For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.
If you turn away from following him, he will leave them in the wilderness again, and you will be responsible for destroying all these people.
Moses is warning that if they abandon God, He will abandon the Israelites in the wilderness, and they'll be responsible for everyone's destruction.
📚 Historical Context
Moses is speaking to the tribes of Reuben and Gad who wanted to settle east of the Jordan River instead of crossing over with the other Israelites to conquer the Promised Land. He's reminding them of the previous generation's failure at Kadesh-Barnea, where lack of faith led to 40 years of wilderness wandering. Moses warns that their potential abandonment could lead to similar devastating consequences for the entire nation.
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