Deuteronomy 30:13 (DRB)

Passage

Nor is it beyond the sea: that thou mayst excuse thyself, and say: Which of us can cross the sea, and bring it unto us: that we may hear, and do that which is commanded?

Nearby Context

Deuteronomy 30:11 This commandment, that I command thee this day is not above thee, nor far off from thee:

Deuteronomy 30:12 Nor is it in heaven, that thou shouldst say: Which of us can go up to heaven to bring it unto us, and we may hear and fulfil it in work?

Deuteronomy 30:13 Nor is it beyond the sea: that thou mayst excuse thyself, and say: Which of us can cross the sea, and bring it unto us: that we may hear, and do that which is commanded?

Deuteronomy 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, that thou mayst do it.

Deuteronomy 30:15 Consider that I have set before thee this day life and good, and on the other hand death and evil:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "beyond", "thou", "mayst", "excuse", "thyself", "cross", "bring", and "hear". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "beyond" and "thou", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Nor is it in heaven that thou..." into verse 14's "But the word is very nigh unto...", so "beyond" and "thou" belong inside that flow. In Deuteronomy context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "beyond" and "thou" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.