Deuteronomy
Verse 3. T7ie fortieth year] This was a melancholy year to the Hebrews in different respects; in the first month of this year Miriam died. Num. xx.; on the first day of tlie fifth month Aaron died. Num. xxxiii. 38.; and about the conclusion of it, Moses himself diid.
'Verse 5. Moses began to declare this laii-] Began TXTTI koheel, willingly undertook — to declare ^^0 be-er, to make hire, clear, &.c._f'ilh/ to explain tliis law; see the conclusion of tlie Ircface.
Verse 6. Ye hare dwelt long enough, &c ] They came to Sinai in the third month al'ier their departure from Efi^'pt, Kxod. xi^:. 1, 2. and left it the twentieth of the second month of the second year, so it appears they bad continued there nearly a wlwle year.
■Verse 7. Go to ilx mount of the Amoyitex'] On the South of the land of Canaan, towards the De.id Sea.
Ijtmd of the Cunaanite.^] i.e. Phoenicia, the country of Sidon, and the coasts of the Mediterr:inean Sea, from tin •xouolry of the I'hilistincs to mount Libanus. The Curutetnites and Fliiriucianx are oflcn confounded.
4l'l{c riixrEi/phraicn-i Thus Moses fiics. tlie bounds of the
9 ^j" *^nd '' I spake uitco you at that thiie, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alo-ne:
10 The Lord your God hath nmltiplied you, and, behold, ' ye are this tUty as tlie stars of •heaven fer multitude.
land, to which on all quarters, the territories of the Israelites might be extended, should llie land of Canaan, properly so called, be found insufficient for thein. Ti:eir SOUTH border might exttnd to the mount of the Amorites. Their WEST to the borders of the Mediterranean Sea. Their l>;ORTlI to Lebanon; and their E.iS r border to the river Kupiirates. And to lliis extent.Sulomon reigned; see 1 Kiiiirs iv. L!'!. So that in his time at least, the promise to Abraham was literally fulfilled; see below.
Vefse 10. I'e are this day as the stars of licaren for multitude.} This was the promise God made to Abraham, Gen. xv. 5, C. and Muses considers it now as amply fulfilled. But was it really so? Many suppose the express'on to be hyperbolical; and Others, no friends to revelation, think it a vain einpity boatit, because the stars in tlwir apprehension, amount to innumerable millions. Let us consider this subject. How many in number are the stars which appear to the naked eye.' for it is by iihat appears to the naked ei/c, we are to be governed in this business,, for God brought Abraham forth abroaii, i. e. out of doors, and bade him look towards heaven — not with a telescope, but with his naked eyes. Gen. xv. 5. Now I shall beg the objector to come forlh abroad, and look up in the biMglitcst and most favourable night, and count the stars — lie need not be terrified at their abundance, the more they are, the more he can count,• and I shall pledge myself to find a male Israelite, in the very lad. consus, taken of this [>poplc. Num. xxvi. lor every star Jie finds in the whole upper hemisphf re of heaven. 'I'he.iruth is, only about 3010 stars (-an be seen by the naked «y.e in both the northern anJ southern hemis])heres; and the Israelites, independantly of women -and children, were, at the above tmif, more than "OO'.OOO. And suppose we even allow th:'.t, from the late discoveries of Dr. Ifer.xdiel and others with telescopes, which have magnif.ed between 35 and 3G,000 times, llxre maybe 75 millions of stars visible by the help of sucVi instrument^ which is the highest calculation ever made; yet BtiU the dt- the Tirnclites in the "Ufildcrvm.
1 1 {' Tlic Lord (ic«l t)r your fiilliors ' manilccl us; and ■" we came to Kadcshmakf you a lliousaiul times so many > barnca. more as yc are, anil bless you, "* as be ba<b ]>ronus(<(l you!.)
12 ' llow can 1 myself alone bear your cumberanee, and your biuden, and your strife?
20 And I said imtoyou, Yearocomr unto the moimtain ol' the Amoritcs, v»l»icli the Ixyiiu oiu' Goddotli giw unto us.
21 Bcliold, tlie Louu tby (iod bath set the
1;'. ''Take" you wise men, and understandins^, land be(()rc tliee: go up aii(/ jjossess il, as tbc,ind known among your tribes, and 1 will make' Loud (Jod of" thy lathers bath said unto thfc; them rulers over you. I| ''tear not, neither be discourajjed.
14 And ye answered mo, and said, 'ilio thing il '22 ^ And ye came iwar U!ito me every one of \vhivh thou hast sjjoken is good /or ks to do. you, and said, We will send men before us, and
1.5 So I took the chief of your tribes, \vis<^. they shall SLt\rch us out the lantl, and briuf^ us men, and known, ' and ^ made them heads o\ er word again by what way wc must go up, and ^ou, cajjtains over thousands, and ca])tains over, into what cities we shall come, buudredsj and captains over fifties, and captaiihs I 23 And (he saying j)leased me well: and 'I over tens, and officers among your tribes. I, took twelve men of you, one of a tribe:
16 And I charged your judges at that time, say- 'l 21. And ' they turned and went \tp ii>to the ing, Hear ///c cy/«,V(^.s' betv^een your brethren, ami J moimtain, aihl came unto tlK: valley of lishcol-, "judge righteously between ercri/ man and his. I uvul searclied i-t out.
17 " Ye shall not 'res])ect persons in judgment;! their hands, and brought il down unto us, and /;///ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye'] brought u^ word again, and said, ' It is a good sJiailnotbeairaidofthc laceofman; for "thejudg-' land which ihc Lord our Goti doth give \i^.
inenL is Goil's: and the cause that is too hard ibr you, " bring il unto me, and I will hear it.
18 And I connnanded you at that time, all the things which ye should ilo.
IJ) ^ And when we departed from Horeb, ° we
20 "Notwithstanding yc would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lorb your God:
27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said. Because the Lord " hated us, he hath brought
went through all that great and terrible wilder- tis forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us ness, which yc saw by the way of the mountain! into the hand of the Amoritcs, to destroy of the Amorites, as the Loud our God com- us.
vine word stands literally true; Si. Mattliew say.«, chap. i. lliat tlic ffciicrations from Abraham to Christ were +2; now uc find at ike second censu.<, that the fighting men among the Hebrews amouoted to 60.'J,000; and the Israelites, who have never ceased to be a distinct people, have st) multiplied, as far to exceed the number ol'all the fixed stars taken logelher.
Verse 13. Tuki you misi: tueu] 3'^;n, diacrmtiiii, snlli as l>ad gained knowledge by great lubouv and study. I'nJcislandin;; CH'JDJ ncbenim, persons of discernment, judicious men. Known Z3^'i!'\i, yidiiim, persons practised in tlieo|)erations of nature — capable of performing curious and important works.
Ver.^e 15. Cupiains over thousands, ^c.] ^^ lial a curious and well regulated ccconomy was that of the Israelites! see its order and arrangement: 1. GOD the Kl.NG and Supreme Judge. 2. Moses, God's prime minister. 3. The Priests consulting him by Urim and Thummim. 4. The Chiefs or princes of the twelve tribes. 5. C/iiliarc/is. or captains o»cr tbousanrls. C. Centurions, or captains over hundreds. 7. THhunes, or captains over fifty men. 8. Decvriov, or captaiM over ten men; and 9. Ojjicers, persons who might be employed by ihedinerent chiefs in exectuing particular commands. All the.se held their authority from God, and vet wen- sulijcct and accowitable to each other; see ilie notes on Num. ii.
Verse }1. Ye >liali not reaped pcrs^jris ] Heb. J'lices. I.ct not the bold daring countenance of the rich or mightr, indue* you to give an unrighteous decision; and let not the abjtit look of the jxior man induce you either to fa\our him in an unrighteous cause, or to give judgincni against b»ai at the demand of tbe oppres,-of. Be uncorrupi and incomiptdjle, for thejud^ent is God^—^c minister in the place of God
Tfte evil consequences of DEUTERONOMY. tPie had report brought hy iJie spies,
28 WTiither shall we go up? 'our i sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go brethren have * discouraged our heart,'!
saying, '' The people is greater and taller than we; the cities a7'e great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the '^Anakims there.
29 Then I said unto you. Dread not, neither be afi-aid of them.
30 '' The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;
CA And in the wilderness, wh.ere thou hast
38 '' Bttt Joshua the son of Nun, ** which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither; ■" encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
39 ' Moreover your little ones, which ' ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day " had no knowledge between good and evil, tlaey shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
40 ''But as Jar you, turn you, and take your
eeen how that the Lord thy God ^ bare thee, as i journey into the wilderness by the way of the
a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye Vvent, until ye came into this place.
32 Yet in this thing "^ ye did not believe the LoKD your God,
33 ^ Who went in the way before j-ou, " to.search you out a place to pitch your tents iti, in iire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, ^.".id in a cloud by day.
34 ^ And tlie Lord heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, 'and sware, saying,
35 i: Surely there shall not one of these men, of this evil generation, see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,
36 ' Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that hehath trodden upon, and to his clu'Idren, because "he hath " wholly tbllowed the Lord.
37 ° Also the Lord was angry with me for your
Verse 28. CitiK — 'j:aVcd up to heavcnl i. e. with very high vails, which could hot be easily scakA. High walls ground houses, &c. in these parts of Arabia, arc still dcenisd a sufKcient dett-nce against the Arabs, who scarcely ever attempt anv thino' in tlie w^iy of plunder, hut on horseback. The iDoiiastery on mount Sinai is surrounded with very high walls, without any gate; in the upper part of the wall there is a sort of window or opening, from which a basket is suspended by a puUej', by whicli both persons and goods are received into, and sent from the place. It is Ihe same with ihe convent of St. Anthony, in Egypt; and this sort <jf wailing is deemed a sufficient defence agamst the Arabs, who, as we have already observed, scarcely ever like to alight from their horses.
Verse 30. The Lord — shall figlu for you] In the Tar^WH of Ufikelos, it is. The WORD o( the Lord shall fi^ht for you, lu
41 Then ye answered and said unto me, '' We have sinned against the Lord, we will go up and fight, according to all that the Lord our God commanded us. And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.
42 And the Lord said unto me. Say unto them, ^ Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lestye besmittenbeforeyourenemies.
43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled as^ainst the^ commandment of the Lord, and " went '"'' presumptuously up
44 And the Amorites,, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, ' as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.
a great number of places, the Targunjs or Chaldee paraphrases use the- term "T Niora meymra dayeija, or yehovah, the word uf the Lord, exactly in the same way in which St. John uses the term Aoyoi Logos, in tlie first chapter of his gospi.-!. Many instances of this have already occurred.
Verse 34. The Lord — ivtm uroth] i. c. his justice was incensed — and he evidenced his displensure against you: and he could not have been a jtist Goil if he had not done so.
Caleb — loholly follovjfd the Lord.] See oh Num.
The Lord iv:is angry with me'] See on Num. where a particular account is given of the sin
The Amoritca — chased yon] See the note on
Numb. xiv. 40. — as bees do — by irresistible numbers
The people •mourn because CHAP. H. of thvir transgressiom.
A.M.2.'>.vi. 4,7 And yi" rc'limii'd and ' wt'pl hclorc |l 4(J "^ So yP.'iliodi* in Kadcsli many ailKx-mi'it. lliir Loiu>; but till.' LoKU ''would not ' day;*, acx-oiding unto llie days tiiat w.-.seimt. iieaiiicn to your voice, nor gi\ o car ye abode there.
Ver*c 4fi. According tiiilo the days that yc ubndc llitre.] Tlicy had been a lonj^ lime al lliis place, see Numb. xiii. 27. xx. I. 14, 21. And some lliiiik, that the words trjeari, "Ye ahod^.' as li)iif> al Kadoh, whm you camo to it the gtciinfl time, as y.- did at the first." Or, accordini; to others, " \\'hile ye were in lli:it |iari of the desert, ye encamped at Kadesh."
1. As one grand object of the law of God was to instruct the people in those things whicli were calculated to promote their peace, and ensure their prosperity; and, as they «cre apt ti> lose sii;lit of their spiritual iiitertsis, without a due attention to which, their secular interest could not he promoted; IVloses. ni)t only ui thi- chapter, hut tlMOiii;h the whole hook, calls u|)on them to recullect tlu'ir former misenihle situation, in which tiiey held neither life nor property, but at the uf// of a lucrciless tyrant; and tlie g;reat kindnws and power of God manifested in their deliverance from a bondage that was as degrading as it was oppressive. These things properly remembered, would lead them to prize their hlessin<;s, and duly appreciate the mercy of their Maker.
2. ]*ut it was not only this general dis])lay of God's kindness in tlie grand, act of their deliverance from Jigypt, that lie wished them to keep constantly in view; but aUo, tliat gracious providence, vhich was manifested in every step they loi>k — which directed all their movements, provided tor all their Wiinls, continually shewing x::hat they should do, how they should do it, and also the iriost proper time and place i'or every act, whether leligious or citil. By bringing before them in one point of view, the history of almost forty years, in which the strangest and most stupendous occurrences had taken place, that Itad ever been exhibited to the world; he li'ok tlie readiest way to impress their minds, not only with their deep obligation to God, but also to ^llew them that they were a people on whom their Maker had wi Ua heart to do 1h<?m good; and that if they feaied hiin, they kliould lack nothing that was good, lie lays out also Ijefurc thetri a history of their miscarriages and reliellicn, and the privation* anil evils they had suflered in conscfjucnce, that this might act as a continual wumiti-^, and tliui become, in the hands of God, a preventative of crimes.
3. If every Uiriuian were thiw to call hif past life into review, he would see equal proofs of God's gracious regards to his body and soul — equal proofs of eternal mercy in providing for his deliverance from the galling y^ke and oppressive tyranny of sin, as the Israelites had in their dehvtrancr from I'^gyiit; and equal displays of a most gracioiLi providence, that had also been his incessant companion thron:;!* all the changes and chances of this mortal life, guidinj; hiin by its counsel, Uiat he might be al last received into glory. O Reader, remember what God has done for thee, during thy forty, filty, &c. years. He has nourished, fed, clothed, protected, and saved thee: how often, and how powerfully, has his.Spirit strove with thee! how often, and liow inipre.v-ivelv, thou hast heard his voice in his gospel and in his providences I Remember the good resolutions thou hast iiiade, the ingratitude and disobedience that have marktd thy life: how his vo«s are still upon thee, and how his mercy still spares thee! And wilt thou live so as to perish for evtr? God forbid. He.'till waits to be gracious, and rejoices over thee l<j do thcc good. Learn from what is before thcc, how lliou shouldst fear, love, believe in, and obey thy God. The Lamh tf God that takelh away the sin of the world, is still before tiie throne: and whosoever cometh unto God through hnii, shall in no wise be cast out. He who believes these things with an upright heart, will soon be enabled to live a sanctilkd life.
Moses continues to relate, how tfici/ compassed moitiit Sc'ir, 1. j-liid the commands tfiei/ received not to iiicddie uii'i the descendants of ILsmi, G — 8, nor to distress the _Moabites, f). Of the Eiiilms, 10, 11, the Iloriins, IC. Their passage of the brook Zcred, 13. The time they spent helxveen Kadesli-barnea end Zered, 14, uurin" Xi'hich, all the men of nmr that came out of I'^i/pt xcere consumed, 15, iG. Tiie command, not to distress the Aiiiniotiltcs, 17. Of the Zauizummiins, '10, //if Aiiakims, '21, //le llorims, 22, </i«r Avinis n«rf Capiitorims, all destroyed by the Aiiiuionites, 23. They are commanded to ctoss the riter Arnoii, and are promised the land of Silion, king of the Amorites, 24, 25. Of the message sent to Silion, to request a passage throttgh his territories, 26 — 29. His nfnsa/, 30. The consequent tear, 31,32. Tlis total overthron-, 33, and extcrmiitaiion of hii people, 34. The spoils that ztcre taken, 3o. And his land possessed from Aroer <o Arnon, by the Israelites, S6. alto took care, according to the command of God, not to invade any part of the territories of the Arnuioaites, 37.
the Edomites nor MoaUtes.
ac.i^Lvi!" ^I^HEN we turned, and took our| An. Exod.isr. X joumey iiito tlie wilderness by i jia-6>fc,^ the way of the Red sea, " as the Lord | spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days.
2 And the Lord spake unto me, saying,
3 Ye have compassed this mountain " long enough: turn you northward.
4 And command thou the people, saying, ' Ye arc to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of E-rau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore,
5 jMeddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, '* no, not so much as a loot breadth; " because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.
6 Y'e shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.
7 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: ^ these forty years the Lord thy God liath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.
8 ^ And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from " Elath, and from
Verse 3. Turn you norllnmrd.] From mount Seir, in order to get to Canaan. This wa.s not t'lie way tliey went before, tIz. by Kadesh-Barnea; but they were to proceed between Kdom on the one hand, and Moab and Amnion on the other; so as to enter into ('anaan through the land of the Amorites.
Verse 7. The Lord hath blessed ihee, &c.] God had given them much property, and therefore they liad no need of plundt r; ihey had gold and.■silver to buy the provender they needed, and therefore God would not permit them lo take any thing by violence.
Verse 10. The Emim dwelt -therein] Calmet supposes, that tliese people were destroyed in the wai- made against them by Chederlaonitr and his allies Gen. xiv. 5. Lot possessed their coimlry after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrlia. They are generally Cbleemed as e;iants — probably they were a hardy, fierce, and terrible people, who lived like the wan-
Ezion-gaber, we turned and passed by the way of tlie Anlderness of Moab.
9 ^ And the Lord said unto me, ' Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land Jur a possession; because I have given ^ Ar unto ' the cliildren of Lot Jbr a possession.
10 " The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as " the Anakims;
1 1 "Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
I'i ° The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau '' succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, antl dwelt in their ' stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the Lord gave unto them.
1 3 Now rise up, said I, and get you over ' the ' brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered.
14 And the space in which we came 'fi'om Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, uas thirty and eight years; " until all tlie generation of the men of war were,, wasted out from among the host, " as the Lord sware unto them.
dering Arabs, on the plunder of others. This was sufficient to gain them the appellation of giants, or men of prodigious stature..See below.
Verse 11. Which also ivere accounted giantii] This is not a fortunate version. The word is not giants, but C3'NST Rephaim, the name of a people. It appears that the Emim, the Anakim, and the Repkuim, were probably the same people, called by difterent names, in the different countries where rhey dwelt — for they appear, originally, to have been a kind of wandering fiee-bootcrs, who lived by plunder. See on the preceding verse. It must be granted, however, that there were several men of this race of extraordinary stature. And hence all gigantic men have been called Rcphuiin. See on Gen. vi. 4. and xiv. 5. But we well know, that fear and public report have often added whole cubits to men's height. It was under this influence that the.<;pies acted, when they brought the disheartening report, mentioned Numb. xiii. 33.
Verse 12. The Horims also dwelt in Seir} The whole of this veree was jirobably added by Jo^sUua or Ezra.
The command to possess Ihe land of Sihon, Icing of Jlcshbon.
!; and shall f iviiiblc, and he in anguish hi-c.iun.- dl the men of, ol' thee.
26 And I sent messeriLCCis out of iho wiKlct
IG ^j" 80 it came to pass, wIkmi war were consumed and (h'ad I'loni ainonj^ [)eople,
17 That the Loiin spake nnlo me, sayinjif,
18 TIiou art to pass o\er through Ai', the coast of Moah, this day:
19 And xclicn thou comest nigh over against the children of Annnon, distress tlicm not, nor'
'2,1 "Let me jkiss through tliy land: I will go along hv the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the lefl.
9H Thou shall sell me meat for money', that I
nu'dillc with thejn: for I will not gi\e thee of. may eat; and give me water for n)oncy, that I the lanil of the cliildrcn oiAmmon anii ])osses sion; because I have given it unto '' the children of Lot, /or a))ossession.
'10 (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them ' Zamziunmims;
may drink: ''only I \sill pass through on my feet;
29 C As the children of Ksau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until 1 shall pass over Jordan, into the land which the Loiio our (Jod giveth us.
iiO ' But Sihon, king of Ileshbon, would not the Anakims; but the Loud destroyed them! let us pass by him: lor ' the Lonn thy God before them; and they succeeded them, and ' ' hardened his sjjirit, and made his heart obsti- -dwelt in their stead: I iiate, that he might ileliver him into thv hand,
22 As he did to the children of Ksau, 'which 'I as appearetli this day.
dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed "^tlie Horims! 31 And the Loud said n:ito me, IJelioM, I I'rom before them; and they succeeded them,; have begun to " give Sihon and his land before and dwelt in their stead even unto this day: 1 thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit
23 And * the Avims which dwelt in Ilazerim, -| his land.
even unto '' Azzali, ' the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
24 ^ Rise ye up, take your journey, and "pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have gi-ven into thine hand Sihon the Am'orite, king of Ileshbon, and his land: ' begin to possess //, and contend with him in battle.
25 "This day will I begin to put the dread of
Verse 20. That also iua$ accounted a land of giants'] Tliat vns accounted tlie land or territory of the Rcpliaim.
Z(/m:si7)imim] Suppo.-icd to be the same as the Zuzim, Gen. XIV..). Of these ancient pcoiile we know very little: they \vt?ie probalily inconsiderable tribes or clans, " ])ursuin;j and fnirsucd, each other's prey," till at last, a stmnger totally destioyed or subdued tliiin, and their name became either extinct or absorbed in that of. iheir con<|uerors. From the lOtli to the 12th, and from the 20th to the 23rd verse inclusive, we have certain historical rfraarks introditced, wbicii do not
32 " Then Sihon came out against us, lie and all his peo])le, to fight at Jahaz.
35 And * the Louo our (lod delivered him before us; ami * we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.
34 And we took all his cities at that time, and ' utterly destroyed " the men, and the women, and the httic ones, of ever)- city, we left none to remain:
seem to hare been made by Moses, but ratlier bv Joshua or Ezra. By the introduction of tliese verses, the thread of the narrative.suflers considerable interruption. Or. Kennicott considers both these passages to be interjiolations. That they could not ha\i- made a part of tlic speech of Moses, originally, needs little proof.
Verse J?. As the childixnof Esau -xhick dtcell in Seir] See the note on Numb. xx. 2 1.
Verse 30. Tlie Lord hardened his spirit] Sec the note* on Exod. It. 21. and i\. 15, &c.
The Israelites fight mth, mid discoinfit Og, king of Bashan.
A.M. 2553. 35 Only the cattle we took for alLoRD our God delivered all iin- Ai.. Kxcid-^isr. prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of to us:
the cities which we took. || 37 Only unto the land of the child-
36 'From Aroer, which is by the brink ofqren of Ammon thou earnest not,?zo;' unto any the river of Arnon, and from the city that Ij place of the river ''Jabbok, nor unto the cities
is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us: " the
Verse 36. From Aroer — hy the brink of the river of Arnon'] 8ec oil Numb. xxi. 13, &c.
Verse 31. Only unto the land of the children of Amnion thou catncst not] God gave them Iheir commission — and those only were to be cut ofl", tiie cup of whose iniquity was full. Ihough the Moabites and Ammonites were thus spared, tliey in the mountains, nor unto Lord our God forbad us.
requited good with evil, for they fought against the Israelites, and cast them out of their possession, Judg. xi. 4, 5. 2 Chron. XX. 1, &;c. and committed the most shocking cruelties. See Amos i. 13. Hence God enacted a law, that none of these people should enter into the congregation of the Lord, even to their tenth generation. See chap, xxiii. 3 — 6.
The Zi-ar tilth Og, A'ing o/" Bashan, 1,2. He is defeated, 3. Sixty fortified cities, with many mmalled towns taken 4,5. The titter destruction of the people, 6. The spoils, 7, and extent of the land taken, 8 — 10. Jccoitnt of Og's iron hed>tead, 11. The land given to the 'Renhemtes, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh, 12, 13. JaiT takes the cou72iry of Argoh, 14. Gilesd is given unto Machir, Ij. J nd the rest of the land is possessed by the Reubenites and Gadites, l6, 17. The directions given to those tribes, 18 — 20. The counsel given to Joshua, 21, 22. Blases's prayer to God for permission to go into the promised land, 23 — 25, a?id God's refusal, 26. He is commanded to go vp to mount Pisgah to see it, 27, and to encourage Joshua, 28. Th tinue in the valley opposite to Beth-peor, 29-
THEN we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and ^ Og, the king of Bashan, came out against us, he and all his people, to battle " at Edrei.
2 And tlie Lord said unto me. Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto ' Sihon, king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.
3 So the Lord our God deHvered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: " and we smote him until none was left to him remaining.
Ai^ob, all the cnhle or cord of Argob: this expression, wliicii is used in various other parts of Scripture, see in the original,
4 And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, ' all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
5 All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars j beside unwalled towns a great many.
6 And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon, king ' of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city.
7 But all the cattle, and the spoil of the
that anciently land was measured by lines or cords of a certain Itugtli, in a similar way to that by the chain among us, and Ihe schanus or cord among the Egyptians. Some think that it was the region of Argob, that was afterwards called the region of Trachonilis.
cilics, we look for a prey to our selves.
CIIA P. III. The porlion of RcuUn and dad.
l.'J " And the rest of (Micad, and all IJashan, hring the kingdom ol
8 And wc took at that time oiitjOg, gave I unto the half tribe of
of the hand of the two kiiiffs of the Anio»ites, the land that kyw on thi.s.side Jordan, fioiii the river of Arnon unto mount Hcruion;
Manasseh; all the rej^ion of Ar^oh, v.i;h all Hashau, \siiich was called the land of giants. ]4 ' Jair the son of.Manasseh took all thr
9 (U'li'irh '' llerniou the.Sidouians call Sirion;. country of Argob "unto the coasts of Gcsliuri and the Aniorites call it '' Slieuir;) li and Maachathi; and "called them after his own
10 " All llie cities of the ])lain, and all Gilead, 1 name, liashan-havolh-jair, unto this day. and ""all IJashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities jl 1.5 " And I gave Gilead unto Machir.
of the kingdom ol' Og in JJashan. ' Hi And unto the Jleubeuites 'and unto the
11 Tor only Og, king of Hashan, remained of:;(iadites I gave from Gilead even luito the river tlfb remnant of 'giants; behold, his bedstcail; Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto icds a bedstead of iron;?'.< it not in "^ Rabbath, the river.fabbok, '^ xdiich is the border of the of the children of Amnion? nine cubits xvas the children of Ammon: length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of | 17 The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast
it, after the cubit of a man.
12 ^[ And this laiul, ~vliich wc possessed at that tiine, "from Arocr, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, antl 'the cities thereof, gave I unto the lleubenites and to the Gadites.
! 18 ^ And I commanded you at that time,
■ saying. The Loiiu your God hath given you
this land to possess it: "ye shall pass over armed
Verse 9. Jlcnnon the Sidoniims call — Shenii-] I suppose this verse to liavc been originally a marginal remark, which afterwards 2;ol incorporated with the text, or an addition by Joshua Ol' I'.zra.
Verse 1 1. Og', kin;; of Btishan, remained^ Og was the last fcinp; of the Aniorites: his kingdom appears to have taken its name I'rom the hill of liashan — the country has been since called liataiiea.
His bedstead was — of iroii] Iron was probably used, partly for its sireniitii and durability, and partly to prevent noxious vermin from harl)ourin<j in it.
Is // not in Rabbalh, of the cliildren of Ammon?] The bedstead was prokibly taken in some battle between the Am- i monitos and Aniorites, in which the former had gained the \ictory. The bedstead was carried a tropliy, and placed in | Itabbath, which appears from 2 Sam. xii. 26. to have been! the royal eili/ of the children of Ammon.
Nine cubits was the length — four cubits the breadth] Allow- | ing the bedstead to have been one cubit longer than Og,; which is certainly sufl'icient, and allowing the cubit to be, about eighteen inches long, for this is perhaps the average of j ihe cubit of n man, then Og was tiielvefeet high. Thii: may be deemed extraordinary, an<i perhaps almost incredible; and therefore many commentators have, according to their 1 fancy, lengthened the bedstead, and shortened the wan— making]
the fonntr onc-tjiird longer than the person who lay on if, that they might reduce Og to «j: cubits: but, even in iht way, they make liini ten feet six inches high.
On this subject the Rabbins have trifled mo5t sinfully. I shall give one specimen. In the Targuni of Jon.ttlian bc-n Uzziel on Numb. xxi. 35, 36. it is said, " lliat Og havmg observed that the camp of the Israelites extended si.t miles he went and tore up a mountain six miles in its base, and put it on his head, and carried it towards the camp, that hemight throw it on the Israelites and destroy them: but the word of the Lord prepared a uorni, which bored a hole in the mountain over his head, so that it fell down upon h,s shoulders; at the same time, hi.* teeth growing out in all directions, stuck into the mountain, so that he could not ca-vt it oil' his head. IMoscs (who was himself ten cubiLs high) seeing Og thus entangled, took an ax ten cubits long, and having leaped ten cubiu in height, struck Og on the anklebone, so that he fell, and was slain."
From this account, the distance from the sole of Og's foot to his ankle was thirii/ cubits in length! I give this as a verv slight.specimen of Rabbinical comment. I could quote placci from the Talmud, in whiih Og is staled to be several mties high! This relation about (^g 1 suppose to be also a historical note, added by a subsequent band.
The command fo fear the Lord. A.w.a.m before your bretlircn tlie chikkcn
An.Evod.isr. ot Isracl, all that arc meet tor tlic ■^-^"'"'- war.
Moses is excluded from the land.
19 But your wives, and your little ones, and yoiu- cattle, (for I know that ye have much cattle) shall abide in your cities which I have given you;
' tliy greatness, and thy in heaven or in earth, that
can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?
25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see '" the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly
20 Until the Loud have given rest unto your ij mountain, and Lebanon, bretlircn, as well as luito you, and until they also jj 26 But the Loud ' was wroth with me for your possess the land which the Lord your God hadi jlsakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord given them bevond Jordan: and theji shall ye |j said unto me. Let it suffice thee; speak no *" return every man unto his possession, which I have given you.
21 *f And " I commanded Jo.shua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the Lord do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest.
22 Ye shall not fear them: for "^ the Lord your God he shall fight lor you. 23 % And ' I besought the Lord at that time.
24 O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew thy
Verse 24, 25. The prayer of Moses recorded in these two verses, and his own reflections on it, ver. 26. are very affectinc. He had sutVercd mucli, both in body and mind, in bringing the people lo the borders of the promi.<ed land; and it was natuiul enough for him to wish to see them established in it, and to enjoy a portion of tliat inheritance himself, vhich lie knew was a type of the heavenly country. But notwithstanding his very earnest prayer, and God's especial favour towards him, he was not permitted to go over Jordan! He had grieved the Spirit of God, and he passed a sentence against him of exclusion from the promised land. Yet he permitted him to see it; and gave him tlie fullest assurances that the people, whom he had brought out of ]<;gy|>t, should possess it. Thus God may eliuse lo deprive Iho.sc of earthly possessions, to whom he is nevertheless determined lo give a heavenly inheritance.
Verse 26. Let it suffice thee] ^S 31 rab lac, There is an abundance lo thee. Thou hast had honour enougk already, and may well dispense with going over.Jordan. He surely has no reason lo complain, who is taken from earthly felicity to heavenly glory. In this act, God shewed to Moses both Ills goodness and severity.
Verse 28. lint charfic Joshua, &c.] Give him authority in the sight of tiie people; let them see tliat he has the same commission which 1 gave to thc«. Encnurai^e him — for he w^ill meet witli many difficulties in the work to which he is called. And strengthen him —.4iew him my unfuduig promises, and •iKhort him to put his trust in nic alone: for he shall go over more unto me of this matter.
27 "iGet thee up into the top of ' Pisgah, t»d lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold // with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
28 But ™ charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.
29 So we abotle in " the valley over against Beth-peor.
before this people, and shall cause them to inherit the land; of this let him rest perfectly as.sured.
Verse 29. Beth-peor] This was a city in the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites; and as bc:h n^a signifies a house, tije i place ])robably had its name from a temple of the god Peer, who was worslii])ped there. Pcor was nearly the same among the Moabites, that Priapus was among the Romans: the obscene god, of an obscene people. This we have already seen.
It is very likely, that what God speak-s here, both concerning liloses and Joshua, was designed U) be typical of the procedure of Ins justice and grace, in the salvation of man. 1. The land of Canaan was a type of the kingdom of heaven. 2. Tlie Law, which shews tlie lioliiuss of (:Tod, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin, could not bring the people to the possession of that kingdom. 3. Moses may probably be considered here as the emblem of that Law, by which is the knowledge of sin, but not redemption from it. 4. Joshua, the same as.Jesus, the name signifying a Sax-iour, is ap|iointed to brmg the peo))le into the rest which God had provided for them; thus, it is by Jesus Christ alone thai the soul is sated, fitted for and brought into'the posi:e.<sion of the heavenly inheritance,.see John i. 17. Galat. ii. 16. iii. 12, 13, 24. for he is the end of the Law, the great scope and desii^n of the Law, for rig/iteousness, for justiiication, lo them that believe, Hom. x. 4. Such a use as tlii.s, every ])iou> reader may make of the circumstances recorded here, without the danger of ()ushiiig analogy or metaphor, Weyond their reasonable limits.
to cleave to and ohejf titc Lord.
F.ihortnliiiiis to ohvtUatcc, I. Nvlhiiig to be added to, or lakeii frum, llie Ictlimonics of (iud, '1. The pcojdr (ire exhorted to recollect how God hud deslroi/cd the uiK^odli/ among them, ii. and pren-ried those uho rtern ftiithfiil, 4. The excelleiirc of the divine Lair,,'), C). No nation in the world could boast of anif such italntt; jiiil'^meiits, ^r. 7, 8. Ihei/ are exhorted to oiedienre, l>ij the KonderJ'nl maniJ'eslation.i of (iod in their behalf, [) — l.'J. Moses exhorts them tn l)ervare of idolalri/, and to ■muke no likeness of am/ thing in heaven or earth as an object of adoration, 14 — 'JO. f le informs them, that he must die in that land, as (iod hud refused to let him <io into the promised land, beinn angri/ nilh him on their account, CI, U2. llepcats his exhortations to obedience, '2;J, <24. I'redicts the judgments of (Iod against them, should they turn to idolatry, 2.5 — 28. Promises of God's mercy to the penitent, 2U —.'31. The grand and unparalleled privileges oj' the Israelites,.32 — 4<). Moses severs three cities on the East of Jordan for cities >f rej'uge, 41, 42. Their names, 4,3. fVlien and where Moses gave these statutes and judgments to Israel, 44 — 4{).
^'•~^'""- unto the jiidgnients, which I teach you, for to do t/icm, that yc may Hve, and go ss the lantl wliich the Louo (rod
6 Keep tlierefore and do them; for this in '' your wisdom and your understamling iH the sight of the naticms, which siiall hear all tlicse statutes, and sav, Surelv tliis ijreat nation is a ol'your lathers giveth you. 2 '' Ye sliall not add unto the word which I |: wise and understanding ])eoi)le.
command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, tliatyc may keep t«ie conniiandments of the LoiiD your God" which I command you.:i Your eyes have seen what the Lord did
7 For "what nation is there su great, who hath "^God so nigh uiUo them, as tiie Loud our God is in all things that we call upon hini^or;'
8 And what nation is there so great, that hath
l)ecau.se of "Baal-pcor: lijr all the men that!.statutes ami judgments so righteous as all lliis tbllowed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath 1 law, which I set before you this day.'' destroyed them from among you. |. 9 Only take heed to thyself, aiul ° keep thy
4 But ye that did cleave inito the Loud your j.soul diligently, "lest thou tbrget the things God are alive every one of you this day. 'I which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart
5 Behold I have taught you statutes and judg- ' from thy heart all the davs ofthv lite: but Ueacb ments, even as the Loitn my (lod conunaiuled 'them thy sons, and thv sons' sons;
Vci sl- I. Hearkt:n — unto the STArUTES] Every thing that cuiiceiiicd tl\c ritts and ceremonies of iX'li;.;ion — JUDGMENTS, all that i-onecrntd mutters of civil right and wrong.
Verse 2. Yc.sliall not aJd^ Any book, cliaplcr, verse, or word, which I have not spoken; nor give any comment, that lias any tendency to corrupt, weaken, or destroy any part of this revelation.
It' shall not diminisli] Ye sliall not only not take away any larger portion of this word, but ye shall not take one jot or liiii'f from the L.\\\'. It is that word of Ciod that abidclh for cv<r.
Vt r>e o. K rp — and do them; for this is your uiisdoni} There was no mode of worship at this time on the face of the earth tiiat \\ib not wicked, obscene, puerile, foolish, or ridiculous, except that established by God hiuiscif among liie Israelites. And every part of this, taken in its connection and reference, may be truly ealletl a -a-;'«r and reasonable senice.
Tlie nations — shall sity, Surely this <;reat nation is a -xise and understandin:^ people] Ahiiost nil the nation.': m the earth shewed that they had formed this opinion of the Jews, by borrowing from them the principal part of their civil code. Take away what Asia and Europe, svhcllier ancient or modern, have borrowed from the Jfosaic lovs, and you leave little belund that can be called excellent.
Keep thy soul diligently] Be mindful of tliy eternal interests. \V"hatev«r bctomes of the body, take care of the soul.
10 Specialhj ° the stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, Avhen the Lord said unto
DEUTERONOMY. against idolatry,
day that thou I ye might do them in the land whither
me. Gather me the people together, and I will | make them hear my words, that they may learn ' to fear me all the days that they shall li\'e upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.
11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain: and the '' mountain burned with fire imto the ^ midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.
12 "And the Lord spake unto you out of| the midst of the fire: \ve heard the voice of, tlie words, but saw no simihtude; 'only ^ ye heard a voice.
IS *■ And he declared unto you his covenant, I which he commanded you to perform, even 'ten commandments; and "he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
14 And 'the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that heaven
ye go over to possess it.
15 ^ "'Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of "simili-
I tude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
16 Lest ye "corrupt yourselves, and '' make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, ■^ the likeness of male or female,
1 17 The likeness of anv beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged towl that \ flieth in the air,
1 8 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:
19 And lest thou 'lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even ' all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to ' worship them, and serve them, which tlie Lord thy God hath " divided unto all nations under the whole
Ltat thou forgetl God does his works, that they may be had in everlasting remembrance; and he that forgets tliem, forget.s liis own mercies. Besides, if a man forget the work of God on his.-oul, he loses that work.
Lest tiny depart from ihy heu.rt'\ It is not sufficient to lay up divine things in the memory, they must he laid up in the!' heart. Thy word have. I hidden in. my heart, says David, that i 1 mi'.;ht not sin against thee. The life of God in tlie soul of:. man, can alone pre.serve the soul to life everlasting; and this 1 grace must be retained all the days of our Ife. W hen Adam [i ftll, bis condition was not ameliorated by the reflexion that! he had been once in paradise — nor does it avail Satan noli-, | that he was once an angel of light. — Those «ho let the grace | of God depart from their hearts, lose that grace — and those i -who lose the grace, fall from the grace; and- as some have fallen and risen no more, so may others; therefore, take heed to thyself, Ifc. Were it impossible for men finally to fail fr<jm the grace of God, exhortations of this kind had never been given, because they would have been unnecessary; au<l God never does an unnecessary thing.
liul teach them thy sons'] If a man know the worth of his own soul, lie will feel the importance of the salvation of the souls of bis family. Those who neglect family religion, neglect personal religion; if more attention were paid to the former, even among those called religious people, we should soon have a better state of civil society. On family religion God lays much HtrcKs; and no head of a family can neglect it without endangering the final salvation of his own soul. — See the note at the conclusion of Gen. xviii. and that at the end of Gen. xix. and the note on chap. vi. 7.
Verse 15. Ye saio no manner of similitude] Howsoever God chose to appear, or manifest himself, he took care never to assume any describahle form — He would have no image leorship, because he is a SPIRIT, and they who worsliip him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. These outward things tend to draw the mind out of itself, and diffuse it on sensible, if not sensual objects; and thus spiritual worship is prevented, and the Holy Ghost grieved. Persons acting in tins way can never know much of the religion of the heart.,
Verse 16. The likeness of male or female'] Such as i5aa/- peor and liie Roman Friapus;.-hhiaroth or Astarte and the Greek and Koman Venus; after whom most nations of the world literally went a whoring.
Egyptian god, /Ipis, who was worshipped under the form of a white hull — the ihi.s and haivk, among the FOWLS, had j also divine honours paid to tliem — serpents and the crocodile leeks and onions! — See this explained at large, tixod. xx. 4.
1 Verse 1 9. When thou seest the.mn, and the moon, and the stars']
The worship of the heavenly bodies was the oldest species of idolatry. Those who had not the knowledge of the true God, were led to consider the sun, moon, planets and stars, as not
' only selt-exi sting, but the autliors of all tlie blessings possessed
I by mankind. The knowledge ef a rational system of astro-
-1 Fiirtlioriiioif '' tlic Loud was an^ry \vitli iiu' for your sakos, nnd swaro tliat 1 sliotild not jj;() ovor Jordan, and lli,\l I should not tjo in unto that good land, wliich the Loiiu tliy
'I'l But ''I must dii- in this land, T nnist not not,i>'o over Jordan: but ye.ihall go over, andi forget the covenant of the Lord your God wlueli he made witli you, "and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any lliing, which the l.oicu tliy (iod hatii ibrbidden
'2.-. •] When thou shalt beget chil- "•-^'«'- dren, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and 'shall corrupt i/oin:s('hcs, and make agiavru image, /y/-tlie likeness of any i/iiiijx, and "shall do evil in the sight of the Loiin thy God, to ])rovoke him to anger:
'ifj " 1 call heaven and eartJi to witness agains) you this day, that ye shall.soon utterly j)erisli from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall n(jt))rolong i/ow davs upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.
27 And the Loud "shall scatter you among the nations, and ye.shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Loud shall Icatl
uomy, scrveii to destroy tliis superstition; and very little of it remains now in tlic world, exeept ainonjr a few Cliristian and j Miilianmicdan aslroloiicr.i; tliosc miscrahk sinners wiio en- 1 dcavniir, as niueh as |)c)ssil)lc, to revive llie old idolatry, while i v.mdy))rot'cssiii|.; to luiieve in tlie true God! Xor is it to l)e (louUled tlial (iod will iimieed wilii tlitin, as lie lias done of old with tlie worsliipp.rsof the host of heaven..Sound ])liiloso-. ])hy is next in iuiporlanee to sound divinity; and to the study of the work of grace, is that of the operations of God in nature; for these visible thinjjs make know n his eternal power and godhead.
^Vrse 20. Out of the iron furnace'] From this mention; of the word iron fitniiicc, there can be little doubt that the; Israelites were employed in Kgypt in the most laborious ^ works of mctaUuri^: — Digging, smelting and forging of iron, I in so hot a climate, must have been oppressive works indeed, i
Ver.se 2 1. The Lord u-as angry with mel And if with me, ' so as to debar nie from entering into the promised lund; can ^o!i think to escape, if gudty of greater provocations? (
Verse '24. V'/iy (iod is a coii.suiiiiu^ lire'] "^i hey had.seen liim on the mount as an tinconsuiitimr fire, while appearing to Moses, and giving the law — and they had seen him as a consiimiiii; fire in the case of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their company. They had, therefore, every good to expect, from his approbation; and every evil to dread from liis displeasure. I
V( rse 2(). / call hcfuen and earth to •.lilness a^uinst you] A most solemn method of adjuration, in use among all nations in the world. So Virgil JEn. xii. 176, &c.
Turn pius.F.neas slricto sic enae prccatur: J-isto nunc Hoi testis Sf luce mihi terra voeanti—
28 And '' there ye shall sen'C gods, the w«ork
Fonleisifue flnviosque:oco, qnaqtie alheris alti liel/igio, if qua: citrideo sunt niiinina ponto, &c.
Then the great Trojan jirince unshcath'd \v,> sword. And thus, Willi lifted hands, the gods ailnr'd. Thou land for wliieh I wage this war, and thou Great source of day, be witness to mj* vow! Almighty, kin^ of heaven ^nil queen of air, I'ropitious now and reconcil'd by prayer — \c springs, ye floods, ye various poiirrs who lie lieneaih the deep, or tread tlie golden sky, He.\r and attest! PlTT.
God and man being called upon to bear testimony to the truth of what was sjKjken, that if there was any flaw or insincerity, it might be detected; and if any crime, it migbt not go unpunished..Such appeals to God, for such purposes, shew at once both the origin and use of oaths. — See the note on chap. vi. 13.
Verse '21. The Lord shall scatter you among the natiom] This was amply verified in their ddferenl captivities and dispersions.
Verse 28. There ye shall serzc gods— wood and stone"] This was also true of the Israelites, not only in their captivities, but also in their own land. And it may now be literally the case with the ten tribes who were carried away captive by tlie Assyrians; and of whose residence no tnan at present knows any thing with certainty. That they still exist, there can be no doubt; but lliey are now, most probably, so completely incorporated with the idolater?, among whom tliey dwell, as to be no longer distinguishable. Yet God can gal&er tbem.
of men's liandg, wood and stone, ^ which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
29 '' Bat if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find fiim, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
30 When thou art in tribulation, and all\these things "are come upon thee, "^even in the latter days, if thou ''turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
31 (For the Lord thy God is ^a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy
the covenant of thy fiithers which he sware unto them.
32 ^ For ^ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask "from the one side of heaven unto the otiier, whether there hath been auj/ such thing as this
Verse 29. But if front thence thou shalt seek the Lord] God is long suffcrinfr, and of tender mercy, and waits ever ready to receive a backslidin"- soul when it returns to him. Is not this promise left on record for the encouragement and salvation of lost Israel?
Verse 30. When thou art in tribulation — in the latter days'] Are not these the times spoken of.^ And is there not still hope for Israel? Could we see them become zealous for their oiun law and religious observances — could we see them humble themselves before the God of Jacob — could we see them conduct their pubHc worship with any tolerable decorum: — could we see them zealous to avoid every moral evil, enquiring the road to Zion, with their faces thitherward; then might we hope that the redemption of Israel was at hand: b'lt, alas! there is not the most distant evidence of any thing of the kind, except in a very few solitary instances. — They are, perhaps, in the present day, more lost to every sacred principle of their own institution.s, than they have ever been since their return from the Baliylonish captivitj\ By whom shall Jacob arise.'' for in ihis sense, he is small — deeply fallen, and greatly degraded!
Verse 33. Did t\cr people hear the voice of God] It seems to have been a general belief, that if God appeared to men, it was for the purpose of destroying them. And indeed most of tlie extraordinary manifestations of God, were in the way ni judz'uent ■ but here it was difTerent. God did appear in a sovereign and extraordinary manner; but it was for the deliverance and supjwrt of tlie people. 1. They heard his Toice speaking with them in a distinct articulate manner.
•were redeemed from Egypt.
is, or hath been heard like it.''
33 ' Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?
34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of a7:other nation, " by temptations, ' by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and " by a mighty hand, and " by a stretched out arin, " and by great terrors, ac-
all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes
35 Unto thee it was shewed, that tliou mightest know that the Lord he is God; ^ there is none else beside him.
36 '' Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he mi':jht instruct thee: and upon
heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 37 And because 'beloved thy fathers, there-
2. They saw the fire, the symbol of his presence, the appearances of which, demonstrated it to be supernatural.
3. Notwithstanding God appeared so terrible, yet no person was destroyed, for he came not to destroy, but to save.
Verse 34. From the midst of another nation] This was a most extraordinary thing, that a whole ])cople con.si-ting of upwards of 600,000 effective men, besides women and children, should, without striking a blow, be brought out of the midst of a very powerful nation, to the political v>elfare of which their services were so essential — that they should be brought out in so open and public a manner — that the sea itself should be supernalurally divided to afford this mighty host a passage; and that in a de.sart utterly unfrie*n<lly to hu« man lile, they should be sustained for 40 years. These were -such instances of the almighty power and goodness of God, as never could be forgotten.
In this verse Moses enumerates seven different means used by the Almighty, in effecting Israel's deliverance.
1. TE-Ml'T-VriONS, rW tnassoth, from HDJ ««"'/', to try or prove; the miracles which God wrought to try the faith, and prove the obedience of the children of Israel.
2. Signs, nnx ototh, from nnx attih, to come >tear, such signs as God gave them of his continual presence, and especial providence, particularly the pillar of cloud, and pillar of fire, keeping near to them night and day; and always directing their journies, shewing them tihen and ttAere to pitch their tents, &c. &c.
TIoxv they conquered the Amoritcs^
_*"'"'*" ".'l. his siglit, with liis niifflily jiowcr, out of K^ypt;
.'W '■ To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their hinil./or an inheiitance, as it is this chiy.
'.'A) Know tiierelbre this day, an(i consider it in tliine licart, tliat " the Loud he is (iod in heaven above, antl upon tiie earth beneath: tJwrc is none else.
40 '' TJiou slialt keep therefore his staliiles, and his conunandments, which I comniaiid liicc this day, " tiuit it may go well with {\\vv, and Avith tliy children after thee, and tliat thou I niayest prolong ///// days ujjon the earth, which i the LoiiD thy God givcth thee, for ever. |
41 % Then Moses "^ severed three cities on! this side Joi'dan, toward the snnrising; I
42 ^ That the slayer might flee thither, whicli I should kill his neighbour unawares, and iiated j him not in times past; and liiat fleeing unto j one of these cities he miglit live:
43 Namelj/, " Bezer in the wilderness, in the
44 ^ And this i.i the hiw which Moses set before tiie children of Israel:
45 The.se are the testimonies, anil the statutes, and the judgments, which Mo.scs spake unto the children of Israel, after they came f()rth out of Egypt,
4G On this side Jordan, 'in the valley over against Beth-peor, in the land of.Sihon king of the Amorite.i, who dwelt at Meshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel "smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt:
47 And they possessed his laud, and the land ' oi" Og king of Bash an, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordxin, toward the sunrising;
48 "' From Aroer, which is by the I)ank of the river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is " Hermon.
49 And all the plain on this side Jordan, castward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the ° springs of Pisgah.
sti'irlly miraculous, anil exceeflinsj llic powers fil" nature, a> K,x<h1. vii. 9. xi. 9, 10. or not, as Isai. xx. '■). Kztk. xii. (i, 11. Il prohahly nuans typical representations: in this sij^nification (lie «(ii'il IS uscil, /cell. iii. S..losluia, the liii^h-pricst, and his r<jiupanions were n210 'ii'JX ansliey mnphcth, ij/pical men, raiseil up l>y Gnil, as types of Christ, and proots that God would hring hi< servant tiie BRANCH. All the dadings of God with this people, ami even the people themselves uere types, present sir;iiiticalors of distant faits, and future oecuriences.
4. \V Alt, iT^nSo iiiilcliaiiioh, hostile cn'j;rii^ciiieiit.'', siuli as those ] ten plagues, to which probably the inspired penman here aU with the Ainali kites, the Aniorites, and the Hashanites; in hides; or as the Septua;^int has it, £;■ ofauariv /KEyaXsi; •.•.ith which the litinil of God was seen, rather than the hand of man. Y great or portent ons sights: such as tliat when God looked out of
5. A MUilirY HAND, npin T j/n(/ cAfcnXv///, one that is I the cloud upon the E^;^•pl^ans, and their chariot wheels were stiong to deal its blows, irresistible in its operations, and grasps O taken ofV, Exod. xiv. 24, 25. More awful displays of God's its enemies hard, sn that they cannot escape; and protects its 'judgments, power, and mip;ht, were never witnessed by man the divine omnipotence manifested in the most stnprndouR! miracles. 4. The arm of God stretched out, this f>ame om-, nipolence exf.rted in a eonlinuaiion of stupendous miracles, I both in the way of judgment and mercy, bi this latter sense I it appears to be taken in the text: the judiTmenls were poured ' out on the Egyptians; the mercies wrought in favour of the I Israelites.
terror, dismay, and consternation as were produced by the friends so powerfully, that they cannot be iniurid. Neither stratii^enj nor policy was used in this business, but the openly displayed power of God.
6. A STRI-TCIlFn OUT ARM, n'IBJ I'Pt if'W' netiiyah, a series of almighty operations, following each other in quick and
\'erse 41. Then Closes severed three cities] See the la\r relative- to the citits of refuge, explained Num. xxxv. 9, &c.
Verse 43. Btzer in the Kildemcsi] As the cities of refuoe are generally understood to he types of the sal\'alion provided by Christ for sinners; so their names have been thought astonishing succession. Let ilbe noted, that in the Scriptures, to express.some allrilnite of the Uedeemcr of mankind..See 1. the finger of God denotes any manifestation of the divine, iheni explained Josh. xx. 7, 8. power, where cfiects are produced beyond the power of art i or nature. 2. The htnd of God signifies the same power, j 1 suppose the last nine verses of this chapter to have Urn but put forth in a more signal manner. 3. The arm of God, added by cither Joshua or Ezm.
God's covena}it uith l7te people in llorth, 1 — 4. Moh'S the luedialor of it, 5. A repetition of the ten commcndvients, 6 — Gl. uhich God mote on two tables of done, G2. The peupte are filled zcilh dread at I he terrible mujestj/ of God, 0,3 — 20". and beseevh Moses ta be their mediator, G7- The L,ord admits of their request, C&. and deplores their ungodliness, 29- Then ^"'^ exhorted to ohedienee, that they maif be preserved in the possession of the jnvmised land, 30 — 33.
ANi!) Moses called all Israel, and said unto them. Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and "keep, and do them.
2 '' The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
3 The Lord " made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of lis here alive this day.
4 * The Lord talked with you face to face, in the mount, out of the midst of the fire,
5 (^ I stood between tlie Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord: for '^ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,
G ^ ^ I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of " bondage.
7 ' Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
8 " Tliou shalt not make thee am/ graven image, or any likeness of amj thing that is in heaven above, or tliat is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto
Verse 1. And 3 loses culled all Israel and said — Hear, &c.] 1, God,«peaks to the people. 2. The people are called to lieur what God speaks. 3. To learn vvliat they heard, that they may be thoroughly instructed in the will of God. 4. To keep God's testimonies ever in mind, and to treasure them up in a believmg and ujjright heart. 5. That they might do them, obey the whole will of God, taking his word lor the invariable rule of their conduct..Should not all the.<e points be kept in view by every Christian assembly.''
Verse 'i. TIte Lord made not this eoicnaitt with our fathers (only) but with us (also.)
them, nor serve them: for I the
Lord thy God am a jealous God,
' visiting tlie iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth ge-
7ieratiun of them that liate me,
10 "' And shewing mercv unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
11" Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not liold hint guiltless, that taketh his name ia vain.
12 "Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.
13 ''Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
14 But the seventh day is the "^ sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daiigliter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou.
1.5 ''And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy
Verse 6. / am the Lord tlii/ God] See these commandments explained in the notes on Exod. xx.
Verse 15. And remtinier that thou xvasl a servant] In this, and the latter clause ol' the preceding verse, Moses adds another reason why one day in seven s-hould be sanctified; viz. that the servants miifht rest, and this is urged upon tlicni on the consideration of their having been servants in the land of Kgypt. We see therelore thai God had three grand ends in view by appointing a sabbath. 1. To commemorate the creation. 2. "^I'o give a du^ proportion of rest to man and beast. When in Kgypt liny had no rest; their cruel task-masters caused thein to labour witlwut intermission: now
Hi ^i ''Honour thy fiillu'i- and fliy luoilior, as till' LoKi) thy (ioil h;itli c()miiiaii<U'd thcc; "^^ that ihy days may be prolou/^cd, and tliat it may ^o \\\'\\ willi thee, in tlu- land whicli the Luitu thy Ciod nivcth tiuT.
18 ° Nciiher siialt thou commit adultery.
19 'Neither shalt thou steal. 'JO * Neither shalt thou hear fidse witness
21 " Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's v'ife, neither shalt thou covet tiiy neighbour's house, his Held, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or any {liing that is thy neighbour's.
'22 ^[ These wortis the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst o(" the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great \oice: and he added no more. And 'he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
23 " And it came to pass, when } c heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that vc came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;
24 And ye said, Behold, the I.oim our God hath shewetl us his glory and his greatness, and ' we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day tliat God doth talk with man, ami he '" li\eth.
ir> Now therefore why shoidd we) "''.• '-"'• die? l()r this great fire will cousimie Am. i;».Ji!r. us: "if we" Jiear the voice of the •'"•■•'*'«'■ Loud our Ciod any more, then we sliall die,
2(i " For who in llicre uf all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living (iod sj)eaking out of the midst of the fire, as we liinc, and lived?
27 Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say: and '' s))eak thou unto US all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear il, and do //.
28 7Vnd the Lord heard the voice of vour words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they ha\e spoken unto thee: ' they have well said all that they have spoken.
2y ' () that there were such a lie^ut in them, that they would fi-ar me, and ' keep all my conunandmenis always, "that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever?
;jO Go say to them, Get you into your tents
God had given rest, and as he hail shewed thcin mercy, lie tcaclies tliein to shew mercy to their servants: remember thou vjiist a servant. 3. To adord pccuhar.«piritu;d advanta<;es lo tlie soul, that it might he kept in remembrance of the resi which remains at the rl^ht hand of God.
Verse 21. His field] Tins clause is not in tlie tenth commandment as it stands in Exod..\x. 1 7.
\'erse 23, &c. And it aiiiie to puss li'/icn yc heard the voiced See the notes on I''xod..\x. 18, &c.
Verse 29. O t/iat tkre were such a heart in thcni] Or, rather HT I333V n m in» »'0 mi t/ilten tehuyuh icbabcm-zeh. Who will.^ivcsueh a heart to tluni, that they may fear, &c. They refuse to receive such a heart from me; who then can sujiply
31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, '' and 1 will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judi^nients, which thou shalt teach them, that they mav do tliem in the land which I give them to possess it.
32 Ye shall obser\e to do theretijre as the Loud your God hath commanded you: ' ye shall not turn a>ide to the right hand or to the left.
it } If they bad not been such perfectly free agents as could either use or abuse their lil)erty; cuuld GchI have made the complaint or expressed the earnest desire we find in ihis verse r He made (he human will /erf, and in spite of all the influence of sin and Satan, he preserves its liheriy. Had man no free will, he could neither be punished nor reisarded, bcca«se a mere machine; and consequently no more accouniable for his actions than the fire for it.- consuming qup.lity, or the stone for its ^r«:)/i/; the one having; burned the honst of tUe ris^hteous, the other having crushed the innocent lo death. See the note on chap. x\ix. 4.
Verse 32. Ye shall obierre to do] He who mnrks not the uojt/ of God, is never likely to fulfil the v:tll of God.
S3 Ye shall walk in * all the ways I] that it may he well with you, and that which the Lord your God hath com- j ye may prolong your days in the land manded you, that ye may live, " and " ' '
Ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.} The wav of truth and righteousness is a right line: a man must walk straight Pirward who wishes to go to glory: no crooked ord.=vious path ever. If d to God or happiness.
Verse 33. Ye shall -jjilk in all tite ways, &c.] God never ^ve a commandment to man, which he did not design that he should obev. He who selects from the divine testimonies such precepu as he feels but little inclination to transgress, and lives in the breach of others, sins against the grand legislative authority of God, and shall be treated as a rebel.
That'ye mny live'] pnn ticheiun, that ye may enjoy life (for the paralogia; itun, at the end of the word, deepens the sense) that it may be tadl witJiyou, BS^ 3«3i veiob lacem, and good shill be to you — God will prosper you in all things essential to the wel.'"are" oi" vour bodies, and the salvation of your souls.
That ye may prolong your days in the land.] That ye may arrive at a good old age, and grow more and more meet fwr the inheritance among tlie saints in light.
On this very important verse we may remark, a long life is a great blessing, if a man live to God — because it is m life, and in life alone, that a preparation for eternal glorj- may be acquired. Tlicse who wish to die soon, have never yet learned to live, and know not the value of life or time. Many ha»e a vain hope that they shall get either in death, or in the other world, a preparation for glory. This is a fatal error. Here akine we may acquaint ourselves with God, and receive that holiness without which none cin see him. Reader, be thankful to him that thou art still in a state of probation; and pray that thou mavest live for eternity.
The <rreat de^hn of God in giving his lazes, is, that the people may fear and obey Mm, that they may continue in pence and prosperity, and he mightily increased, 1 — i. The great commandment of the laze, 4, 5. nhich shall be laid up in their hearts, f). taught to their children, 7. affixed as a sign to their hands, heads, doors, and gates, 8 9. Ilozi: they are to act when they shall come into the promised land, 10 — IQ. HoiO they shall instruct their children, and relate the history to them of God's uonderful ads, 20—25.
'OW these are * the command-
That thou mightest fear theLoRD
Ank^^AA^r. x^ ments, the statutes, and the thy God, to keep all his statutes and.AT.'.EiodX. 40.-s.'fc<it. judgments, which the Lord your his commandments, which I command. ^■~^'*"- God commanded to teach you, that ye might j thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all do them in the land whither ye "go to possess" the days of thy life; "and that thy days maybe it: prolonged.
/>> tliem] That is, live in the continual practice of thcnn; ' for by this they were to be distinguished from all the nations of the world: and all these were to be in force till the Son of God should come. — IV hither ye go, □»~I3I7 dberim, whitiier, ye pav ozer, referring to tl>e river Jordan, across which they j must pa's to get into Canaan.
sovereign authority as a lawgiver, and ever feel thyself bounrl to obey him. No man ran walk either conscientiously or safely who has not the fiur of God continually before his eves. When this is gone, more than a guardian angel is fled.
TItou, and thy son, and tin/ son's son] Through all thy successive generations. Wh'M.'ver ftars God, will endeavour to bring up his children in the way of righteousness, thai thty also may fear God, and that the pure and undefiled religion n)ay be preserved in his family, through ail Its generations, not only m word, but in practice also.
The firsl and {^nat C'llAr. VJ. luiiimandmait ij ilic Itm.
A.iM.vii..J C| ii^;;i,- tlu-reforc, () Israd, and,'] 'with all tliiiic heart, ami with all thy ohsiMve to (lo/7; that it may l)c well with thee, ami that ye may increase micjhtilv, 'as the Loim (Jod ot tiiy fathers hath proiniseil thee, iu '' the land that flowcth with milk aiul honey. 4 ' Hear, O Israel: The Xmmu our (iod is one Lord:
Anil "thou shall low tlie Loun ihv God j, when thou risest up.
soul, and with all thy mi;,'ht.
I mand thee this day, shall he in thine heart:
j 7 And ^ thou shall " teach them diligently iiii-
I to thy children, and shalt talk of them when
thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and
Wm-^c:i. Ikar llieixtme, () Israel, and ohfc nc to Jo it] l.itcr;illy, Ve sliall la-ar, O I.^racl, niiil tiiou shall keep teu\o lliiiii. 1. (iod is 10 bi- hand — iio oblit^iilion without /«- to touml il on; uiul 110 l<nv ill religion, but from God. '2. 'Iht <;()iiuiiaii<hiier.t must bt uiuUistood in ordtr to be obeyed, o. It must be obscntd, att«.iilivi-ly coiisitU-red, in order to be understood. Anci, 4. It must be pufonneU, liiat the end lor wliieh it was <;iveii may be aceonijilisiied, viz. that Gon may be ■j/onVfft/, and that it may be v:cll with the people. What is here spoken, applies powcrlully to every part of tlie moiiti law — God has f;ivcn IT as a rule of l{fe, ihtrelbrc obedience to it is indispensably necessary;. not to the purdiaxe of sahaiion, for no human merit can ever extend to that — but it is the 'j;ny by which liolli tlie justice and mercy of God chikie to conduct men to jieaveii. But let it be fully undt rslood, that no man can walk ill the way of obedience, but by and under the influence of the grace of (jod.
Verse 4. Hear, o lsracl'\ Ins mr.> u'.-iSn* rm> ^ir-:r> ^'Cia shcinaA Yisruel, Yehovah Elo/iinu, Yeliovali iichaD. These Mords may be variously rendered into Eiifilisli; but almost all possible verbal varieties in the tniislation (and there can be none other) amount to the same sense. " I>ratl hear! Jehovah, our God, is one Jehovah" — Or, " Jeliovali is our God, Jehovah is one" — Or, "Jehovah is our God, Jehovah alone." — Or, "Jehovah is our God, Jehovah who is one." — Or, " Jehovah, who is our God, is the one Being." — On this verse the Jews lay srreat stress. It is one of the four passaijes which they write on their phylacteries; and they write liic last letter in llie first and last words very l.ir^e, liir llie purpose of exciting altenlion to the weighty truth it contains. It is perhaps in reference to this custom of the Jews, tliat our blessed Lord alludes, MatLxxii.38. Mark xii.lili, 30. Where he says, Tliis is the first and great commnndment; and this is nearly the comment that Muiinonides gives on this place, " Hear, 0 Israel — because in these words the property, the love, and the doctrine of God are comained."
Many think, that Mosts teaches in these words, llie doctrine of the Trinity in Unity. It may be so — but if so, it is not more clearly done than in the fir.-t verse of Genesis, to which the Reader is referred. When this passage occurs in the sabbath readings in llii-.synagogue, the whole congregation repeat the last word inx achad, for several mimitcs itv gether, with the loudest voeileraiions: this, I suppose, they do to vent a little of tUeii- spleen agaiiis: the Christians;
l<«r they supjiosc the laller hold tluee gods, because of tin ir dottrinc of the Trinity — but all their fikill and cunning can never |ir«ivc, that there is not a plurality exprcsscrl m the word UmSn Elohinu; and were the Christians, when rrading this verse, to vociferate Elohinu for several minutes, as tlie Jews do achad, it would apply more forcibly in the way of conviction, to the Jews, of the plurality of persons in the godhead, than the word rtc/iflrf, one, against any pretended false tenet of Christianity: as every Christian receive.* the doctrine of the L'nily of God, in the most conscientious manner. It is because of their rejection of this di^ctrine, that the wrath of God continues to rest on them. For the doctrine of the atonement cannot be received, unless the doctrine of the godhead of Chris.t is received too. Some Christians have joined the Jews against this doctrine, and some have even outdone them; and have put ilieinselves to extraordinary pains to prove, that DTItS Eiohim is a noun of the singular numtier! This has not yet been proved. It would be a» easy to prove that there is no plural in language.
Verse 5. Thou shalt hve the Lord, &c.] Here we see the truth of that word of the Apostle, I Tiin. v. 1. Aotc the ENO of the CO.M.MANDMF.NT).< I.OVE, out rf a pure heart, &c. See the whole of the doctrine contained in this verse, explained at large on.Matt. xxii. 36 — tO.
Verse 6. Shall be in thine heari\ I'or where else can /ore be r if it be not in the heart, it exists not — Arnl if these v:ords be not in the heart; if they are not esteemed, prized, and received as a high and most glorious privilege, what hope is there that this love shall ever reign there I
Verse 7. Thou shalt teach than diliaently] JZrjTJ? SAimwiitem, from TJU' shnnah, to repeat, iterate, or do a thing again and again: hence to ahet or sharpen any instrument, which is done by txiterated friction or grinding. We see here, tb* spirit of this divine injunction. God's testimonies must be taught to our children; and the utmost diligence must be used to make ihein understand them. This is a most ditlicult task; and it requires much ]>.itience, much prudence, much jiidiTinent, and niiu-h piety in the parents, to enable them to do tlus good, tins most important work, in the be!>t and moat elVectual manner. See at the end of this chapter.
And shall talk of them vshcn thou sutest in thine kori.'e] Tlioil shalt have religion at home, a$ well as in the temple and tubernack.
8 ^ And thou slialt bind them foi' a sign u]i()n thine hand, and they shall be as trontlets between thine eyes.
9 " And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on tdy gates.
10 And it sliall be, when the Lord thy God sliall have brouglit thee into the land which he sware unto thy fatliers, to Abraliam, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, " wliich thou biiikledst not.
nhroad, as well as at home; and not be a.shamed to own God vliercsoever thou ait.
Wliai thvu liest down, and idien thou, risest tip.} Thou shalt begin and end the day with God, and thus religion will be tl'.e i;ieut business of thy life. O how good are these sayings! but liow little regarded!
Verse 6. Thoushdt hind than for a sit^n upon thine hand] Is not this an allusion to an ancient and general custom observed in almost every i^art of the world? \^'hen a person wishes ro remember a thing of importance, and is afraid to trust to the eonimon oi)crations of luiniory, he ties a knot on some j)art of his clothes, or a cord on his hand or finger, or places something out of its usual order, and in vien', that his memory may be whetted to recollection, and his eye aflcct his heart. God \<l)o knows how slow of heart we are to understand, graciously orders us to make use of every help, and through the means of things.sensible, to rise to things spiritual.
And they shall be as frnnllets] nCUU totaphot seems to have the same meaning as phylacteri/ has in the New Testament; and for tlve meaning and description of these appendages to a Jew's-*ire«!, and to his religion, see the note on Exod. xiii. 9. and on iWalt. xxiii. 5. where a phylactery is particularly described. See the note on Exod. xiii. 9.
Verse 9. Upon the posts (the door-posts) of thy house, and on, thy gates.] The Jeivs forgetting tlie spirit and design of this precept, used these things as superstitious people do «wmle's and charnui; and supposed, if they had these passages of Scripture written upon slips of pure parchment, \vra])t round llieir foreheads, tied to their arm, or nailed to their door-posts, that they should then be delivered from every evil! And how much better are many Christians, who keep a Bible in their house, merely that it may keep the devil 02U / And will have it in their rooms, or under their pillows, to ward oiV spirit'; and glio.'^ts in the night! How ingenious is the heart of man to find out every wrong way, and to miss the ri^ht!
Verse \'^. Beuare lest thou forget the Lord] In earthly prosperity, men are apt to forget heavenly things. While the animal.sewes have every thing they can wi.sli, it is dillicult for the soul to urge its way to heaven — the animal man is happy, and the desires of the soul are absorbed in those of the iksli. God know.i this well; and iherefore, in his love /.omam, makes comparative poverty and frequent aflliction.
tiot to forget the Lortl.
1 1 And houses full of all good iliin^s, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vine- _
yards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not: '' when thou slialt have eaten and be lull;
12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Eg)"})t, from the house of "^ l)ondage.
13 Thou shalt 'fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and ^ shalt swear by his name.
I his general lot. Should not every soul therefore magnify God for this lot in life? Before 1 was afflicted, says David, I went astray — ^and had it not been for poverty and affliction, as instruments in the hands of God's grace, multitudes of souls now happy in heaven, vould have been wretched in hell. It is not too much to spe;ik thus far: because we ever see that the rich and the affluent are generally negligent of God i and the interests of their.souls. It must however be granted, that extreme -poverty is as injurious to religion, as excessive affluence. Hence the wisdom as well as piety of Augur's jirayer, Prov. xxx. 7 — 9. " Give me neither poverty nor riches — lest I be ftdl, and, deny thee; or le.st 1 be poor, and steal," &c.
Verse 1 Z. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy Cod] Thou shalt respect and reverence him as thy lawgiver and judge; as thy creator, preserver and the sole object of thy religious adoration.
And serve him] Our blessed Lord, in Matt. iv. 10. Luke iv. S. quotes these words thus; And him ONLY (auro) fiovui) shalt thou serve. It appears, therefore, that 1*137 lebado was anciently in the Hebrew text, as it was and is in the SeptU-.uaNT {auTii fjiova) from v hich our Lord quoted it. The Coptic preserves the same reading: so do also the Vulgate (ilti soli) and the AngLO-SAXON (feopa him anum.) Dr. Kennicott argues, that without the word oidy, the text would not have been conclusive for the purpose for which our Lord advanced it: for as we learn i'rom Scripture, that some men worshipped false gods in conjunction with the true, the quotation here would not have been full to the point, without this exclusivs word. It may be proper to observe, that the omitted word riD? lebado, retained in the above versions, does not exist in the printed Hebrew text, nor in any MS. hitherto discovered.
Shalt sivear by his naine.] l'ye/r\ tishahed, from J?3Bf shaba, he was fidl, satisfied, or gave that which was full or satisfactory. Hence an oath and su'earing, because, appealing to God, and taking him for witness in any case of promise, &c. gave fidl and sufficient security for the performance: and if done in evidence, or to the truth of any particular fact, it gave full security for the truth of that evidence. An oath, therefore, is an appeal to God, who knows all things, of the truth of the matter in question: and when a religious man takes such an oath, he gives full and reasonable satisfaction that the thing is so, as stated; lor it is ever to be presumed.
15 (For " the Lokd thy God is a jealous God ainoii'^- you) "^ lest the anger of the Loiin thy I (iod be!<iiidled against thee, and ilestroy ihee; from olf the face of the earth. |
16 'Ye shall not t('in])t the Loau your God, j ' as ye tempted him in Massah. (
17 Ye shall '^diligently keep the command- j, nients of the Lokd yotu' God, and his testi- 'I monies, and his statutes, which he hatli com-|; manded thee. |l
IS And thou '■ shalt do tluil tchich is riti'lit and \\ good in tlie sigiit of the Lord: that it may be || well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land, which the Lonu sware unto tliy tiithers,
19 ' To cast out all thine enemies fiom before thee, as the Loud hath spoken.
20 ^ xbid " when thy son asketh thee ' in time
to come,.'having. What mean that no man, unless in a state of the deepest degradation, would make such an appeal falsely — for this would imply an attempt to mcikc (iod a party in the deception.
Ver.-'c 14. Ye shall not go a/ier o! her gods] Tlie oljject of religious worship amoiig every people, whether that ob'nct be true or false, is ever considered as the pattern or exaniplar to his worshippers. Christians are termed the/o//o;;L'« of God: they take God for their pattern, and walk (act) as be does. Hence we see the meanin-^' of the terms in this verse — Ye shall not go after — ye shall not take false gods for your palierns. The C'anaanites, Greeks, Romans, &('. were a most I impure pcoi)le, because the objects of their worship were impure; and they ivent t^t'er Uiem, i. e. were like their gods. | This serves to shew us, that such as our lledeemer is, such j sliould we be: and, indeed, this is the uniform language of I God to man — Be ye holtj, for I am holy, Lev. xxi. 8. — Be ye ' perfect, as your Fat/ter ivho is in heaven is perfect, Matth. v. 48. _ I
Verse I H. A jealous -God].leliovah has betrothed you to j liimself, as a bride is to her husband. Do not be unfaitiiful, | eise that love wherewidi he has now distinguished you, shall assume the form of Jealousy, and so divorce and consume ■
Verse 16. Ye shall not tempt the Lord] Ye shall not provoke him by entertaining doubts of bis mercy, goodness, providence, and truth.
jIs ye tempted him in IMassah.] How did they tempt him in Massah? "^I'hey said. Is the Lord among its or not f Exod. xvii. 1 — 1. After such proofs as they bad of his presence and ohcdiejice. tlip A M.wsr testimonies, and the statutes, and A.'i-i,.iut. the judgments, whicli the Loito our •'' -^•''"'■ God hath commanded you?
21 Then thou.shalt say unto thy,';on, M'c were I'haraoh's bondmen in l'>gyi)t; and the Loud brought us out of Egypt '" witii a mighty hand:
22 " And the Lonn shewed signs and wonders, great and "sore, upon Kgypt, upon Pharaoh, and uj)on all his houshold, beibrc our eyes:
2y And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he svvtirc unto oiu- fiithers.
24 And the Loimj commanded us to do all these statutes, ""to fear the Lord our God, ''for our good always, that 'he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
25 And ' it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these connnandments before the Lokd our God, as he hath commanded us.
and his kindness, tliis was exceedingly provoking. Doubting God's kindness, where there are so many evidences of it, is i highly insulting to God./Vlmighty.
j Verse 17. Ye shall diligently keep, &c.] On this and the
I following verse, see the note on ver. 3.
Verse 20. And xi-hen thy son aslccih thee, &c.] " Here," as Mr. Ainsworth justly remarks, "foiionetii a hriet catechism, containing the grounds of religion."
'What mean the iestinionies, &c.] The Hebrew language ha.s no word to express to viean, or signify, and thi-refore uscg simply the sulistantive verb — U'/iat is, i. e. what mean or signify, &c. 'J'he scien thin ears ARE, i. e. signify seven yeari of famine. This tbnn of spotch frequently occurs.
Verse 2j. // shall be our righieuusjiess] The evidence that we are under the influence of the fear and love of Gotl. ' Moses docs not say, that this righteousness could be wrought without the influence of God's mercy; nor does he say, that they should purrliase htavcn by it: but God required them to be coiiloruicd to his will in all ihings, that thiy might be holy in heart, and righteous in every part of their moral conduct.
1. On a very important.subject in this chapter, it may be necessary to make some farther observations.
A most injurious and destructive maxim has lately beea advanced by a tew individuals, which, it is to lie Imped,' is di»- owned by the class of Christians to which they belong; thongii the authors afVcct to be thought Christiatis, and rational one* loo; the sum of the maxim is this: — " Children ou^ht not to be iOn the e'dacaiion of children.
taught religion, for fear of having their minds biassed to some particular creed; but they should be lefl to tkernselves, till they are capable of makings a choke, — and> cliuse to make one." This maxim is in fl-it opposition to the command of God; and those uho teach it, shew how little they are affected by the relit^ion they profess. If tliey felt it to be good for any thing, they would certainly wi>h iheir children to possess it: but they do not teach religion to their children, because they feel it to be of no use to themselves. Now the Christian religion, properly applied, saves the soul — fills the heart with love to God and man; for the love of God is shed abroad in the heart of a genuine believer, liy the Holy Ghost given to liim. These persons have no such love, because they have not the religion that inspires it: and the spurious religion, which admits of the maxim above mentioned, is not the religion of God, and consequently better unlauglit, than taught. But what can be said to those parents, who, possessing a better faith, equally nfglect the instruction of their children in the things of God? They are highly criminal; and if their children perish through neglect, which is very probable, what a dreadful account nuist they give in the great day! PARENTS! hear what the Lord saith unto you — Ye shall diligently teach your children that there is one Lord, Jehovah, Eloliim; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and that they must love him with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their might. And as children are heedless, apt to forget, liable lo be carried away by sensible thinn-s: repeat and re-repeat the instruction, and add line upon liTie, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; carefully studying time, place, and circumstances, that your labour 136 not in vain — shew it in its amiableness, excite attention by exciting interest — shew how good, how useful, how blessed, how ennobling, how glorious it is. Whet these things on their hearts, till the keenest edge is raised on the stro^ngest Jesire — till they can say, " ^^'hom have I in heaven but thee! and there is none on earth 1 desire besides thee."
See the notes on chap. iv. 9. and on Gen. xviii. and xix. at the end.
2. \'V'ithout offence to any, I hope a few wortis more may be said on the nature of an oath, in addition to the note on ver. 13. The matter is important, and perhaps not well understood by many.
The making an appeal to the Supreme Being, and calling him to witness and record, constitutes the spirit and essence of an oath. It is no matter in what form this appeal is made, whether by putting the hand under the thii^ti, as among the I'atriaixjis; by the ■ivater of the (ianges, as among the Hindoos; on a sural or chapter of the Koran, as among the Mohannncdans; on a Hebrew Pentateuch, as among the Jews; on the form of the cross, as among the Roman Catholics; Icissiitg the New Testament, as among Protestants in general; or holdim; np the hand, and making affirmation, as among the people called lHuakers — still the oath is the same, for the appeal is made to God. On this ground, and this is the true ground, the holdiuL; up of the hand in a court of justice, is as perfect, as substantial, and as formal an oath, as kissing the New Testament. Why, then, so many objections against taking an oath in a court of justice, by any one particular form, when the same thing is done in spirit, essence, and substance, when God is called to witness and record, though the form be dillerent? When God says, Thou shah fear the Lord thy God, and shall swear by his?iame — he says, in effect. Thou shall have no god besides me — thou shalt consider nic the Fountain of Trudi, the Kewarder of righteousness, and the Punisher of perfidy and wickedne^s. Swear by my ruime — bind thyself to me; take me for witness to all thy actions; and act in all things as having mc continually before your eyes, and knowing that for every act and vcord ye shall give account to me in the day of judgment. Our Lord's command. Swear not at all, can never relate to an oath in a civil cause, taken according to the definition above given: profane and common swearing, with all light irreverent oaths and imprecations, and all such oaths as are not required by the civil magistrate, in cases where the Lord is supposed to be witness, arc certainly intended in our blessed Lord's prohibition.— See on chap. iv. 26".
Ifith the seven nations iliat Cod slrall cast out, 1. tlieT/ shall mulce no covenant, 2. nor form any matrimomal alliances, 3. lest they sliould be enticed into idolatry, 4. All monuments of idolatry to be destroyed, 5. The Israelites are lo consider thameltes a holy people, G. and that the Lord had made them such, not for their merits, but Jh- hii ou-n mercies, 1, 8. They shall therefore love him, and keep /tis commandments, 9— H. The great priti/cgcs of the obedient, 12—24. J II idolatry to be avoided, 25, Q(h
WHEN the 'Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, a«d
NOTES ON CHAP. Vn. Verse I. Seven natians greater and mightier than thou] In ■several places of ihc Hebrew text, each of these seven nations is not enumerated; some one or other being left out, which the
hath cast out many nations before thee, "" the Hittites, and the Girgashitcs, and the Amorites, and the Ca-
Septuagint in general supply. How these nations were distributed over the laud of Canaan, previously to the entering in of the Israelites, the reader may see in the note on JosIj. iii. 10.
tlic oatli wliiili ad sworn unto your liitlirrs.
IliviUs, and tlu'.Kibusitcs, suvi'ii iia- 1 lur liad sworn unto your latlirrs, "liatii lions * u,rt'ate'r and niii^litier than llic I.ono linni^^ht you out. with tlioii; mighty hand, and rcdcH'incd you out ol ii),-
'2 And when the Loiiu thy (iod sliail '' deliver' liouso (jf hfniihiun, lioni the hand of i'haiaoh them l)e(bie tliee; thou slialt smite tliein, «//(/ | kini; of Kf^fvpt.
' utterly destroy Iheni; ''thou shait niake no eo- I 9 ^1" Know tlierefinc' that the Luiiu thy CiuA, veuantwith tlieni, nor shew mercy unto them:, he is (jod, ''the iiiithrul God, ''which kee)>"tJi
3 "Neither shait thou make marriages with covenant and mercy with them that love him
them; thy daunhter ihou shait not;^ive unto aiiil keep his commandments, to a thousand ge- i() And ' ie])aycth them that hate liini to their lace, to destroy them: ' he will not be slack to lim that haielli him, he will repay him to his iicc.
] I Thou shall liiereforc keep the coiiiniaiiJmcnts, and the.statutes, and the judgments.
Ins son, noi' Ins dinighti'r slialt thou take unto thy son.
4 I'or they will turn away thy son iioin llillowiiig me, that they may.serve other gods: '.so will the anger ot" the Loiii) be kindled against you, and desti'oy thee sudtlenly.
.5 IJut tluis shall yt! deal with them; ye shall ^destroy their altars, and break down their 11 which I command thee this day, to Jo them. ''images, and cut down their groves, and burn '; 12 ^'"Wherefore it shall come to))ass, "if'yR their graven images with lire.! hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do
(i *|| 'For thou art a holy people unto the I. them, that the Lord thy God sliall keep unto I, OKI) thy God: "the Loito thy (Jod hath chosen i thee " the covenant and the mercy whicli lie tliee to be a special peoj)le unto himsell', ui^ove | sware unto thy tiithers: all ])Poplc that arc upon the face of the earth. \\ 13 And he will ' love thcc, and bless tlicc, and
7 The Lord did not set his love upon you, multiply thee: ^ he will also bless the fiiiit of nor choose you, because yc were more in num- thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, ber than any))eople; ior ye xvere ' the fewest and thy wine, and tliine oil, the increase of thy of all })eople: j kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the laud
5 13ut ' ' because the Lord loved you, and be- which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Verse 2. Thou shait smile them, &c.] Tliese idolatrous nations were to be utterly de.siroycd; and all the other.* also «liicli were conligiioiis to tlie boimdarics of tlie promised land, provided tlicy did not renonnre their idolatry, and receive the true t'ailli; but if lluy did not, tlien no covenant was to be made uitli thmi on any secular or political consideration whatever: no mercy was to be slieun to them, because the cup «>l' their iniquity also was now full; and tliey must either embrace, heartily embrace, the true religion, oube cut oft".
\'crse 3.?icilhir sluitt thou make viarriii^cs, &:e.] The heart being' naturally inclined to evil, there is more likelihood that the idolatrous wife should draw aside the believing husband, than that the believing husband should be able to brmg over his idolatrous wife to the true faitli.
Verse d. Thou art a holy peop't] And therefore should have no connection with the workers of iniquity.
a peculiar people — 4 private property. The wor^s, as fhey stand in the Septuagint, are quoted by the Apostle, 1 Pet. ii. 9.
^'e^se 8. Bui because the Lord loved yuii"] It was no good in thein, that induced God to chusc them at this time to be his peculiar peo[)lc: he had his rea.sons, but these sprang, from his infinite goodness. He intended to make a full discovery of his goodness to the world; and this must have a commencement in some particular place, and among some))cople. He chose that time, and he chose the Jewish people; but not bcLausc of their goodness or holiness.
Verse I J. The Lord — shall keep unto th'je the covenani] So wc find their continuance in the slate of favour, was to depend on their fuitli/ulncss to the grace of God. If thev should rebel, though God had chosen them through his /<-:■<•, yet he would cast them otV in his justice. Tlie Elect, we sec, may become iinfailbful, and so become reprobates, S* 5b 2
4Jtcd's miracles in Ei^ypU DEUTERONOMY
14 Thon slialt Le bl'.rsscd above all
people: ' t-iicre shall not bo male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
1.5.And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the ^ evil diseases of Ecrypt, which thoit knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
16 And *thou shult consume all the people which the Lord tiiy God shall deliver thee; " thine eye shall ha\e no pity upon them: neither shaft thou serve their gods; for tliat ui// be 'a. snare unto thee.
17 If thou shalt say in thine heart, These na» tions are more than Ij how can I 'dispossess them?
18 «Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well " remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt j
19 ■' The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, wliereby the Loud thy God brought thee out: so shall the Loud thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.
20 " Moreover tlie Lord thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and
Idolah-y to be destroyed.
hide themselves from thee, be destroyed. 21 Thou siialt not be affrighted at it happened to 24,000 of them, whose carcases fell in the wilderness, because thry had sinned; yet these were of the Ekci, llial came out of Egypt. Let him that standeth, take heed lest he fall.
Verse 22. Put out those nations — A;/ Utile and liitk] Tlie Israehtes were not as yet sufficiently numerous, to fill the whole land occupied by the seven nations mentioned ver. 1. And as wild and ferocious animals might be expected to multiply, where eitljer there are no inhabitants, or tlic place is but badly peopled, therefore God tells them, that though at present, by force of arms, they might be able to expel them.