Deuteronomy 29

“These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land…” Naming Egypt and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:” The line’s distinctive content terms include eyes, miracles, seen. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.” Naming Yet keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen…” The number forty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto…” Naming Bashan and Heshbon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe…” Naming Gadites and Manasseh keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy…” Naming Your keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto…” Naming Abraham keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath;” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by;” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)” The line’s distinctive content terms include abominations, gold, idols. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our…” Naming Lest keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass…” Naming Admah and Gomorrah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this…” The line’s distinctive content terms include anger, book, curses. Its relationship to verses 26 and 28 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into…” The line’s distinctive content terms include land, anger, indignation. Its relationship to verses 27 and 29 shows what work it does in this passage.

“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.