is the blessing and the curse. If sinners would but seriously consider the happiness they have lost by sin and the misery they have brought themselves into, and that by repentance they may escape that misery and recover that happiness, they would not delay to return to the Lord their God. The prodigal called to mind the blessing and the curse when he considered his present poverty and the plenty of bread in his father's house, Luk 15:17.
(2.)It consists in sincere conversion. The effect of the consideration cannot but be godly sorrow and shame, Eze 6:9; Eze 7:16. But that which is the life and soul of repentance, and without which the most passionate expressions are but a jest, is returning to the Lord our God, Deu 30:2. If thou turn (Deu 30:10) with all thy heart and with all thy soul. We must return to our allegiance to God as our Lord and ruler, our dependence upon him as our Father and benefactor, our devotedness to him as our highest end, and our communion with him as our God in covenant. We must return to God from all that which stands in opposition to him or competition with him. In this return to God we must be upright - with the heart and soul, and universal - with all the heart and all the soul.
(3.)It is evidenced by a constant obedience to the holy will of God: If thou shalt obey his voice (Deu 30:2), thou and thy children; for it is not enough that we do our duty ourselves, but we must train up and engage our children to do it. Or this comes in as the condition of the entail of the blessing upon their children, provided their children kept close to their duty.
[1.]This obedience must be with an eye to God: Thou shalt obey his voice (Deu 30:8), and hearken to it, Deu 30:10.
[2.]It must be sincere, and cheerful, and entire: With all thy heart, and with all thy soul, Deu 30:2.
[3.]It must be from a principle of love, and that love must be with all thy heart and with all thy soul, Deu 30:6. It is the heart and soul that God looks at and requires; he will have these or nothing, and these entire or not at all.
[4.]It must be universal: According to all that I command thee, Deu 30:2, and again Deu 30:8, to do all his commandments; for he that allows himself in the breach of one commandment involves himself in the guilt of contemning them all, Jam 2:10. An upright heart has respect to all God's commandments, Psa 119:6.
2.What the favour is which is promised upon this repentance. Though they are brought to God by their trouble and distress, in the nations whither they were driven (Deu 30:1), yet God will graciously accept of them notwithstanding; for on this errand afflictions are sent, to bring us to repentance. Though they are driven out to the utmost parts of heaven, yet thence their penitent prayers shall reach God's gracious ear, and there his favour shall find them out, Deu 30:4. Undique ad caelos tantundem est viae - From every place there is the same way to heaven. This promise Nehemiah pleads in his prayer for dispersed Israel, Neh 1:9. It is here promised,
(1.)That God would have compassion upon them, as proper objects of his pity, Deu 30:3. Against sinners that go on in sin God has indignation (Deu 29:20), but on those that repent and bemoan themselves he has compassion, Jer 31:18, Jer 31:20. True penitents may take great encouragement from the compassions and tender mercies of our God, which never fail, but overflow.
(2.)That he would turn their captivity, and gather them from the nations whither they were scattered (Deu 30:3), though ever so remote, Deu 30:4. One of the Chaldee paraphrasts applies this to the Messiah, explaining it thus: The word of the Lord shall gather you by the hand of Elias the great priest, and shall bring you by the hand of the king Messiah; for this was God's covenant with him, that he should restore the preserved of Israel, Isa 49:6. And this was the design of his death, to gather into one the children of God that were scattered abroad, Joh 11:51, Joh 11:52. To him shall the gathering of the people be.
(3.)That he would bring them into their land again, Deu 30:5. Note, Penitent sinners are not only delivered out of their misery, but restored to true happiness in the favour of God. The land they are brought into to possess it is , though not the same, yet in some respects better than that which our first father Adam possessed, and out of which he was expelled.
(4.)That he would do them good (Deu 30:5) and rejoice over them for good, Deu 30:9. For there is joy in heaven upon the repentance and conversion of sinners: the father of the prodigal rejoiced over him for good.
(5.)That he would multiply them (Deu 30:5), and that, when they grew numerous, every mouth might have meat: he would make them plenteous in every work of their hand, Deu 30:9. National repentance and reformation bring national plenty, peace, and prosperity. It is promised, The Lord will make thee plenteous in the fruit of thy cattle and land, for good. Many have plenty for hurt; the prosperity of fools destroys them. Then it is for good when with it God gives us grace to use it for his glory.
(6.)That he would transfer the curses they had been under to their enemies, Deu 30:7. When God was gathering them in to re-establish them they would meet with much opposition; but the same curses that had been a burden upon them should become a defence to them, by being turned upon their adversaries. The cup of trembling should be taken out of their hand, and put into the hand of those that afflicted them, Isa 51:22, Isa 51:23.
(7.)That he would give them his grace to change their hearts, and rule there (Deu 30:6): The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, to love the Lord. Note,
[1.]The heart must be circumcised to love God. The filth of the flesh must be put away; and the foolishness of the heart, as the Chaldee paraphrase expounds it. See Col 2:11, Col 2:12; Rom 2:29. Circumcision was a seal of the covenant; the heart is then circumcised to love God when it is strongly engaged and held by that bond to this duty.
[2.]It is the work of God's grace to circumcise the heart, and to shed abroad the love of God there; and this grace is given to all that repent and seek it carefully. Nay, that seems to be rather a promise than a precept (Deu 30:8): Thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord. He that requires us to return promises grace to enable us to return: and it is our fault if that grace be not effectual. herein the covenant of grace is well ordered, that whatsoever is required in the covenant is promised. Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit, Pro 1:23.
3.It is observable how Moses here calls God the Lord thy God twelve times in these ten verses, intimating, (1.) That penitents may take direction and encouragement in their return to God from their relation to him. Jer 3:22, "Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God; therefore to thee we are bound to come, whither else should we go? And therefore we hope to find favour with thee." (2.) That those who have revolted from God, if they return to him and do their first works, shall be restored to their former state of honour and happiness. Bring hither the first robe. In the threatenings of the former chapter he is all along called the Lord, a God of power and the Judge of all: but, in the promises of this chapter, the Lord thy God, a God of grace, and in covenant with thee.
II.This may also be considered as a prediction of the repentance and restoration of the Jews:
When all these things shall have come upon thee (Deu 30:1), the blessing first, and after that the curse, then the mercy in reserve shall take place. Though their hearts were wretchedly hardened, yet the grace of God could soften and change them; and then, though their case was deplorably miserable, the providence of God would redress all their grievances. Now,
1.It is certain that this was fulfilled in their return from their captivity in Babylon. It was a wonderful instance of their repentance and reformation that Ephraim, who had been joined to idols, renounced them, and said, What have I to do any more with idols? That captivity effectually cured them of idolatry; and then God planted them again in their own land and did them good. But,
2.Some think that it is yet further to be accomplished in the conversion of the Jews who are now dispersed, their repentance for the sin of their fathers in crucifying Christ, their return to God through him, and their accession to the Christian church. But, alas! who shall live when God doth this?
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. [Deuteronomy 30:6] And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [Deuteronomy 30:6] This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. [Deuteronomy 30:6] And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
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Summary
Deuteronomy 30:6 presents a profound prophetic promise from God, delivered through Moses, anticipating a future spiritual transformation for Israel. Despite their potential for disobedience and subsequent dispersion, God declares His sovereign initiative to perform an internal "circumcision of the heart" upon His people and their descendants. This divine act will remove spiritual hardness and enable them to genuinely love the LORD their God with all their being, thereby securing their true, flourishing life and covenant blessings. It underscores God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people and His gracious provision for their ultimate faithfulness.
Context
Literary Context
Deuteronomy 30:6 is situated within Moses' climactic farewell discourse to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the Promised Land. This chapter, specifically verses 1-10, serves as a powerful conclusion to the covenant stipulations, blessings, and curses outlined in the preceding chapters (Deuteronomy 28-29). After detailing the dire consequences of disobedience, including exile and dispersion, Moses offers a message of profound hope and restoration. This promise of heart circumcision transcends the immediate covenant, looking forward to a time when God Himself will intervene to ensure Israel's lasting faithfulness, thereby guaranteeing their return from exile and ultimate prosperity. It provides a divine solution to the inherent human inability to perfectly obey the law, a theme subtly present throughout the book, particularly in the call to love God with all one's heart in Deuteronomy 6:5. This verse foreshadows a new era of covenant relationship based on internal transformation rather than merely external obedience.
Historical & Cultural Context
Moses is addressing a generation poised to enter Canaan, a land filled with pagan practices and temptations. The covenant made at Sinai established Israel as God's chosen people, set apart by laws and rituals, including physical circumcision as a sign of their covenant identity (see Genesis 17). However, the recurring theme throughout the Pentateuch is Israel's propensity for idolatry and disobedience, stemming from a hardened heart. The concept of "heart" (לֵבָב, lêbâb) in ancient Israelite thought was not merely the seat of emotions but the center of intellect, will, and moral decision-making. Thus, a "circumcised heart" would signify a radical internal transformation, enabling genuine devotion in a cultural landscape often hostile to monotheistic worship. This promise speaks to the deep spiritual need of a people about to face immense challenges to their faith and anticipates a divine remedy for their spiritual failings.
Key Themes
The central theme is Divine Initiative and Transformation. The verse emphatically states that "the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart," highlighting that this profound spiritual change is God's sovereign work, not a human achievement. This divine act addresses the inherent human inability to perfectly obey the law and truly love God, a problem hinted at in earlier calls for internal devotion (e.g., Deuteronomy 10:16). Another crucial theme is Genuine Love for God, which is presented as the direct purpose and outcome of this heart transformation ("to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul"). This echoes the foundational command of the Torah, emphasizing that true love for God flows from an inner spiritual renewal. Finally, the theme of Life and Restoration is paramount, as the ultimate result is "that thou mayest live." This "life" encompasses not just physical existence but spiritual vitality, covenant blessing, national flourishing, and a deep, abiding relationship with God, signifying complete restoration from the consequences of disobedience. This promise remarkably foreshadows the New Covenant, where God promises to write His law on hearts (Jeremiah 31:33) and give a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:26).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
The verb מוּל (mûwl), meaning "to cut short" or "to circumcise," is primarily used in the Old Testament for the physical cutting away of the foreskin, a sign of the covenant with Abraham (e.g., Genesis 17:10). Here, its application to the "heart" is profoundly metaphorical, signifying the removal of spiritual impurity, hardness, or resistance that prevents genuine devotion to God. Just as physical circumcision marked a person as belonging to God's covenant people, spiritual circumcision denotes an internal, radical purification that enables true intimacy and obedience. This divine act removes the spiritual "foreskin" of stubbornness and rebellion.
The Hebrew word לֵבָב (lêbâb) is far more comprehensive than the English "heart." It refers to the totality of a person's inner being: their intellect (thoughts, understanding), will (decisions, intentions), emotions (feelings, desires), and moral character. It is the seat of one's deepest convictions and the wellspring of life's choices. To "circumcise the heart" therefore implies a transformation of one's entire inner self, affecting every aspect of their relationship with God and others, enabling a new capacity for understanding, willing, and feeling in alignment with God's will.
The verb אָהֵב (ʼâhab) signifies a deep, committed affection, but in a covenantal context, it extends beyond mere emotion to encompass loyalty, obedience, and devotion. To "love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (echoing Deuteronomy 6:5) means to be totally committed to Him, to obey His commands, and to find one's ultimate delight and purpose in Him. This transformed heart enables a love that is active, holistic, enduring, and expressed through faithful adherence to God's ways.
Verse Breakdown
"And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart"
This opening clause immediately establishes the divine agency. The profound spiritual transformation described is not initiated by human effort, ritual, or self-improvement, but is God's sovereign act. It is a promise of divine intervention, addressing the deep-seated spiritual inability of humanity to perfectly fulfill the covenant on its own. God Himself will perform the necessary spiritual surgery to remove the spiritual hardness and resistance that hinders true devotion.
"and the heart of thy seed"
The promise extends beyond the current generation to future descendants, indicating a lasting, generational impact of this divine work. This underscores God's faithfulness to His covenant promises across time and His desire for an enduring, transformed relationship with His people through successive generations, ensuring the continuity of His redemptive plan.
"to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul"
This phrase articulates the ultimate purpose and glorious outcome of the heart's circumcision. The transformed heart enables a genuine, holistic love for God, echoing the greatest commandment (Deuteronomy 6:5). This love is not superficial but encompasses the entirety of one's inner being—intellect, will, and emotion—and is expressed through devoted obedience and wholehearted allegiance to God.
"that thou mayest live"
This final clause describes the blessed result of this divine transformation and the enabled love. "Life" here is not merely physical existence but refers to true, flourishing life in covenant with God. It signifies spiritual vitality, abundant blessing, national well-being, and a deep, abiding relationship with the Creator, fulfilling the ultimate purpose for which humanity was made and reversing the consequences of spiritual death and disobedience.
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 30:6 employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is Metaphor, specifically the "circumcision of the heart." This takes a familiar physical ritual—the cutting away of the foreskin—and applies it to an internal, spiritual reality, vividly conveying the idea of a deep, purifying transformation. It implies the removal of spiritual "foreskin"—anything that obstructs intimacy and devotion to God, such as stubbornness, rebellion, or idolatry. The verse also functions as Prophecy, looking forward to a future time when God will accomplish this internal work, thus offering hope beyond the immediate covenant challenges and human limitations. Furthermore, it utilizes Covenant Language, echoing the foundational commands and promises of the Mosaic covenant, particularly the emphasis on loving God with all one's being, thereby reinforcing the continuity and ultimate goal of God's relationship with His people. The structure itself, moving from divine action to human response and ultimate blessing, demonstrates a profound theological Cause and Effect relationship.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Deuteronomy 30:6 is a pivotal verse that bridges the Old Covenant and anticipates the New. It reveals God's ultimate solution to humanity's problem of a hardened heart, which is incapable of fully loving and obeying Him. While the Old Covenant presented the law as an external standard and called for human responsibility to "circumcise the foreskin of your heart" (Deuteronomy 10:16), this verse promises God's sovereign intervention to accomplish what humanity cannot do on its own. It highlights God's grace and His unwavering commitment to His covenant purposes, demonstrating that His desire for a people who truly love Him will ultimately be fulfilled through His own transformative power. This divine initiative lays the groundwork for the radical spiritual renewal promised in the prophetic books and fully realized in the New Covenant.
Reflection and Application
Deuteronomy 30:6 offers profound comfort and challenge for believers today. It reminds us that true spiritual life and genuine love for God are not primarily the result of our own striving, self-effort, or outward religious observance, but rather the gracious, sovereign work of God within us. Just as ancient Israel needed a divinely transformed heart to truly follow God and experience His blessings, so too do we. This verse encourages us to recognize our spiritual inability to love God perfectly on our own and to depend entirely on His sovereign power for inner renewal. It calls us to surrender our hardened hearts to Him, trusting that He is faithful to complete the work He began in us, enabling us to live lives characterized by authentic love and obedience, leading to true spiritual flourishing. Our pursuit of God, therefore, begins with acknowledging His prior, enabling work in making such pursuit possible and fruitful.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the difference between physical circumcision and the "circumcision of the heart" mentioned here?
Physical circumcision was an outward sign of the Abrahamic covenant, marking Israel as God's chosen people (see Genesis 17:9-14). It was a ritual performed on the flesh, signifying belonging and separation. The "circumcision of the heart" in Deuteronomy 30:6, however, is a spiritual metaphor. It refers to an internal, divine operation that removes the spiritual "foreskin" of stubbornness, rebellion, and idolatry from a person's inner being—their intellect, will, and emotions. While physical circumcision signified covenant membership, heart circumcision signifies a transformed nature that enables genuine love and obedience to God. This distinction is also highlighted in passages like Romans 2:29, which speaks of a "circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code."
Is Deuteronomy 30:6 a command for Israel to obey, or a promise from God?
Deuteronomy 30:6 is unequivocally a promise from God. Earlier in Deuteronomy, Moses does command the people to "circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart" (Deuteronomy 10:16), indicating human responsibility to respond to God's covenant. However, in Deuteronomy 30:6, the phrasing "the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart" places the initiative and power squarely with God. It's a prophetic declaration of what God Himself will do in the future, recognizing humanity's inherent inability to achieve this deep spiritual transformation on its own. This promise underscores God's grace and faithfulness to His covenant, ensuring that His people will ultimately be enabled to truly love and obey Him, fulfilling His ultimate purpose for them.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Deuteronomy 30:6 finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Old Covenant, with its external laws and rituals, revealed humanity's inherent inability to perfectly love and obey God due to a hardened, uncircumcised heart. Jesus, through His atoning death and glorious resurrection, inaugurated the New Covenant, making possible the very spiritual transformation promised in this verse. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and through faith in Him, believers receive a new heart and a new spirit, as powerfully prophesied by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36:26-27). The "circumcision of the heart" is now accomplished not by human effort or physical rite, but by the Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, empowering them to love God and walk in His statutes (Romans 2:29; Romans 8:4). This divine work of regeneration, where one is "born again" by the Spirit (John 3:3-8), enables genuine love for God and true spiritual life, fulfilling Moses' ancient prophecy and demonstrating that in Christ, God's ultimate purpose for His people—to love Him with all their heart and soul—is finally realized in a way that the Old Covenant could only anticipate.