Deuteronomy 29:20 and the Covenant Between God and Israel
Deuteronomy 29:20 (ASV) states, "Jehovah will not pardon him, but then the anger of Jehovah and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him, and Jehovah will blot out his name from under heaven." This verse is part of a larger discourse in Deuteronomy 29 and 30, which details the renewal of the covenant between God and Israel in the land of Moab [6]. This covenant is presented as distinct from, yet building upon, the covenant made at Horeb (Mount Sinai) [6].
The immediate context of Deuteronomy 29:20 is a warning against individual apostasy and its severe consequences. The preceding verses (Deuteronomy 29:18-19) describe a person who, hearing the words of the covenant, might secretly think they will be safe even if they follow their own stubborn heart, believing "I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart" (Deuteronomy 29:19 ASV). Deuteronomy 29:20 directly refutes this presumption, emphasizing that God's wrath and jealousy will be kindled against such an individual, and all the curses of the covenant will fall upon them. The phrase "blot out his name from under heaven" signifies a complete and utter destruction or removal from the community and from memory [2]. This is a stark contrast to the blessings promised for obedience to the covenant (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) and aligns with the curses for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).
The covenant itself, into which the Israelites were entering, involved an oath (Deuteronomy 29:12 ASV) [5]. This oath established a mutual relationship: God would be their God, and they would be His people [8]. The covenant was not one-sided; Israel's breaking of faith would lead to the cessation of God's promised favor [5]. The concept of God's "jealousy" (קִנְאָה, qin'ah) in Deuteronomy 29:20 is significant. It reflects God's zealous protection of His exclusive relationship with His people, demanding their sole allegiance. This jealousy is also seen in other passages, such as Exodus 34:14, where God is described as a "jealous God" [2].
The severity of the punishment described in Deuteronomy 29:20—God's anger and jealousy smoking, the curses lying upon the individual, and the blotting out of their name—underscores the seriousness of covenant infidelity. This language is echoed in other prophetic warnings against idolatry and disobedience. For instance, the prophet Jeremiah speaks of God's fierce wrath turning away from His people when they make a covenant with Him (Jeremiah 29:10 KJV) [1]. Similarly, Ezekiel describes God's wrath and jealousy in response to Israel's abominations (Ezekiel 5:11, 8:3, 8:5, 8:18) [2]. The idea of God not pardoning those who persist in rebellion is also found in other texts, such as Exodus 32:32, where Moses pleads for the people's sin to be blotted out, implying that such an act is within God's power [2].
The broader theological framework of Deuteronomy emphasizes the importance of choosing life and blessing through obedience, or death and cursing through disobedience (Deuteronomy 30:19). The covenant renewal in Moab served as a recommitment, making the Israelites God's people in a fresh way [8]. However, the warnings in verses like Deuteronomy 29:20 highlight the consequences of failing to uphold this renewed commitment. The "curses written in this book" refer to the extensive list of judgments detailed in Deuteronomy 28, which include various forms of destruction and exile [2, 3].
The concept of a covenant, and its potential for being broken, is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament. The "first covenant" made at Sinai was not faultless and did not solve human weaknesses, leading to the need for a "new covenant" prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34 [4]. This new covenant, realized through Jesus Christ, addresses the shortcomings of the old [7]. Nevertheless, the principles of divine justice and the consequences of rebellion against God's covenant, as articulated in Deuteronomy 29:20, remain a foundational aspect of biblical theology.
Sources
- King James Version “[KJV] 2 Chronicles 29:10 — Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Deuteronomy 29:20 cross-references: Exodus 20:5, Exodus 32:32, Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 9:14, Deuteronomy 25:19, Deuteronomy 27:15, Deuteronomy 28:15, Psalms 18:8, Psalms 69:28, Psalms 74:1, Psalms 78:50, Psalms 78:58, Psalms 79:5, Proverbs 2:22, Proverbs 6:34, Isaiah 27:11, Jeremiah 13:14, Ezekiel 5:11, Ezekiel 7:4, Ezekiel 7:9, Ezekiel 8:3, Ezekiel 8:5, Ezekiel 8:18, Ezekiel 9:10, Ezekiel 14:7, Ezekiel 23:25, Ezekiel 24:14, Ezekiel 36:5, Nahum 1:2, Zephaniah 1:18, Romans 8:32, Romans 11:21, 1 Corinthians 10:22, Hebrews 12:29, 2 Peter 2:4, Revelation 3:5”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Daniel 9:27 cross-references: Leviticus 26:14, Numbers 7:62, Deuteronomy 4:26, Deuteronomy 28:15, Deuteronomy 29:18, Deuteronomy 30:17, Deuteronomy 31:28, Deuteronomy 32:19, Psalms 69:22, Isaiah 10:22, Isaiah 10:23, Isaiah 28:15, Isaiah 28:22, Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 53:11, Isaiah 55:3, Jeremiah 31:31, Jeremiah 32:40, Ezekiel 16:60, Daniel 7:25, Daniel 8:13, Daniel 11:36, Daniel 12:11, Matthew 24:15, Matthew 26:28, Matthew 27:51, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20, Luke 21:24, Romans 5:15, Romans 5:19, Romans 11:26, Romans 15:8, Galatians 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, Hebrews 6:13, Hebrews 8:8, Hebrews 9:15, He”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 8:7: 8:7-13 The author quotes Jer 31:31-34, an Old Testament prophecy concerning the new covenant that includes a number of striking promises. Establishing the superiority of the new covenant lays a foundation for the argument in Heb 9:1–10:18 that the Son’s offering under the new covenant was superior to the offerings of the old covenant. 8:7 The first covenant, made at Sinai, was not faultless. It was not the end of God’s plan, because it didn’t solve human weaknesses (see 7:11-28; 8:9).”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 16:59: the oath--the covenant between God and Israel (Deu 29:12, Deu 29:14). As thou hast despised it, so will I despise thee. No covenant is one-sided; where Israel broke faith, God's promise of favor ceased.”
- Deuteronomy (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Deuteronomy 29 (introduction): Conclusion of the Covenant in the Land of Moab - Deuteronomy 29-30 The addresses which follow in ch. 29 and 30 are announced in the heading in Deu 29:1 as "words (addresses) of the covenant which Jehovah commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel, beside the covenant which He made with them in Horeb," and consist, according to Deu 29:10., in a solemn appeal to all the people to enter into the covenant which the Lord made with them that day; that is to say, it consisted literally in a renewed declaration of the covenant which the Lord ”
- Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 31:31: 31:31 The day of the new covenant was realized when Jesus Christ accomplished his redemptive mission on earth (see Heb 8:8-12).”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 27:9: 27:9 Today: The Israelites were already the Lord’s people prior to this moment, but each time Israel affirmed itself to be God’s people and renewed the covenant (as here), they became God’s people in a fresh, new way. Recommitment to the Lord is like beginning a new relationship with him.”