Introduction to Deuteronomy 2:7: YHWH’s Provision Over Forty Years
As Moshe reflects on the long journey through the wilderness, he emphasizes not just the hardships but also the unrelenting provision of YHWH. The closing declaration—לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר (“you lacked nothing”)—reveals more than mere survival; it expresses the profound theme of divine sufficiency. This article explores the verb חָסַר, its grammatical form, and its theological resonance in expressing how YHWH accompanied and sustained His people without fail.
כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ בֵּֽרַכְךָ֗ בְּכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔ךָ יָדַ֣ע לֶכְתְּךָ֔ אֶת־הַמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה זֶ֣ה אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר׃
Grammar Spotlight: The Verb חָסַר and Its Form
1. חָסַרְתָּ – “You lacked”
- Root: חָסַר – “to lack, to be without”
- Form: Qal perfect, 2nd person masculine singular
The verb חָסַרְתָּ appears in the Qal perfect form, indicating a completed action. However, in this context, it refers to the entire span of the wilderness journey—“you did not lack” over those forty years. The perfect tense here encapsulates a continuous, completed truth: YHWH’s provision never failed at any point.
2. לֹא – The Particle of Negation
Placed directly before the verb, לֹא negates the entire verbal clause. The syntax לֹא + perfect verb expresses a categorical denial of lack: not once, not at all, was anything missing.
3. דָּבָר – “a thing, anything”
- A broad, flexible noun meaning “thing,” “matter,” or “word”
By choosing דָּבָר—a term with wide semantic range—the text emphasizes that nothing was lacking whatsoever, whether food, water, clothing, or direction. It universalizes YHWH’s provision.
Stylistic Nuance and Theological Impact
1. Emphatic Placement at the End
The phrase לֹא חָסַרְתָּ דָּבָר concludes the verse, giving it emphatic finality. In Hebrew prose and poetry, final position often serves to summarize or climax a thought. It seals the verse with assurance.
2. Covenant Faithfulness in the Wilderness
The wilderness is described earlier as הַמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה—“this great wilderness.” The statement that in such a harsh place YHWH provided completely underscores His covenant fidelity. Even amid judgment, grace flowed unceasingly.
3. Echoes of Blessing
The opening phrase בֵּֽרַכְךָ֗ בְּכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔ךָ (“He has blessed you in all the work of your hands”) ties into the verb חָסַר by establishing cause and effect: His blessing is why there was no lack. YHWH is not only protector but also provider and sustainer.
“You Lacked Nothing”: The Power of Sufficiency in Deuteronomy 2:7
The phrase לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר functions as a theological and rhetorical summary of YHWH’s presence in Israel’s journey:
- Grammatically: Qal perfect 2ms negated by לֹא, concluding with an indefinite noun
- Theologically: Confirms YHWH’s faithfulness and material provision throughout testing
- Literarily: Closes the verse with a comforting and climactic statement of sufficiency
Deuteronomy 2:7 is not just a historical note—it’s a call to remember that in the worst conditions, YHWH was not absent, and His people never lacked a thing. The grammar declares it, the rhythm affirms it, and the theology celebrates it.
