Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
DEUTERONOMY 10:22KJVWhat does Deuteronomy 10:22 mean?
Deuteronomy 10:22 recalls how the ancestors of the Israelites went down to Egypt as a small group of seventy people, but now God has made their descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. The verse highlights the dramatic growth of the people of Israel, emphasizing God’s faithfulness to them.
Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the land promised to them. He reminds them of their humble beginnings and how God (using the name יְהוָה, Yahweh) has multiplied them greatly, fulfilling earlier promises made to their forefathers. The verse is meant to encourage gratitude and trust in God’s ongoing care.
The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 10:22
- יְהוָה (YHWH, Yahweh): This is the personal name for the LORD, used here to stress God’s covenant relationship with Israel, not just a generic deity.
- שָׁמַיִם (shamayim, heaven): The comparison to “the stars of heaven” is a poetic way to express a vast, uncountable number, echoing earlier promises to Abraham.
- רָב (rav, multitude): The word for “multitude” emphasizes not just a large number, but a sense of overflowing abundance, reinforcing the idea of God’s generous blessing.
Why Deuteronomy 10:22 matters
- This verse clears up any idea that Israel’s growth was accidental or self-made; it directly credits God’s action for their increase.
- By referencing the “seventy persons,” Moses connects the current generation to their ancestors, underlining a sense of shared story and identity.
- The verse ties back to God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, showing that what God pledged generations earlier has come true, which is a key theme in Deuteronomy’s call to remember and trust.