“life.” In the scope of Scripture, this is both “life” (a blessed, successful life) now and everlasting life later. Deuteronomy 30:15 is an example of the word “life” having two meanings—life now and life later. When a word has two or more meanings, or a meaning that is much more expansive than just the common dictionary definition (such as often happens when a word is used idiomatically) such as “life” and “good” have here, or “life” and “death” do in Deuteronomy 30:19, scholars sometimes refer to the word as having a “pregnant sense,” as if the word could have a baby that was like itself. In this case in Deuteronomy 30, the words “life,” “good,” and “death” have a pregnant sense in that they all refer to the here and now as well as the next life, the hereafter.

[For more on the pregnant sense of some of the words in the Bible, see commentary on Luke 23:42.]

“good.” “Good” in this context primarily refers to success and prosperity now, although it would include salvation and everlasting life later.

“death.” In the scope of Scripture, this is both a short life here on earth and everlasting death later.

[For more on “death” being actual death, see Appendix 5, “Annihilation in the Lake of Fire.”]

“evil.” “Evil” in this context primarily refers to evil or bad things happening in this life: suffering and adversity and “bad things” of every kind, although it would also include everlasting death.