Albert Barnes Commentary Deuteronomy 30:1-10

"And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither Jehovah thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto Jehovah thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; that then Jehovah thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the peoples, whither Jehovah thy God hath scattered thee. If [any of] thine outcasts be in the uttermost parts of heaven, from thence will Jehovah thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: and Jehovah thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. And Jehovah thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And Jehovah thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, that persecuted thee. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of Jehovah, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. And Jehovah thy God will make thee plenteous in all the work of thy hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, for good: for Jehovah will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers; if thou shalt obey the voice of Jehovah thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn unto Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul." — Deuteronomy 30:1-10 (ASV)

The rejection of Israel and the desolation of the promised inheritance were not to be the end of God’s dispensations. The closing words of the address are therefore words of comfort and promise (compare the marginal reference, Deuteronomy 4:29 and following, and 1 Kings 8:46–50).

The chastisements of God would lead the nation to repent, and then God would again bless them.

Regarding Deuteronomy 30:3: Will turn your captivity - this means God will change or put an end to your state of captivity or distress (Psalms 85:2; Jeremiah 30:18). The rendering of the Greek version is significant: “the Lord will heal your sins.”

The promises of this and the following verses (Deuteronomy 30:3 and following) undoubtedly had their partial fulfillment in the days of the Judges. However, the fact that various important features are repeated in Jeremiah 32:37 and following, and in Ezekiel 11:19 and following, Ezekiel 34:13 and following, and Ezekiel 36:24 and following, shows us that none of these events was regarded as exhausting the promises.

In full analogy with the scheme of prophecy, we may add that the return from the Babylonian captivity has not exhausted their depth. The New Testament takes up this theme (for example, in Romans 11) and foretells the restoration of Israel to the covenanted mercies of God.

True, these mercies will not be, as before, confined to that nation. The “turning again of the captivity” will occur when Israel is converted to Him in whom the Law was fulfilled, and who died “not for that nation only, but also that He might gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad” (John 11:51–52).

Then there will be “one fold and one shepherd” (John 10:16). But whether the general conversion of the Jews will be accompanied by any national restoration, any recovery of their ancient prerogatives as the chosen people, and further, whether there will be any local replacement of them in the land of their fathers, may be regarded as among “the secret things” which belong to God (Deuteronomy 29:29). Indeed, our Lord Himself teaches us this (Acts 1:6–7).

Regarding Deuteronomy 30:6: Circumcise your heart - compare Deuteronomy 10:16 (see note), Jeremiah 32:39, and Ezekiel 11:19.