Deuteronomy 4:29

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:24-40 Moses urged the greatness, glory, and goodness of God. Did we consider what a God he is with whom we have to do, we should surely make conscience of our duty to him, and not dare to sin against him. Shall we forsake a merciful God, who will never forsake us, if we are faithful unto him? Whither can we go? Let us be held to our duty by the bonds of love, and prevailed with by the mercies of God to cleave to him. Moses urged God's authority over them, and their obligations to him. In keeping God's commandments they would act wisely for themselves. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Those who enjoy the benefit of Divine light and laws, ought to support their character for wisdom and honour, that God may be glorified thereby. Those who call upon God, shall certainly find him within call, ready to give an answer of peace to every prayer of faith. All these statutes and judgments of the Divine law are just and righteous, above the statutes and judgments of any of the nations. What they saw at mount Sinai, gave an earnest of the day of judgment, in which the Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire. They must also remember what they heard at mount Sinai. God manifests himself in the works of the creation, without speech or language, yet their voice is heard, Ps 19:1,3; but to Israel he made himself known by speech and language, condescending to their weakness. The rise of this nation was quite different from the origin of all other nations. See the reasons of free grace; we are not beloved for our own sakes, but for Christ's sake. Moses urged the certain benefit and advantage of obedience. This argument he had begun with, ver. 1, That ye may live, and go in and possess the land; and this he concludes with, ver. 40, That it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee. He reminds them that their prosperity would depend upon their piety. Apostacy from God would undoubtedly be the ruin of their nation. He foresees their revolt from God to idols. Those, and those only, shall find God to their comfort, who seek him with all their heart. Afflictions engage and quicken us to seek God; and, by the grace of God working with them, many are thus brought back to their right mind. When these things are come upon thee, turn to the Lord thy God, for thou seest what comes of turning from him. Let all the arguments be laid together, and then say, if religion has not reason on its side. None cast off the government of their God, but those who first abandon the understanding of a man.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Unwilling, as it might seem, to close his discourse with words of terror, Moses makes a last appeal to them in these verses in a different strain.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

28. there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands—The compulsory measures of their tyrannical conquerors would force them into idolatry, so that their choice would become their punishment.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

If thou seek him; if thou desirest his help and favour. See Deu 30:2 Isaiah 45:6.

With all thy heart, i.e. sincerely and fervently.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God,.... By prayer and supplication, acknowledging and confessing sin, and desiring that God would be gracious and forgive it, and bring them out of their miserable condition; even if out of those depths of affliction and distress, and though scattered about in the world, and in the uttermost parts of it:

thou shalt find him; to be a God hearing and answering prayer, gracious and merciful, ready to help and deliver:

if they seek him with all their heart and with all their soul; sincerely and affectionately.

Geneva Study Bible

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy {t} heart and with all thy soul.

(t) Not with outward show or ceremony, but with a true confession of your faults.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

29. But if from thence ye shall seek … thou shalt find] The Pl. ye is due either to the attraction of the plurals of the previous verses or to a dittography. How easily the former worked is seen from the LXX which carries the Pl. as far as search after him. Read with Sam. thou shalt seek. Thus the Sg. stands throughout Deuteronomy 4:29-31. Omit him after find; cp. Jeremiah 29:13.

with all thy heart and with all thy soul] Heart the seal of the practical intellect (see on Deuteronomy 4:9); soul of the desires, the two thus covering the whole man. See Deuteronomy 6:5, Deuteronomy 10:12, Deuteronomy 11:13, Deuteronomy 13:3, Deuteronomy 26:16, Deuteronomy 30:2; Deuteronomy 30:6; Deuteronomy 30:10 (Deuteronomy 6:5 adds with all thy force), and deuteronomic passages in Josh. and Kgs; once in Jeremiah 32:41 of God. This enforcement of spiritual thoroughness is characteristic of D.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 29. - With all thy heart and with all thy soul. As true religion consists in loving the Lord with all the heart and soul, the whole inner nature (Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12), so true repentance consists in a turning from sin and all ungodliness to God, in a coming from a state of enmity to him, or of indifference to his claims, to honor, reverence, and serve him intelligently and sincerely, thinking of him aright, adoring his perfections, delighting in him u the alone good, giving to him that honor which is his due, and doing his will from the heart (cf. 2 Chronicles 15:15). When men have apostatized from God, it is often by means of "tribulation" that they are brought to a right state of mind towards him, and to a true repentance "not to be repented of;" and to effect this is the design of all the chastisements which God sends on his own people (Hebrews 12:5-11; cf. Jeremiah 24:7; Jeremiah 29:10-13; L 4, etc.; Ezekiel 6:11, etc.). Deuteronomy 4:29

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

From thence Israel would come to itself again in the time of deepest misery, like the prodigal son in the gospel (Luke 15:17), would seek the Lord its God, and would also find Him if it sought with all its heart and soul (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12).