17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them,
17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them,
17 But I warn you: If you have a change of heart, refuse to listen obediently, and willfully go off to serve and worship other gods,
17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them,
17 "But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 30:17
Commentary on Deuteronomy 30:15-20
(Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20)
What could be said more moving, and more likely to make deep and lasting impressions? Every man wishes to obtain life and good, and to escape death and evil; he desires happiness, and dreads misery. So great is the compassion of the Lord, that he has favoured men, by his word, with such a knowledge of good and evil as will make them for ever happy, if it be not their own fault. Let us hear the sum of the whole matter. If they and theirs would love God, and serve him, they should live and be happy. If they or theirs should turn from God, desert his service, and worship other gods, that would certainly be their ruin. There never was, since the fall of man, more than one way to heaven; which is marked out in both Testaments, though not with equal clearness. Moses meant that same way of acceptance, which Paul more plainly described; and Paul's words mean the same obedience, on which Moses more fully treated. In both Testaments the good and right way is brought near, and plainly revealed to us.