Deuteronomy 31
DOYLYChap. XXXII. ver. 1. Give ear, O ye heavens, &c.] This prophetical Ode or Song of Moses contains a defence of God against the Israelites, and unfolds the method of the Divine judgments. Its opening is singularly elegant and magnificent; its whole arrangement and structure is regular, easy, and adapted to the nature of the subject, in an order nearly historical. It embraces an incredible variety of the most important topicks; the truth and justice of God, His fatherly affection and most unwearied lovingkindness towards his chosen people; the ungrateful and rebellious disposition of that people in return; then the heat of the Divine displeasure, and its most alarming menaces, delivered, in a noble personification, equal in grandeur to any thing which exists in the choicest treasures of poetry; at the same time it represents these very tides of indig-
Before CHRIST 1481. Moses’ song. Moses’ song. Before CHRIST 1451.
Deuteronomy 31:6
- — he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.] This promise, which is here general, is in the 8th verse particularly made to Joshua, and renewed to him by God Himself after the death of Moses, when they were about to enter into the land of Canaan, Josh. i. 5. It is applied by the Apostle to all faithful Christians, to encourage their hope of being conducted through all difficulties and dangers unto their heavenly inheritance, Heb. xiii. 5. Bp. Patrick.
Deuteronomy 31:9
- — Moses wrote this law.] That is, the whole body of the law, contained in the five books of Moses. The Scripture calls all, that is contained in these books, by the name of the “Law.” St. Paul, in Gal. iv. 21, asks this question, “Do ye not hear the Law?” and then quotes what we read in Genesis, chap. xvi. 1, &c. Nehemiah saith, chap. x. 34, 35, that they brought first-fruits unto God, “as it is written in the law,” namely in Exodus, ch. xiii. 12; xxiii. 10. Josiah put away the workers with familiar spirits, &c. “that he might perform the words of the law,” 2 Kings xxiii. 24, which words we find in Leviticus, ch. xix. 31; xx. 6, 27. Hezekiah also, 2 Chron. xxxi. 3, appointed the daily
oblations, and those required at stated times to be offered, “as it is written in the law of the Lord;” which plainly refers to chapters xxviii. xxix. of Numbers. And Joshua built an altar on mount Ebal, Josh. viii. 30, 31, “as it is written in the book of the law of Moses:” which we find no where but in this book of Deuteronomy, chap. xxvii. 4. Bps. Kidder and Patrick.
Deuteronomy 31:10
- — the year of release, — the feast of tabernacles.] “The year of release,” which was a time of religious feasting and rejoicing: “the feast of tabernacles,” which was after harvest, when the people had ended the labours of the year, and were at leisure, and assembled together at the stated national place of worship. Pyle.
Deuteronomy 31:16
- — thou shalt sleep with thy fathers;] “Sleep” is a common word for death, either of good or bad men. It was not used merely as a soft expression for that, which the heathens dreaded as the most terrible of all things; but perhaps to put the people in mind, that death should not last always, but that they should as certainly rise again, as they lay down (for such is the word in Hebrew) to “sleep with their fathers.” Bp. Patrick.
and a song. Moses’ protestation. Before CHRIST 1481.
Deuteronomy 31:26
- Take this book of the law.] From this expression “the book of the Law” in the singular number, and from our Lord’s, “Have ye not read in the book of Moses,” Mark xii. 26, it may not improbably be inferred, that Moses drew up the whole in one continued book: and that it remained so, even till our Saviour’s time. The division into five books, which is noticed by Josephus, seems not to have generally obtained till the time of the Jewish historian. And to support this opinion, there are no titles prefixed to the five books in the Hebrew text, which are distinguished only by their initial words. Dr. Hales.
Deuteronomy 31:30
- And Moses spake—the words of this song, &c.] The historical prophecies of Moses grow clearer and brighter towards the close of his life, and are crowned by a poetical composition of the most transcendent excellence, worthy indeed of its Author, the God of Israel, who dictated it to Moses, shortly before his death, and commanded him to teach it to the children of Israel, “that it might be a witness for Him against them,” in future times, “when many evils and troubles should befall them, for breaking His covenant:” “for,” added