V. This chapter contains a recapitulation of the Decalogue itself and of the circumstances of its delivery. The repetition of the Ten Commandments is the true beginning of the Deuteronomy, as their first delivery is the beginning of the Law itself.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES CALLED ALL ISRAEL, AND SAID. — What follows is thus presented to us as an actual exhortation, not merely a portion of a book. THE STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS. — The religious _ordinances and institutions,_ and the general _requirements._ The mention of these is prefixed to the Decalogue, of wh... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD OUR GOD MADE A COVENANT WITH US IN HOREB. — It must never be forgotten that the Law _is a covenant_ in its _very form._ (See Note on Deuteronomy 5:6.)... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT... WITH OUR FATHERS, BUT WITH US. — That is, according to the usage of the Hebrew language in drawing contrasts, not _only_ with our fathers (who actually heard it), but _with us also,_ who were in the loins of our fathers, and for whom the covenant was intended no less than for them; and, in fa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD TALKED WITH YOU FACE TO FACE. — Yet they saw no manner of similitude (Deuteronomy 4:12), _i.e.,_ no visible form: but the very words of God reached their ears. So in Exodus 20:22, “Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.”... [ Continue Reading ]
In this verse a colon seems too large a stop after “the word of the Lord.” Perhaps it should rather be read thus: “_I_ stood between Jehovah and you at that time (for ye were afraid by reason of the fire), and ye went not up into the mount.” The cause of their not going up into the mount was not the... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE LORD THY GOD. — It should never be forgotten that this sentence is an integral part of the Decalogue, and also the _first part._ The declaration of Divine relationship, with all that it implies — the covenanted adoption of Israel by Jehovah — _precedes all the requirements of the Law._ The... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT HAVE NONE OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. — Literally, _upon my face, in addition to my presence;_ or, as Rashi says, “in any place where I am, that is, in the whole world.” “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit, or whither _shall I flee from Thy face?_” Idols are, at the very best, only masks which... [ Continue Reading ]
VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN. — There are no sins which so surely entail penal consequences upon succeeding generations as the abominations of idolatry. All idolatry means the degradation of the Divine image in man. But it is not meant here that the soul of the son shall di... [ Continue Reading ]
THEM THAT LOVE ME. — We have an echo of this commandment in the words of our Saviour: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The promise of His presence with us through the “other Comforter” compensates for the absence of any visible image. As _love_ in this verse is practical, so is _h... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE... IN VAIN. — Literally, _Thou shalt not put the name of Jehovah thy God to vanity:_ i.e., to anything that is false, or hollow, or unreal. Primarily, it is false swearing that is forbidden here; but the extension of the principle to vain and rash swearing, or the light use of the Name without... [ Continue Reading ]
(12-15) The language of this commandment is identical with the form it takes in Exodus only so far as the 13th and 14th verses are concerned; and even here the special mention of the ox and the ass is confined to Deuteronomy. The introduction and the close of the command, which gives the reason for... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT IT MAY GO WELL WITH THEE... — In this form St. Paul cites the commandment in the Epistle to the Ephesians (Deuteronomy 6:2). As to what may be made of this promise, see a Note on Deuteronomy 22:7, and a quotation from the Talmud on the point.... [ Continue Reading ]
(17-20) The wording of these four commandments is the same with that of Exodus 20.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS FIELD. — These words are not found in Exodus 20. The children of Israel had now become, or were just about to become, landowners; hence the addition is appropriate in this place. There is also another slight verbal alteration. One word only is used for “covet” in Exodus 20:17; here two are emplo... [ Continue Reading ]
HE ADDED NO _MORE_ — i.e., He spoke no more in this manner; or, there were only ten commandments. So Deuteronomy 5:25 : “If we add to hear “ — _i.e.,_ in this fashion.... [ Continue Reading ]
(23-27) The speech of the elders to Moses is more fully and exactly described here than in Exodus 20, where it is briefly summarised as expressing the mind of the whole people. (25) WHY SHOULD WE DIE? — The instinctive dread of death awakened by the Divine presence, and especially by the declaratio... [ Continue Reading ]
(28-31) AND THE LORD HEARD THE VOICE OF YOUR WORDS... — The Divine comment on the words of the people is recorded only in Deuteronomy; but in order to obtain a complete record of it, we must refer to Deuteronomy 18:18. It will appear by comparison of the two passages that the promise of the prophet... [ Continue Reading ]