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.

DEUTERONOMY 29:5KJV
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Deuteronomy 29:5 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 29:5 mean?

Deuteronomy 29:5 describes how, during the forty years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, their clothes and shoes did not wear out. This verse highlights a special care and provision that God showed to the people during their long journey.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites, reminding them of their history as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The setting is just before they cross the Jordan River. Moses points out that even in difficult conditions, God sustained them in practical ways, making sure their basic needs—like clothing and footwear—were met throughout all those years.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 29:5

  • "led" (יָלַךְ, yalak): This word means to go, walk, or lead. Here, it emphasizes that God was actively guiding the Israelites, not just letting them wander on their own.
  • "old" (בָּלָה, balah): Used twice in this verse, this word means to wear out or become old. The repetition stresses the miraculous nature of their clothes and shoes not deteriorating, which would be unexpected over such a long time.
  • "wilderness" (מִדְבָּר, midbar): This word refers to a desert or uninhabited land. Mentioning the wilderness underlines the harshness of the environment, making the preservation of clothing and shoes even more remarkable.

Why Deuteronomy 29:5 matters

  • This verse clears up any idea that the Israelites survived the wilderness by their own resourcefulness; it points directly to God's ongoing, practical involvement in their daily lives.
  • The emphasis on clothes and shoes not wearing out connects to the broader theme of Deuteronomy, where Moses urges the people to remember God's faithfulness and provision as they face new challenges.
  • By highlighting this detail, the verse helps readers see that God's care extended beyond dramatic miracles to the small, everyday needs of the people, reinforcing the message of trust and gratitude.

Where else these words appear

“old” Hebrew H1086 · used in 15 verses

  • Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
  • Nehemiah 9:21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
  • Psalms 102:26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

“clothes” Hebrew H8008 · used in 16 verses

  • Exodus 22:9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
  • Joshua 22:8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
  • Nehemiah 9:21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

“shoe” Hebrew H5275 · used in 22 verses

  • Genesis 14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
  • Joshua 9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
  • Isaiah 5:27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:

“forty” Hebrew H705 · used in 124 verses

  • Genesis 5:13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
  • 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.
  • 1 Chronicles 12:36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.