Deuteronomy 9

“Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this

CHAPTER IX. Ver. 1—29. Moses cautions the children of Israel against self-righteousness.—A caution this as necessary to us as to them;—in our age, as it was 3000 years ago. There are several errors to be guarded against. 1. Persons who prosper in the world, are too apt to attribute their success to their own merits, whereas much may be owing to the folly or wickedness of others, who are punished by the same means as they are enriched: Israel was enriched by the punishment of Canaan. 2. As this is common in respect of temporal things, much more is it so in matters of religion.

The Pharisee who fasts twice in the week, or gives tithes of his possessions, imagines that he lays the Almighty under obligations to reward him; not considering that he is a sinner, and a rebel against his Maker. 3. Whatever God does for us, it is for the sake of another. They provoked the Lord at Horeb, by worshipping a golden calf, and were continually, for forty years afterwards, murmuring and rebelling. Who can lay his hand upon his heart and say, I am not an idolater? or, I am not a rebel? It is our mercy that we have a better Mediator than Moses; who is also the Mediator of a better covenant. “It is good for us (says Henry) often to recollect against ourselves, with sorrow and shame, our former sins; and to review the records which

conscience keeps of them, that we may see how much we are indebted to free grace, and may humbly own, that we never merited at God’s hand any thing but wrath and the curse.” In his introduction to these cautions, the prophet says, “Hear, O Israel! thou art to pass over Jordan this day;” but this was before the death of Moses, probably a full month, and consequently many days before they

definitely passed over: but day is often used in a loose sense, for a short time, or period, and must be so taken here. (See (Genesis 2:4, 17). (Deuteronomy 7:11-13), viii. 11-13, ix. 24; xii. 18; xxviii. 9, &c.) In the close of this chapter, Moses informs the people with what earnestness he had pleaded on their behalf, and particularly on the behalf of Aaron, with whom the Lord was very angry, on account of the calf which he made, and which they worshipped.

(See (Exodus 32)expos. and notes.) And it is very remarkable, that in all the petitions of Moses to the Lord for Israel, he uses but two pleas; namely, a regard for his own glory, and the covenant which he had made with Abraham. (See (Exodus 32:11-14). (Numbers 14:13), &c.) And thus it is with us; we can plead the covenant made with Christ, our Redeemer, and the glory resulting to the divine mercy from the pardon of sinners, such as we are: but as to all pleas of personal worthiness, our mouths must be shut for ever.

Notes on the verses

Chap. IX. Ver. 1. This day.—Hyyom, “this day,” frequently denotes, as here, this time. They had come 33 years before this nearly to the verge of the promised land, but were not permitted, because of their unbelief and rebellion, at that day or time, to enter; but this time they shall certainly pass over. This was spoken in the eleventh month of the fortieth year of their journeying; and it was on the first month of the following year they passed over: and during this interval Moses died.—Bagster.

Ver. 5. Not for thy righteousness.—(Though the Canaanites were exiled for their wickedness, it does not follow, that the Israelites were established in their room on account of any distinguished virtue, or because they deserved it. On many occasions, it may be seen in the history of the world, that God punishes the wicked by the instrumentality of other men, who are as wicked as themselves.

Not the Israelites’ righteousness, but the wickedness of the inhabitants, and the promise of God to their fathers, was the cause of their obtaining Canaan.—Bagster.

Ver. 17. Two tables.—{Moses might have done this through distress and anguish of spirit on beholding their abominable idolatry and dissolute conduct: or probably he did it emblematically, and perhaps by the direction of God; intimating thereby that, as by this act of his the tables were broken in pieces, on which the law of God was written, so they, by their present conduct, had made a breach in the covenant, and broken the law of their Maker and Sovereign.}—Bagster.

Ver. 21. I took your sin, the calf.—See (Exodus 32:15-35).

exposition.—Brook, &c.—(This was the stream which flowed from the rock that Moses smote with his rod, ((Exodus 17:6).) and to which the Psalmist alludes in (Psalms 78:16-20); ver. 41. Philo relates, that upon Moses striking the rock, the water poured out like a torrent, affording not only a sufficient quantity for allaying their present thirst, but to fill their water vessels to carry with them on their journey.)—Bagster.

Ver. 25. Forty days and forty nights.—From the mention of forty days twice before in this chapter, (ver. 11 and 18) some have concluded that Moses fasted three times forty days and nights; but for this, as Scott remarks, the text affords no sufficient authority. The words of Moses are, “Thus I fell down,”

&c.; meaning as before related.

CHAPTER X. Ver. 1. Make an ark of wood.—(It is evident that the ark of the covenant, and not a temporary ark, was here intended; for the two tables of the law continued in it, at the time when Moses delivered this discourse.—Probably, before he ascended the mount the second time, he gave express orders to Bezaleel to get the ark ready against he came down; and, having directed and ordered the making of it, he speaks as if he had made it: thus Solomon is said to have built the temple, which he caused to be built by the hands of others.)—B.

Ver. 6. The children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera.—Beeroth signifies “wells;”

so that they stopped here to procure water for themselves and cattle: but (Numbers 33)which contains a regular list of their encampments, says, (ver. 31.) “They departed from Moseroth, (the plural of Mosera,) and pitched in Bene-jaakan;” i.e. among the children of Jaakan which can only be reconciled by supposing they twice visited the children of Jaakan, who might have two settlements, a thing by no means unlikely. It must be confessed, however, that the Samaritan Pentateuch contains a much clearer account, probably supplied from the chapter in Numbers above referred to. That account is thus given by Dr. Kennicott: “When the children of Israel journeyed from Moseroth, and encamped at Bene-jaakaan, from thence they journeyed and encamped at Hagidgad; from thence they journeyed and encamped in Jothathah, a land of rivers of waters: from thence they journeyed and encamped in Ebronah:—in Ezion-gaber:—in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh; and then at mount Hor.

And Aaron died there, and was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest’s office in his stead. At that time the Lord separated the tribe of (Leviticus 1)” &c.—

Moserah, there Aaron died.—But in Numbers xxxiii. 38, 39. we read that Aaron died in mount Hor; those who reject the additions of the Samaritan text, explain Moserah to be the same with Hor, which is not impossible. The name Hor, signifies a mount, by way of eminence: and mount Hor was probably so called from the prospect it afforded, as we often call such a rising ground “Mount Pleasant.” (So Pisgah, where Moses died, signifies the hill; i.e. a peak arising on mount Nebo.—To return to Aaron:) Moseroth signifies a chain, i.e.

of mountains; Moserah (the singular of Moseroth) a link of that chain, and might properly refer to Hor, as swelling (the radical idea of the word) above the rest, even as Pisgah on mount Nebo.

Ver. 14. Heaven of heavens.—[Hashshamayim ooshemey hashshamayim, “the heavens and the heavens of heavens.” All these words are in the plural; and are probably intended to point out the immensity of God’s creation, in which we may readily conceive one system of heavenly bodies, and others beyond them, and others still in endless progression, through the whole immensity of space.]—Bagster.

Ver. 22. Three score and ten.—And now, from so small a beginning, they are multiplied to more than 600,000 men, besides women and children; and this, indeed, in the space of 40 years; for the 603,000 which came out of Egypt, were at this time all dead, except Moses, Joshua, and Caleb.

How easy can God increase and multiply, as well as diminish and

lower! In all things, by his omnipotence, he can do whatsoever he will; and he will do whatsoever is right.—Bagster.