For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.

DEUTERONOMY 31:20KJV
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Deuteronomy 31:20 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 31:20 mean?

Deuteronomy 31:20 describes how, after God brings the Israelites into the promised land—a place rich and abundant—they will become comfortable and satisfied, but then turn away from God to worship other gods, breaking the covenant He made with them. The verse warns that prosperity will lead to forgetfulness and unfaithfulness among the people.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter Canaan. He is relaying God’s words, predicting that once the people enjoy the blessings of the land God promised to their ancestors, they will become complacent and chase after other gods. This sets the stage for the rest of the chapter, which deals with Israel’s future disobedience and the consequences that will follow.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 31:20

  • The word for "land" (אֲדָמָה, ’adamah) emphasizes the physical territory God promised, highlighting the concrete fulfillment of His oath to their ancestors.
  • "Floweth" (זוּב, zuv) describes the land as overflowing or abundant, painting a picture of plenty with "milk" (חָלָב, chalav) and "honey" (דְּבַשׁ, devash), which were symbols of richness and fertility in ancient Israel.
  • "Turn" (פָּנָה, panah) means to face or turn toward something, stressing a deliberate choice by the Israelites to shift their loyalty away from God.
  • "Break" (פָּרַר, parar) carries the sense of shattering or nullifying, making clear that turning to other gods is not just a mistake but a complete violation of the covenant (בְּרִית, berit) relationship.

Why Deuteronomy 31:20 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the danger for Israel is not just outside threats, but the spiritual risk that comes with comfort and abundance.
  • The verse connects to the wider warning in Deuteronomy about the cycle of blessing, forgetfulness, and disobedience, showing that God’s concern is not only about their actions but their hearts.
  • Understanding the specific words for "turn" and "break" helps the reader see that Israel’s future unfaithfulness is portrayed as a conscious, serious breach of trust, not just a minor slip.

Where else these words appear

“fat” Hebrew H1878 · used in 11 verses

  • Exodus 27:3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
  • Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
  • Proverbs 15:30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.

“provoke” Hebrew H5006 · used in 24 verses

  • Numbers 14:11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
  • Psalms 10:13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.
  • Isaiah 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

“floweth” Hebrew H2100 · used in 41 verses

  • Exodus 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
  • Leviticus 15:19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
  • Deuteronomy 26:9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.

“milk” Hebrew H2461 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 18:8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
  • Deuteronomy 11:9 And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
  • Proverbs 30:33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.