Deuteronomy 8 · Verse 2

Deuteronomy 8:2

And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Deuteronomy 8:2, King James Version

Deuteronomy 8:2 in other translations

BSBRemember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments.
WEBYou shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
ASVAnd thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or not.
YLTand thou hast remembered all the way which Jehovah thy God hath caused thee to go these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble thee to try thee, to know that which is in thy heart, whether thou dost keep His commands or not.
DARBYAnd thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or not.
BBEAnd keep in mind the way by which the Lord your God has taken you through the waste land these forty years, so that he might make low your pride and put you to the test, to see what was in your heart and if you would keep his orders or not.
WebsterAnd thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldst keep his commandments, or not.

What does Deuteronomy 8:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 8:2-3
2-3. thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness--The recapitulation of all their checkered experience during that long period was designed to awaken lively impressions of the goodness of God. First, Moses showed them the object of their protracted wanderings and varied hardships. These were trials of their obedience as well as chastisements for sin. Indeed, the discovery of their infidelity, inconstancy, and their rebellions and perverseness which this varied discipline brought to light, was of eminently practical use to the Israelites themselves, as it has been to the church in all subsequent ages. Next, he enlarged on the goodness of God to them, while reduced to the last extremities of despair, in the miraculous provision which, without anxiety or labor, was made for their daily support (see on Ex 16:4). Possessing no nutritious properties inherent in it, this contributed to their sustenance, as indeed all food does (Mt 4:4) solely through the ordinance and blessing of God. This remark is applicable to the means of spiritual as well as natural life.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Thou shalt remember all the way - The various dealings of God with you; the dangers and difficulties to which ye were exposed, and from which God delivered you; together with the various miracles which he wrought for you, and his longsuffering towards you.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 8:1-9

Obedience must be, 1. Careful, observe to do; 2. Universal, to do all the commandments; and 3. From a good principle, with a regard to God as the Lord, and their God, and with a holy fear of him. To engage them to this obedience. Moses directs them to look back. It is good to remember all the ways, both of God's providence and grace, by which he has led us through this wilderness, that we may cheerfully serve him…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 8:1-9 →

Deuteronomy 8:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְזָכַרְתָּ֣ve.za.khar.Taand you will rememberH2142
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַדֶּ֗רֶךְha.De.rekhthe wayH1870
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherwhichH834
הֹלִֽיכֲךָ֜ho.li.kha.Khahe led youH1980
יְהוָ֧הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaGod yourH430
זֶ֛הzehthisH2088
אַרְבָּעִ֥ים'ar.ba.'ImfortyH705
שָׁנָ֖הsha.Nahyear[s]H8141
בַּמִּדְבָּ֑רba.mid.Barin the wildernessH4057
לְמַ֨עַןle.Ma.'anso asH4616
עַנֹּֽתְךָ֜'a.no.te.Khato humble youH6031
לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗le.na.so.te.Khato put to [the] test youH5254
לָדַ֜עַתla.Da.'atto knowH3045
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֲשֶׁ֧ר'a.Sher[that] whichH834
בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֛bil.va.ve.Kha[was] in heart yourH3824
הֲתִשְׁמֹ֥רha.tish.Mor¿ will you keepH8104
מִצְוֹתָ֖יוmitz.vo.tovcommandments hisH4687
אִם\־'im-or?H518
לֹֽא\׃Lo'notH3808

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 8:2

  • James 1:3

    Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

  • Deuteronomy 8:16

    Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

  • Exodus 16:4

    Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

  • 1 Peter 1:7

    That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

  • Deuteronomy 2:7

    For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

  • 1 Peter 5:5-6

    Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

  • Malachi 3:2-3

    But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

  • Exodus 15:25

    And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

  • John 2:25

    And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

  • James 4:6

    But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

  • 2 Chronicles 32:31

    Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

  • Deuteronomy 29:5

    And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
remember.
7:18; Ps 77:11; 106:7; Eph 2:11,12; 2Pe 1:12,13; 3:1,2
led thee.
1:3,33; 2:7; 29:5; Ps 136:16; Am 2:10
to humble.
2Ch 32:25,26; 33:12,19; Job 33:17; 42:5,6; Isa 2:17; Lu 18:14
Jas 4:6,10; 1Pe 5:5,6
prove thee.
16; 13:3; Ge 22:1; Ex 15:25; 16:4; 2Ch 32:31; Ps 81:7; Pr 17:3
Mal 3:2,3; Jas 1:3; 1Pe 1:7
to know.
Jer 17:9,10; Joh 2:25; Re 2:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 8:1

    All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.

  • Deuteronomy 8:2

    And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

  • Deuteronomy 8:3

    And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

Read all of Deuteronomy 8

Deuteronomy 8:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y acordarte has de todo el camino por donde te ha traído Jehová tu Dios estos cuarenta años en el desierto, para afligirte, por probarte, para saber lo que estaba en tu corazón, si habías de guardar ó no sus mandamientos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et tu te souviendras de tout le chemin par lequel l’ Éternel, ton Dieu, t’a fait marcher ces 40 ans, dans le désert, afin de t’humilier, et de t’éprouver, pour connaître ce qui était dans ton cœur, si tu garderais ses commandements, ou non.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und du sollst gedenken des ganzen Weges, den Jehova, dein Gott, dich hat wandern lassen diese vierzig Jahre in der Wüste, um dich zu demütigen, um dich zu versuchen, um zu erkennen, was in deinem Herzen ist, ob du seine Gebote beobachten würdest oder nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et recordaberis cuncti itineris, per quod adduxit te Dominus Deus tuus quadraginta annis per desertum, ut affligeret te, atque tentaret, et nota fierent quæ in tuo animo versabantur, utrum custodires mandata illius, an non.