◄ Deuteronomy 5:33 ►
You must walk in all the ways that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
Study Bible
You must walk
The phrase "walk" in Hebrew is "halak," which implies a continuous, habitual action. It is not merely about physical movement but a metaphor for living one's life. In the ancient Near Eastern context, walking in a certain way was synonymous with following a path or a set of principles. This command emphasizes a lifestyle of obedience and faithfulness to God's decrees, suggesting that one's entire life journey should be aligned with divine instructions.

in all the ways
The Hebrew word for "ways" is "derek," which refers to a path or a course of life. This indicates that God's commandments cover every aspect of life, not just religious or ceremonial duties. The use of "all" underscores the comprehensive nature of God's expectations, calling for complete adherence to His will. Historically, this reflects the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where obedience was a sign of loyalty and devotion.

that the LORD your God
The name "LORD" is a translation of "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God revealed to Moses. It signifies God's eternal, self-existent nature and His covenantal relationship with Israel. "Your God" personalizes this relationship, reminding the Israelites of their unique identity as God's chosen people. This phrase reinforces the authority and intimacy of the divine commands, as they come from a God who is both sovereign and relational.

has commanded you
The Hebrew word for "commanded" is "tsavah," which conveys a sense of authoritative instruction. This is not a suggestion but a divine mandate. The historical context of Deuteronomy is a reiteration of the Law given at Sinai, emphasizing the importance of obedience as Israel prepares to enter the Promised Land. It reflects the covenantal stipulations that were meant to guide the community in righteousness and justice.

so that you may live
The phrase "may live" translates from the Hebrew "chayah," which means to have life or to be alive. In the biblical context, life is not just physical existence but encompasses spiritual vitality and well-being. This promise of life is contingent upon obedience, suggesting that true life is found in alignment with God's will. It echoes the Deuteronomic theme that obedience leads to blessing and life, while disobedience leads to curse and death.

and prosper
The Hebrew word "yatab" means to be well or to go well. Prosperity in the biblical sense is holistic, including material, spiritual, and communal well-being. This promise of prosperity is tied to the covenantal blessings outlined in Deuteronomy, where obedience to God's commands results in flourishing and success. It reflects the ancient understanding that divine favor is the source of all prosperity.

and prolong your days
The phrase "prolong your days" is a common biblical expression for longevity. In the Hebrew context, long life was considered a sign of God's blessing and favor. This promise is particularly significant as the Israelites stand on the brink of entering the Promised Land, symbolizing the fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs. It underscores the connection between obedience and the enjoyment of God's blessings over time.

in the land that you will possess
The "land" refers to Canaan, the Promised Land, which is central to Israel's identity and destiny. Possession of the land is both a gift and a responsibility, contingent upon the people's faithfulness to God's covenant. This phrase highlights the historical and theological significance of the land as a place where God's people are to live out their covenantal relationship with Him. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the call to live in accordance with His will in the place He has provided.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who delivered God's commandments to the people. He is the speaker in this passage, conveying God's instructions.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who are receiving the commandments and instructions from Moses as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

3. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It represents a place of blessing and fulfillment of God's promises.

4. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who commands His people to follow His ways for their well-being and prosperity.

5. The Commandments
The laws and decrees given by God to the Israelites, which include moral, ceremonial, and civil laws intended to guide their conduct and relationship with God and others.
Teaching Points
Obedience as a Path to Blessing
Walking in God's ways is not just a command but a pathway to experiencing His blessings, prosperity, and longevity.

Holistic Living
God's commandments cover all aspects of life, indicating that our faith should influence every area of our conduct and decisions.

Covenant Relationship
The call to obedience is rooted in a covenant relationship with God, who desires our well-being and has provided guidelines for a flourishing life.

Faith and Action
True faith is demonstrated through action. Obedience to God's word is a tangible expression of our trust and commitment to Him.

Eternal Perspective
While the immediate context is about life in the Promised Land, the principles of obedience and blessing have eternal implications for believers today.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the command to "walk in all the ways" of the LORD challenge your current lifestyle and choices?

2. In what ways can you ensure that God's commandments influence your daily decisions and interactions with others?

3. Reflect on a time when obedience to God's word led to a tangible blessing in your life. How did this experience strengthen your faith?

4. How can the principles found in Deuteronomy 5:33 be applied to modern-day challenges and opportunities?

5. Consider the connection between Deuteronomy 5:33 and John 14:15. How does love for God motivate you to keep His commandments, and what practical steps can you take to grow in this area?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 6:1-3
This passage continues the theme of obedience to God's commandments as a means to prosper and live long in the land.

Joshua 1:7-8
Joshua is instructed to be strong and courageous, meditating on the Law day and night to ensure success and prosperity.

Psalm 1:1-3
The psalmist describes the blessedness of the one who delights in the law of the LORD, likening them to a tree planted by streams of water.

John 14:15
Jesus emphasizes the importance of keeping His commandments as an expression of love for Him.

James 1:22-25
James encourages believers to be doers of the word, not just hearers, promising blessing to those who act on God's word.
Sermons
Prosperity and AdversityF. D. Maurice, M. A.Deuteronomy 5:33
Reminiscences of HorebJ. Orr Deuteronomy 5:1-33
Character Determines EnvironmentD. Davies Deuteronomy 5:21-33
How Moses Became MediatorR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 5:22-33
People
Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Horeb
Topics
Commanded, Heritage, Ordered, Possess, Prolong, Prolonged, Prosper, Walk, Walking, Yours
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 5:33

     4020   life, of faith
     5197   walking
     5726   old age, attainment

Deuteronomy 5:31-33

     8404   commands, in OT

Deuteronomy 5:32-33

     4207   land, divine gift

Library
Prayer and Obedience
"An obedience discovered itself in Fletcher of Madeley, which I wish I could describe or imitate. It produced in him a ready mind to embrace every cross with alacrity and pleasure. He had a singular love for the lambs of the flock, and applied himself with the greatest diligence to their instruction, for which he had a peculiar gift. . . . All his intercourse with me was so mingled with prayer and praise, that every employment, and every meal was, as it were, perfumed therewith." -- JOHN WESLEY. …
Edward M. Bounds—The Necessity of Prayer

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

"They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
Now the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things--First, In resting from all servile and common business pertaining to our natural life; Secondly, In consecrating that rest wholly to the service of God, and the use of those holy means which belong to our spiritual life. For the First. 1. The servile and common works from which we are to cease are, generally, all civil works, from the least to the greatest (Exod. xxxi. 12, 13, 15, &c.) More particularly-- First, From all the works of our …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Everlasting Covenant of the Spirit
"They shall be My people, and l will be their God. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me."--JER. xxxii. 38, 40. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover.
Scribes Reproach Him for Disregarding Tradition. (Galilee, Probably Capernaum, Spring a.d. 29.) ^A Matt. XV. 1-20; ^B Mark VII. 1-23; ^D John VII. 1. ^d 1 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judæa, because the Jews sought to kill him. [John told us in his last chapter that the passover was near at hand. He here makes a general statement which shows that Jesus did not attend this passover. The reason for his absence is given at John v. 18.] ^a 1 Then there …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Angel of the Lord in the Pentateuch, and the Book of Joshua.
The New Testament distinguishes between the hidden God and the revealed God--the Son or Logos--who is connected with the former by oneness of nature, and who from everlasting, and even at the creation itself, filled up the immeasurable distance between the Creator and the creation;--who has been the Mediator in all God's relations to the world;--who at all times, and even before He became man in Christ, has been the light of [Pg 116] the world,--and to whom, specially, was committed the direction …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Mount Zion.
"For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them: for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: but ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Foundations of Good Citizenship.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.--Ex. 20:1-17. Parallel Readings. Hist. Bible I, 194-198. Prin. of Politics, Chap. II. Lowell, Essay on "Democracy." Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Honor thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou …
Charles Foster Kent—The Making of a Nation

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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