Deuteronomy 28

Chap. XXVIII. Ver. 1—68. Promises to encourage obedience, and threatenings against the disobedient.—The general purport of this chapter is very similar to that of Leviticus XXVI.; it is, however, too palpable to be wholly passed over. It contains a copious enumeration of all the blessings which constitute the portion of those who fear and serve God, contrasted with the effects and consequences of disobedience; and the latter part of it, in particular, contains a prophetic catalogue of the miseries which have fallen on this favoured nation, partly accomplished in the captivities recorded in the Scriptures, but more fully in the total destruction of their city and the dispersion of their nation by the Romans.

One thing important to be borne in mind is, that the Israelites are here spoken of as a nation; and the rewards and punishments here mentioned, are temporal and national: still, as their national character strongly indicated their moral state as individuals, so their temporal happiness or misery as a people, shadowed out that state of future happiness or misery which awaits, in another world, the righteous and the wicked. On the general tenor of this chapter, we may remark, that when one is blessed of God, he is wholly blessed, and every where; in the city and in the field—in his family and in his farm—in his basket and his store—at home and on his journey. “Riches and honour are with him” “he is the head and not the tail:”

he is elevated above all his enemies. On the other hand, not less numerous—not less universal—are the miseries attending on disobedience, whether in a nation or an individual. A summary of God’s judgments.—This summary is awfully sublime, and abundantly demonstrates that it is indeed “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!” for he hath said, “Vengeance belongeth unto me, and I will recompense.” ((Hebrews 10:30-31).) “In vain (says Scott) does human language exhaust its powers in attempting to express the whole meaning of these important terms, the blessing and the curse of Almighty God. All events are absolutely at his pate [disposal]; all creatures are his servants, and he can make us as happy or as miserable as he pleases.

If he determine to bless us, he can command a confluence of health, riches, and reputation; and will give fruitful fields, flourishing families, and peaceful habitations, in case these be good for us….. On the other hand, if the Lord purpose to inflict vengeance, what miseries can his curse inflict, even in this present world! An assemblage of direful diseases, racking pains, pinching poverty, and dreary famine, with armies of victorious enemies, exercising every cruelty, enhanced by galling insult, are ready to obey his mandate!…. The sinner’s own wretchedness will be also aggravated by witnessing the distress of friends, relatives, and children, rendered miserable through his crimes. And all this (alas!) is but the beginning of sorrows to those who are under the curse of God: what will then be their unabating and everlasting misery, in that world where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched?’ ‘God be merciful to us miserable sinners!’

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXVIII. Ver. 2. Great stones, and plaster them.—(Houbigant and others are of opinion that the original words, 20¢sadta othom beseed, should be rendered, “thou shalt cement them with cement,” because this was intended to be a durable monument. Some suppose that the writing was to be in relief, and that the spaces were to be filled up by the mortar or cement; as is frequently the case with eastern [inscriptions]. Dr. Clarke mentions a large slab of basalt (two feet long by sixteen inches wide) in which is an inscription in three languages; the Persian and Arabic in relief, i.e. in raised letters; the Tamool indented. Two Arabic marbles in the University of Oxford have also their inscriptions in relief.

How many stones were here employed we are not told, or this would enable us to judge of the extent of the inscription; but as they were to be written very plainly, the letters of course could not be small. Ver. 3. This law.—[This law probably means only the blessings and curses mentioned in this and the following chapter; which indeed contain an excellent epitome of the whole law.]—Bagster. Ver. 4. A much more serious difficulty arises here from the difference between the Hebrew re i texts; the latter reading Gerizim instead of Ebal. Dr. Kennicott has laboured to prove that the Samaritan is the true reading: but his arguments have been examined, and the force of them, at least, greatly lessened, by Dr.

Parry, Verschuir, and others; but the question is now of little consequence. It has been remarked, that Gerizim is very fruitful, and Ebal very barren, from which some have drawn an argument in favour of the Jews, but it is by no means conclusive. Ver. 15. Cursed be, &c.—These curses are not to be considered as wishes or prayers, but as denunciations of God’s judgments on the incorrigible transgressors of his law; particularly the Ten Commandments, with which they have been stated to correspond, as follows:—First three Commands, ver. 15; Fourth, ver. 15; Fifth, ver. 16; Sixth, ver. 24, 25; Seventh, ver. 20—21; Eighth, ver. 17; Ninth, ver. 19; Tenth, ver. 26. Ver. 26. Cursed is every one that confirmeth not all the words, &c.—The word all, inserted in italics in our text, is not found in any printed edition of the Hebrew: but it is in a few MSS.

in the Samaritan text and the LXX., and in the quotation of St. Paul, (Galatians 3:10). It is, however, evidently implied when not expressed, for the curse is applied to the breach of each of the commands, as above shown. —Cap. XXVIII. Ver. 5. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.—Hasselquist informs us, that baskets made of the leaves of the palm-tree, are used by the people of the East on journeys, and in their houses. Harmer thinks that ta?ne, in this place, means their travelling baskets; and mishaireth, (store) their leather bags; in both which they were wont to carry things in travelling; and that, understood in this manner, the passage promises Israel success in their commerce, as the next verse (the 6th) promises them personal safety in their going out, and in their return.

In this view, the passage appears with due distinctness, and a noble extent.”—Bagster. However, we may understand the olive-gathering and vintage, in which it was employed; and by the store or remainder, all laid up for future use, or prepared for present consumption. ]—Bagster. Ver. 13. The head and not the tail.—See (Isaiah 9:15). “The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.” Ver. 15. All these curses.—The same variety of expression is used in these terrible curses, as in the preceding blessings, to intimate every kind of prosperity or adversity, personal, relative, and public. The succeeding history of the Israelites shows, that as long as they adhered to the service of God, they were blessed;

but, when disobedient, these awful curses have “overtaken them,” even to the present day. Consulting the parallel references will generally lead to the best exposition of the terms employed; and will frequently point out the fulfilment of the promises and threatenings.—Bagster. Ver. 23. And thy heaven (the sky above them, which in the East is seldom obscured with clouds) shall be brass.—That is, reflect a glowing, intolerable heat, like burning brass.—And the earth that is under thee shall be iron.—That is, equally impervious to culture, and unfavourable to vegetation, with the iron ore. Ver. 24. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust.—An extract from Sir T. Roe’s Embassy, will greatly illustrate this.

“Sometimes there (in India) the wind blows very high in hot and dry seasons, raising up into the air, a very great height, thick clouds of dust and sand. These dry showers most grievously [affect] all those among whom they fall, enough to smite them all with a present blindness, filling their eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouths too, if they be not well guarded; searching every place, as well within as without, so that there is not a little key-hole of any trunk or cabinet, if it be not covered, but receives some of the dust into it.” The celebrated Tournefort, in his Travels in the Levant, mentions the same phenomena. Ver. 32. Thy sons and daughters.—[In several countries, particularly in Spain and Portugal, the children of the Jews have been taken from them, by order of the government, to be educated in the Popish faith.

There have been some instances of such cruelty even in Protestant countries.—Bagster. Ver. 36. Serve other gods.—The Israelites, who were carried captive by the Assyrians, and many of the Jews in Chaldea, were finally incorporated with the nations among whom they lived, and were given up to their idolatry. It is probable, however, that this refers to Jews being compelled, in Popish countries, to conceal their religion, and profess that of the Romish Church. Ver. 39. The worms shall eat them.—This threatening has often been fulfilled, to the great disappointment of those who cultivate the vine. An insect called the vine-weevil, (a small beautiful beetle,) is extremely hurtful to vines; so is the caterpillar, which mines or cuts the leaves of the vine.

Ver. 49. A nation from far, from the ends of the earth.—Language in part very similar was applied by the prophet Jeremiah to the Chaldeans; ((Deuteronomy 5:15).) but the whole is applicable to the Romans, and some parts almost exclusively; though it is very possible, that a prophecy, as well as a promise, may receive a double fulfilment. It is very remarkable, that the two great Roman commanders went from Britain (where they were stationed) to attack the Jews; and the eagle, it is well known, was the Roman standard. The Jews (with a few exceptions) were perfect strangers to their language. Ver. 50. A nation of fierce countenance.—This, with what follows, may be applied to both the Chaldeans and Romans.

Compare (Matthew 24:1), &c. Ver. 53. Thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body.—This was fulfilled in Samaria, (2 Kings 6:28-29). and in Jerusalem, when besieged by the Romans, as is related by Josephus. Ver. 54. Wife of his bosom.—[The Roman armies at length besieged, sacked, and utterly desolated Jerusalem; and during this siege, the famine was so extreme, that even rich and delicate persons, both men and women, ate their own children, and concealed the horrible repast lest others should tear it from them! “Women snatched the food out of the very mouths of their husbands, and sons of their fathers, and (what is most miserable) mothers of their infants.” —Josephus. “In every house, if there appeared any semblance of food, a battle ensued, and the dearest friends and relations fought with one another; snatching away the miserable provisions of life.” —Ibid.]—Bagster.