Deuteronomy 31

as to leave little or no doubt of a national to the Romans, repentance and return to God, though when, and to what are circumstances extent, and by what particy/ar means, which remain unreveale ] or at least of difficult interpretation; and this does not seem the place for investigation. _As a pare divine command, it is particuticular inducement to obey t difficulty either in obtaining or in aes stated, that there is no They were not to go up to heaven, to reun amps, + e ministry of angels,” as at mount Sinai; nor ceive it ‘by t “Tt is very had they to cross the sea, to go back to Egypt. So it was nigh unto thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart.” b “« These words which I comenjoined on them, ((Deuteronomy 6:6-7).) mand thee this day, shall bein thine heart; and thou shalt teach and shalt talk of them when them diligently unto thy children thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, &c. (Compare (Romans 10:6), &c.) The close of the chapter is particularly eloquent and sublime; and the length and that fine sentiment, ‘‘ The Lord is thy life, of thy days,” is equally applicable to us Christians as to the literal seec " of Abraham. ‘‘In him we live, and move, and life and salvation have our being,” temporally; and spiritually, are alone from God our Saviour. Moses takes his farewell of the Chap. XX XI. Ver. 1—30. and delivers a charge to Joshua.—Moses paving brought the children of Israel to the very border of the promise } “When we have finished land, is yet not permitted to enter it.

(says Bishop Hall,) it is time for us to be what we came for, This earth is made for action, not for fruition. The services of God’s children would be iii rewarded, if they must Let no man think much that those are stay here always. their services would be iii fetched away which are faithful: The death of. here always.” rewarded, if they were to sta ¢ Moses out of the promised land, is denounced as a punishment. 1 ((Numbers 20:12).) But the or correction of his fault at Menbah. afflictions into blessings. Moses mercy of God turns all our Canaan, but he is admitted into is excluded from the earthly nie pm RE ST “a better country, even a heavenly one.” Before his death, however, he is ordered to deliver a charge to Joshua, to ‘‘ Be strong, and of good courage;’ assuring him that the Lord would go before, to prepare his way.

Moses having finished his inspired writings, appoints the public reading of them every seventh or sabbatic year, at the feast of tabernacles, in the ears of all the people. He is then enjoined to compose a sacred song, or poem, containing a recapitulation of the history of Israel, and of the Lord’s dealings towards them. This was to be learned by heart, and sung by them, in order to be a warning to them against the repetition of their former rebellions. This very beautiful composition we shall find in the following chapter.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXXI. Ver. 2. Ahundred and twenty years.—\The life of Moses and lawgiver of the Jews, was exactly the same the great prophet of Jehovah: I in length as the time Noah employed in preaching righteousness tothe autedilu- These one hundred and twenty years were divided into three vian world. b Forty years he lived in Egypt, In the court of Pharevh, remarkable perinds: the learnin ing and wisdom of the, Egyptians, (Ac.. xxvii-.20, £3. *) acquiring al and w: preparation for his greatand forty years he sojourned in Midian, in a state o important mission, ((Acts 7:29-30).) and forty years he guided, led, and governed the Israelites under the express direction and authority of God:—in all 120 years.]—Bagster.

Ver. 10. At the end of every seven years.—We read but of three instances of this being attended to, (Joshua 8:30). (2 Chronicles 17:7).; xxxiv. 30. (Nehemiah 8:7) Those commentators are, however, too hasty, who conclude that these were the only instances in which this was done. These are recorded, probably, as instances of the practice being restored, after some considerable in- ~Ver. 16. Thow shalt sleep with thy fathers.—Hebrew, “ Shalt lie down;” (“lying down:” it signifies to rest, take rest in sleep, and metaphorically to die. Though much stress cannot be safely laid upon this expression to prove the immortality of the soul, or that the people, in the time of Moses, had a distinct notion of its separate existence; yet, it was understood in this sense by Jonathan, who paraphrases the words thus: ‘‘ Thou shalt lie down in the dust with thy fathers; and thy soul shall be laid up in the treasury of the life to come, with thy fathers.”

|—Bagster. Ver. 17. Hide my face.—{Though this wer allude to the withdrawing of the Bhechinah, or visi! a appearance of Jehovah, yet the general meaning of the expression in Scripture is, the withdrawing of his approbation and protection, of which his visible appearance was formerly thg sign and pledge t= Bagster. Ver. 19. Write ye this song.—{The inimitable song which follows in the next chapter. Things of great importance, and of general concern, were, among the ancients, put into verse; as this was found, not only attractive an agreeable, but the best method of fixing and retaining them in the memory; especially in those eurly times when writing was but little practised. For this purpose, Jehovah was pleased to adapt his instructions.

A sacred song, conpce as substance of the preceding addresses, was appointed to be composed by Moses, doubtless under divine inspiration; which the people were required to learn, and teach to their children from generation to generation. This song would, when its predictions were verified, testify that they had been sufficiently warmed; bear witness to the justice of God; and form a powerful call to repentance.|—Bagster. It is most certain that the ancients sang (or rather chanted) their poetry, and sometimes prose. Homer sung his poemy to the harp, or lyre. So did the bards of the Druids, Celts, Germans, British, &c.—Aristotle says that the Greeks sung their laws and h stories. r Ver. 26. Take this book of the lav.—The original gqutograph, of which a copy was given to the priests.

See ver. 9.