v1: Therefore "love God"; this phrase does not appear before Deuteronomy, although the concept of love for God is clear in Genesis particularly. For the Israelite, as for us, we love God because He has first loved us (10.15). As in the N.T., love is linked with obedience.  Love and obedience are to be “always”, for God is utterly faithful and unchanging.

Love and obedience are to be "always", for God is utterly faithful and unchanging.

v2-7: The people to whom Moses spoke had come out of Egypt, although as children or young people. In Num 14.29 those twenty years old and above were held responsible for the grumbling against God, and who perished in the desert. So, those whom Moses addressed between 40 and 60 years old had witnessed the miracles he referred to here.  It was not their children who had witnessed these things.

The miracles were often signs of judgment, upon Pharaoh, and Dathan and Abiram. Even so, the miracles brought deliverance and mercy.

The miracles demonstrated God's goodness towards His own people, and therefore were an encouragement to obedience.

v8-9: The proper response to God is obedience, and to all His commands. This is also the route to abundant blessing. Again, the crossing over the Jordan into the land of Canaan was something guaranteed.

v10-12: The contrast between Egypt and Canaan. These words are important, because the generation that had died had several times spoken of returning to Egypt. They had become ignorant of what life had been like there.

In particular, Egypt had been a place of slavery and hard work. The land had to be irrigated, "by foot", presumably a foot pump of some sort. In contrast, Canaan was watered by the Lord Himself, who constantly watched over the land.

This difference illustrates the difference between false religion, which relies on human strength and wisdom, and true religion, which relies on God's grace and power.

v13: The command is to love God; hence this is not just a feeling, but a real decision of the will.

v14-15: God promised abundant blessings to an obedient people. An observer would see that the land was very fruitful.

v16-17: Similarly, there were promises of judgment where the people fell into disobedience. The great risk was of idolatry.

v18-21: The people had to become familiar with God's words. What God says is essential, and must be given proper priority in our lives. We must also set the example for our children; so that they also might live in the blessing of God, and, in turn, maintain the same example with their own children.

The Israelite was given means by which God's words would always be before him; they were to be in their hearts and minds, they were to teach their children, and they were to physically place the words on their door frames, and their hands and foreheads.

The reasons were clear; to promote obedience, and to discourage disobedience. There was clear reward for obedience here (v21).

v22-25: More obedience leads to more blessings. The particular reference here is to expansion of the land of Israel to the river Euphrates; see 1 Kings 4.21.

v26: The choice was set before the people; a blessing and a curse.

v27-28: The blessing was for obedience, and the curse for disobedience.

v29-30: The blessing and the curse were represented by the two mountains, which would stand as a reminder of the constant choice; see Josh 8.33-34.

v31-32: The people were about to cross the Jordan, and the choice of obedience had to be made constantly.