Moses spoke to Israel, saying, "When all these blessings and curses come upon you, and you take them to heart while among the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you, then if you and your children return to the Lord and obey Him with all your heart and soul, He will restore your fortunes."
Even if they were scattered to the farthest parts of the heavens, the Lord would gather them again, bring them back to their land, and make them more prosperous and numerous than their fathers. The Lord Himself would circumcise their hearts—changing them inwardly so they could truly love Him and live.
Their enemies who had once persecuted them would bear the curses instead. When the people again obeyed the Lord, He would bless their hands, their land, their livestock, and their children, delighting in them as He did in their ancestors—if only they turned to Him with all their heart and soul.
Moses reminded them that God's command was not distant or impossible:
"It is not in heaven, that you should ask, 'Who will go up to heaven to bring it down?'
It is not beyond the sea, that you should ask, 'Who will cross the sea to fetch it?'
No—the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so you may obey it."
Then he laid before them a divine choice: life and prosperity, or death and destruction.
If they loved the Lord, walked in His ways, and kept His commands, they would live and multiply in the land promised to their fathers. But if their hearts turned away to other gods, they would perish.
Finally, Moses said, "This day I call heaven and earth to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live—by loving the Lord your God, listening to His voice, and holding fast to Him. For the Lord is your life."