Towards a New Proposal for Translating the Conjunction כי‎ in Deuteronomy 4.29

Abstract

English translations almost universally understand the phrase כי תדרשׁנו בכל־לבבך ובכל־נפשׁך‎ in Deut 4.29 as a conditional statement: “if you seek him with all your heart and all your soul.” This article challenges the typical translation and argues that instead of expressing a condition, Deut 4.29 should be understood as the reason Israel will repent and turn to Yahweh. This argument is supported by the near context of Deut 4, as well as the remote context of Deut 29–30. In addition, the typical usage of כי‎ clauses in Hebrew grammar provides positive evidence for a causal understanding of Deut 4.29. In addition to the contextual and grammatical evidence, the LXX of Deut 4.29 and Jer 29.11 (36.13 LXX) demonstrates that the first translators of the text likely did not view this text as conditional. Thus, Deut 4.29 is best read as the reason for Israel’s latter-day return to Yahweh—Israel will find Yahweh because they will seek him with their whole heart.