And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.

DEUTERONOMY 1:31KJV
Know the Bible

Deuteronomy 1:31 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 1:31 mean?

Deuteronomy 1:31 describes God’s care for the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. Moses compares that care to a father carrying his son, presenting the journey as something the people had experienced with God’s help.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the land promised to them. The image of a father carrying a son suggests both closeness and support over a difficult journey. Moses appeals to what the people have seen, not merely to something they have heard about.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 1:31

  • “bare” — נָשָׂא (nasa): This word can mean “lift up” or “carry.” The KJV’s “bare” means “carried,” not “gave birth to.”
  • “way” — דֶּרֶךְ (derekh): This word can mean a road or a journey. Here, “in all the way that ye went” points to the whole route through the wilderness, rather than a single moment.

Why Deuteronomy 1:31 matters

  • Moses uses the journey as evidence in a specific conversation. After the people feared the inhabitants of the land, Moses urged them not to be afraid and pointed to what God had already done for them (Deuteronomy 1:28–31).
  • The comparison reaches to the place where Moses is speaking. “Until ye came into this place” connects the wilderness journey with the Israelites’ position near the land they are preparing to enter.