XI. (1) THEREFORE. — There is no break here in the original. “The Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God.” AND KEEP HIS CHARGE. — Literally, _keep his keeping, i.e.,_ all that is to be kept in obedience to Him. ALWAY. — Literally, _a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND KNOW YE. — Or, _and ye know._ NOT WITH YOUR CHILDREN WHICH HAVE NOT KNOWN. — It must be remembered that all those who were less than twenty years of age at the date of the Exodus would still be living, and the events of their youth must have left a strong impression on their memories. Every man... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT HE DID UNTO DATHAN AND ABIRAM.... — See Numbers 16. It is impossible to separate the rebellion of _Korah_ from that of _Dathan and Abiram,_ and seeing that the whole point of Korah’s rebellion was _the priesthood,_ it is difficult to see how the writer of Deuteronomy could be ignorant of any pr... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YOUR EYES HAVE SEEN. — Literally, _For your eyes are the witnesses_ (literally; _the seers_)_ of all the great working of Jehovah which He hath wrought. _... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMMANDMENTS. — Literally, _the commandment._ It is _one course_ of action rather than many details which is enjoined. GO IN AND POSSESS — _i.e.,_ complete the conquest in detail, so as to enjoy the whole profit of the land.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO GIVE UNTO THEM. — See Note on Deuteronomy 11:21, further on.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT AS THE LAND OF EGYPT. — “But much better. And Egypt was praised above all lands, as it is said (Genesis 13:10), ‘As the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.’ And the land of Goshen, where Israel dwelt, is called ‘the best of the land of Egypt’ (Genesis 47:6). And even this was not so good... [ Continue Reading ]
DRINKETH WATER OF THE RAIN OF HEAVEN. — Or, as it is prettily expressed by the Jewish commentator, “While thou sleepest on thy bed, the Holy One (blessed be He!) waters it high and low.” (Comp. the parable in St. Mark 4:26.)... [ Continue Reading ]
A LAND WHICH THE LORD THY GOD CARETH FOR. — Literally, _seeketh,_ as in the margin of our Bibles. Comp. Ezekiel 20:6 : “A land that I had _espied_ for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.” “To _search out_ a resting-place for them” (Numbers 10:33). It is difficult not... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL COME TO PASS. — At this point begins the formal sanction of this charge by a declaration of rewards and punishments. Such sanctions are a characteristic feature of the Law. (Comp. Exodus 23:20 — end, at the close of the first code; Leviticus 26, and Deuteronomy 28; and, in the New Testament... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIRST RAIN (AFTER SOWING), THE LATTER RAIN (just before harvest). In the ninth month and the first month respectively. (See Ezra 10:9; Ezra 10:13, and Joel 2:23.) THAT THOU MAYEST GATHER IN. — Literally, _and thou shalt gather in._ Rashi reminds us that this may mean “thou, and not thine enemie... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THOU MAYEST EAT AND TO FULL. — The same writer observes that _“_this is a further blessing, which belongs to the food itself in man’s inward parts.” It is possible to eat and not be satisfied.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES — i.e., when you are satisfied. (Comp. Deuteronomy 8:10.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SHALL YE LAY UP THESE MY WORDS. — The same injunctions are found above (Deuteronomy 6:6). The Jewish commentator remarks, somewhat sadly, here, that they would remember them in their captivity, if not before. The “therefore” at the commencement of the verse is a simple “and,” so that the p... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE LAND WHICH THE LORD SWARE UNTO YOUR FATHERS TO GIVE THEM. — “It is not written here ‘to give _you,’_ but ‘to give _them.’ Hence we find the resurrection of the dead taught in the Law.”_ If this were the remark of a Christian commentator, it would be thought fanciful; but it is only the commen... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS. — “He is compassionate, and thou shalt be compassionate. He showeth mercies, and thou shalt show mercies.” Again Rashi’s comment is worthy of the New Testament. What follows shows the need of a mediator. TO CLEAVE UNTO HIM. — Is it possible to speak so? Is He not “a consumi... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY PLACE. — Repeated in Joshua 1:3, where see Note.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FEAR OF YOU AND THE DREAD OF YOU. — Rashi says: “The fear of you on those that are near, and the dread upon those that are far off.” It is a very far-reaching prophecy, for it may be read, “upon all the _earth_ that ye shall tread upon.” (See Esther 8:2, where it was fulfilled throughout the who... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD. — Another of the Jewish divisions of Deuteronomy begins here. A BLESSING AND A CURSE. — Literally, _blessing and cursing_ — _the blessing if ye obey, and the curse if ye do not. _... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BLESSING... AND THE CURSE... — The Targum of Onkelos says, “Those that bless,” and “those that curse.” (See Deuteronomy 27:12, and Note.[1]) [1] The other Targums say, “When they bless they shall turn their faces towards Mount Gerizim; and when they curse they shall turn their faces towards Mou... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE THE SUN GOETH DOWN. — A memorable passage, as attesting the true position of the speaker, east of Jordan, over against Jericho. The sun has been seen by travellers from that very spot going down exactly in the remarkable gap between Ebal and Gerizim. THE PLAINS OF MOREN. — Rather, _the oaks o... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE SHALL PASS OVER JORDAN. — In the place of Sichern, by the oak of Moreh, “the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give _this_ land.” It is the first recorded promise given to the patriarch that his seed should inherit that particular country. He had gone out from his own cou... [ Continue Reading ]