For this commandment I give you todayThis phrase refers to the laws and statutes that Moses is reiterating to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The context is the renewal of the covenant between God and Israel. Historically, this is a pivotal moment as the Israelites stand on the brink of a new chapter, having wandered in the desert for 40 years. The commandment encompasses the entirety of the law given at Sinai, which is now being reaffirmed. It emphasizes the immediacy and relevance of God's law, underscoring that it is not just a historical artifact but a living guide for the people.
is not too difficult for you
This part of the verse highlights the accessibility and attainability of God's commandments. It suggests that the law is not an insurmountable burden but something that can be understood and followed. This counters any notion that God's expectations are unreasonable or beyond human capacity. Theologically, it points to the idea that God equips His people to follow His commands, providing them with the necessary strength and understanding. This is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus speaks of His yoke being easy and His burden light (Matthew 11:30).
or beyond your reach
The phrase indicates that the commandments are not distant or obscure. They are not hidden in the heavens or across the sea, as the subsequent verses explain. This accessibility is a key theme, suggesting that God's will is revealed and available to all who seek it. It implies that the law is not reserved for an elite few but is meant for the entire community of believers. This is further reinforced in the New Testament, where the Word becomes flesh in Jesus Christ, making God's will and love tangible and accessible to humanity (John 1:14). The idea of the law being within reach also prefigures the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers to live according to God's statutes.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesThe leader of the Israelites who is delivering God's commandments to the people. He is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.
2.
IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, who are receiving the commandments and instructions from Moses. They are on the brink of entering Canaan, the land promised to their ancestors.
3.
Promised Land (Canaan)The land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which the Israelites are about to enter after their exodus from Egypt and years of wandering in the desert.
Teaching Points
Accessibility of God's CommandmentsGod's commandments are designed to be understood and followed by His people. They are not hidden or inaccessible, but rather given in a way that is within reach for all who seek to obey.
Empowerment through ObedienceThe verse encourages believers that they are capable of following God's commandments. It is a reminder that God equips His people with the ability to live according to His will.
Faith and ActionThe passage calls for a response of faith that leads to action. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's word and act upon it, knowing that it is not beyond their ability to do so.
The Nearness of God's WordGod's word is not distant or foreign; it is near and meant to dwell within us. This nearness invites a personal relationship with God through His word.
Encouragement in Spiritual JourneyAs the Israelites were on the brink of entering the Promised Land, believers today are encouraged in their spiritual journey, knowing that God's guidance is always accessible.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 30:11?
2.How does Deuteronomy 30:11 emphasize the accessibility of God's commandments to us?
3.What does "not too difficult" in Deuteronomy 30:11 imply about God's expectations?
4.How does Deuteronomy 30:11 connect with Jesus' teachings on obedience in John 14:15?
5.In what ways can we make God's commandments more central in our daily lives?
6.How can Deuteronomy 30:11 inspire confidence in understanding and following God's Word?
7.How does Deuteronomy 30:11 challenge the belief in the Bible's accessibility to all people?
8.What historical context influences the interpretation of Deuteronomy 30:11?
9.How does Deuteronomy 30:11 relate to the concept of divine revelation?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 30?
11.Deuteronomy 30:11–14 insists the law is not too difficult to follow, yet how does this align with later passages (e.g., Galatians 3:10) suggesting full compliance is impossible?
12.Is free will merely an illusion?
13.Why are there so many different interpretations of the Bible if God wants a clear message?
14.What defines spiritual enlightenment?What Does Deuteronomy 30:11 Mean
For this commandmentMoses speaks of the whole covenant law he has just rehearsed (Deuteronomy 30:10). Because God Himself authored it, the commandment carries His character—perfect, righteous, and good (Psalm 19:7-9;Romans 7:12).
• “The LORD our God is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4) anchors every specific statute in a single, undivided loyalty to Him.
• Unlike human legislation that shifts with culture, God’s commandment is fixed (Isaiah 40:8).
• Jesus later identifies this same divine authority behind “the greatest commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40), showing continuity between Moses and Christ.
I give you todayThe word “today” draws the covenant into the present moment of the hearers. God’s expectations are never merely historical.
•Hebrews 3:13 urges believers to exhort one another “as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
• Obedience is always immediate; delayed obedience is disobedience (James 4:17).
• God’s mercies are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23), so His calls to obedience are freshly supplied with grace.
Is not too difficult for youThe Lord never commands without enabling.
•Deuteronomy 30:14 clarifies, “The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may do it.”
•1 John 5:3 echoes, “His commandments are not burdensome,” because new birth equips us with overcoming faith (1 John 5:4).
•Philippians 2:13 reminds us that “it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure.”
Practical takeaways:
– We reject the lie that holiness is unattainable.
– We lean on the Spirit, not sheer willpower (Galatians 5:16).
Or beyond your reachGod locates His word within arm’s length, not on some distant mountain or across a sea (Deuteronomy 30:12-13).
•Romans 10:6-8 applies this to the gospel: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’... ‘The word is near you.’”
•Psalm 119:105 celebrates the same accessibility: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
• Because Scripture is clear and available, every person is accountable (John 12:48).
Living implications:
– We can open the Bible and meet God right now.
– We share the word confidently, knowing it can be understood (Acts 17:11).
summaryDeuteronomy 30:11 assures us that God’s commands are present, possible, and personal. He gives them today; He empowers us so they are not too difficult; He places them within reach so we can obey by faith. Standing on the unchanging truth of Scripture, we move forward in confident, Spirit-enabled obedience.
Deuteronomy 30:11-14.
THE LAW OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH is OF FAITH.(11)For this commandment.--Heb.,Mitzvah.This duty, this form of obedience to the law.
Is not hidden from thee--i.e.,not too hard. Literally,too wonderful for thee.(Comp.Deuteronomy 17:8;Psalm 139:6.)
(12)It is not in heaven.--St. Paul cites the words thus: "The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven?that is, to bring Christ down from above"(Romans 10:6-7).
(13)Neither is it beyond the sea.--St. Paul continues, "Or (say not), Who shalldescendintothe deep?that is,to bring up Christ again from the dead."The alteration here is remarkable. The LXX. will not account for it. "Beyond the sea" generally suggests the idea of a land on the other side of the surface of the ocean. But a descent into the"abyss," which is what St. Paul indicates, means a passage through the sea to that which is beneath it, "beyond the sea "in a very different sense. No one but Jonah ever went beyond the sea in this way, as he says, "Out of the belly of hell cried I . . . Thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the heart of the seas . . . I went down to the bottoms of the mountains . . . Thedeep(abyss)closed me about."And this descent of Jonah is chosen as the "sign" of Christ's descent into hell. . . .
Verses 11-14. - The fulfillment of this condition was not impossible or even difficult; for God had done everything to render it easy for them. The commandment of God was
not hidden from them; literally,
was not wonderful to them;
i.
e. hard to be understood or to perform (see the use of the Hebrew word in
Psalm 131:1;
Proverbs 30:18);
nor was it far off; it was not in heaven -
i.
e. though heavenly in its source, it had not remained there, but had been revealed - so that there was no need for any one to say,
Who will ascend to heaven, and bring it down to us, that we may hear it, and do it? The idea is not, as Keil suggests, that of "an inaccessible height" which none could scale; nor is it, as suggested by Knobel, that of something "incomprehensible, impracticable, and superhuman;" it is simply a statement of fact that the Law had not been retained in heaven, but had been revealed to men. Nor was this revelation made in some far distant place across the sea, so that any need say,
Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? On the contrary, it was very near to them, had been disclosed in words so that they could utter it with their own mouth, converse over it, and ponder it in their hearts (cf.
Isaiah 45:19;
Jeremiah 23:28;
Romans 10:6). In the allusion to the sea, the representation is not that of depth (Targum Jon.), but that of distance.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Forכִּ֚י(kî)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunctionthisהַזֹּ֔את(haz·zōṯ)Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063:Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,commandmentהַמִּצְוָ֣ה(ham·miṣ·wāh)Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4687:CommandmentIאָנֹכִ֥י(’ā·nō·ḵî)Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595:Igiveמְצַוְּךָ֖(mə·ṣaw·wə·ḵā)Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6680:To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, orderyou todayהַיּ֑וֹם(hay·yō·wm)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117:A dayis notלֹֽא־(lō-)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, notoo difficultנִפְלֵ֥את(nip̄·lêṯ)Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 6381:To separate, distinguish, to be, great, difficult, wonderfulfor youמִמְּךָ֔(mim·mə·ḵā)Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4480:A part of, from, out oforוְלֹ֥א(wə·lō)Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nobeyond your reach.רְחֹקָ֖ה(rə·ḥō·qāh)Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7350:Remote, of place, time, precious
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OT Law: Deuteronomy 30:11 For this commandment which I command you (Deut. De Du) 
