Deuteronomy 29:13 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself. — It must be carefully observed that this is the aspect of the covenant which makes Jehovah responsible for the fulfilment of the whole. “He takes all this trouble for the sake of establishing thee in His presence for a people” (Rashi). The people’s part, as described in this verse, is only to accept the position. And thus the covenant of Deuteronomy 29 is brought into the closest similarity with that which is called the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8; the form of which is “I will” be to them a God, and “they shall” be to me a people. God undertakes for the people’s part of the covenant as well as His own. In Deuteronomy the first half of the New Covenant appears here in Deuteronomy 29, “that He may be unto thee a God.” The second part appears in Deuteronomy 30:6-8, “The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart... to love the Lord thy God.”