“Keep then this entire commandment that I am commanding you today, so that you may have strength and go in and take possession of the land that you are crossing over to occupy. Thus you may live long in the land that Yahweh swore to your ancestors to give them and to their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Once again, keep and obey all the commandments, and you will live long in your newly occupied ‘land flowing with milk and honey.’

“The land that you are about to enter to occupy is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come. There you sowed your seed and irrigated by foot like a vegetable garden. But the land that you are crossing over to occupy is a land of hills and valleys, watered by the rain from the sky, a land that Yahweh your God looks after. The eyes of Yahweh your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”

This new land does not need to be watered or irrigated, but enjoys the natural rain because Yahweh cares so much for it and you all year long. This new land is not like the manual hard working vegetable gardens of Egypt. Land is a key element of the Israelite experience.

“If you will only heed his every commandment that I am commanding you today, loving Yahweh your God, and serving him with all your heart and with all your soul, then he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain. You will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil. He will give grass in your fields for your livestock. You will eat your fill. Take care. Or you will be seduced into turning away, serving other gods and worshiping them. Then the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you. He will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain. The land will yield no fruit. Then you will perish quickly off the good land that Yahweh is giving you.”

If you obey and follow Yahweh’s commandments with your whole heart and soul, you will get appropriate rain. Rain becomes very important. Without it you might perish. To make sure that there is enough appropriate rain, follow Yahweh’s commandments. Somehow this gives the impression that God controls the rain and the weather, which is an important idea among most religions. Do not be seduced by other gods or else, you will perish in this good land.