Deuteronomy 8:20 (GNV)

Passage

As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before you, so ye shall perish, because ye woulde not be obedient vnto the voyce of the Lord your God.

Nearby Context

Deuteronomy 8:18 But remember the Lord thy God: for it is he which giueth thee power to get substance to establish his couenant which he sware vnto thy fathers, as appeareth this day.

Deuteronomy 8:19 And if thou forget the Lord thy God, and walke after other gods, and serue them, and worship them, I testifie vnto you this day that ye shall surely perish.

Deuteronomy 8:20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before you, so ye shall perish, because ye woulde not be obedient vnto the voyce of the Lord your God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "nations", "lord", "destroyeth", "before", "shall", "perish", "woulde", and "obedient". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "nations" and "lord", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "And if thou forget the Lord thy...", giving immediate footing for "nations" and "lord". In Deuteronomy context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

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