All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. Ver. 1. _All the commandments._] "All" is but a little word, but of large extent. There are _magnalia legis_, and _minutu... [ Continue Reading ]
And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, [and] to prove thee, to know what [was] in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. Ver. 2. _To know what was,_] _i.e., _ To discover and make known to th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every [word] that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live._ Ver. 3. _And he humbl... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Ver. 4. _Thy raiment weaved not old._] It was not the worse for wearing, but grew as their bodies did, as some are of opinion. They needed not to trouble themselves with those anxious thoughts of heathens, what they... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, [so] the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Ver. 5. _That as a man chasteneth his son._] This is reckoned here as a high favour. So Job accounts it, Job 7:17-18 and Paul describes it, Heb 12:7-8 and Jeremiah prays for it. Jer 10... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. Ver. 6. _Therefore thou shalt keep._] As good children are the better for beating, and do gather under the wing of a frowning father.... [ Continue Reading ]
For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; Ver. 7. _That spring out of valleys._] _Quantum miraculi sit in admiranda illa fontium perennitate, nemo, credo, Philosophorum satis explicare hactenus potui... [ Continue Reading ]
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; Ver. 8. _A land of wheat and barley._] _Sumen totius orbis._ Strabo basely slandereth this fat and fertile country as dry and barren; but Rabshakeh 2Ki 18:32 and Tacitus tell us otherwise. The t... [ Continue Reading ]
A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any [thing] in it; a land whose stones [are] iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. Ver. 9. _Thou shalt not lack anything in it._] Of the Island of Cyprus it is said, that it sendeth forth great abundance of co... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Ver. 10. _Then thou shalt bless._] “ _Rarm fumaut foelicibus arm._ ” Solomon's wealth did him more harm than ever his wisdom did him good. But that should not have been. Solomon's... [ Continue Reading ]
Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Ver. 11. _Beware that thou forget not the Lord._] By casting his words behind thee, Psa 50:17 and not considering the operation of his hands. Isa 5:12 F... [ Continue Reading ]
Lest [when] thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt [therein]; Ver. 12. _And hast built goodly houses._] _Haec sunt quae nos invitos faciunt mori._ These are the things that make us loath to die, said the Emperor Charles V, to the Duke of Venice, who had showed him the... [ Continue Reading ]
And [when] thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Ver. 13. _When thy silver and thy gold._] Which what is it else but white and red mould, the guts and garbage of the earth? Wonder it is surely, that treading upon it we sh... [ Continue Reading ]
Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Ver. 14. _Then thy heart be lifted up._] The devil will easily blow up this blab in the rich man's heart, whose usual diseases are earthly mindedness and hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, [wherein were] fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where [there was] no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Ver. 15. _Who led thee through, &c._] Good turns aggravate unkindnesses, and our offences are increa... [ Continue Reading ]
Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; Ver. 16. _Who fed thee._] God will give his people _Pluviam escatilem, et petram aquatilem._ _a_ He will set the flint abroach, and rain... [ Continue Reading ]
And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of [mine] hand hath gotten me this wealth. Ver. 17. _My power._] As that great dragon of Egypt, lying at ease in the swollen waters of his Nile, saith, "My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself." Eze 29:3 Hab 1:16... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. Ver. 19. _Ye shall surely perish._] Idolatry is a land desolating sin. Jdg 5:8... [ Continue Reading ]