Deuteronomy 32

— waxed fat, and kicked.] As Israel, (whom God compares to an heifer, fed in large and fruitful pastures,) enjoying always a full range, grew fat, and wanton, and kicked with the heel; so are we apt, the more plentifully God heapeth His blessings upon us, the more wantonly to follow the bent of our own hearts, and the more contemptuously to spurn at His holy commandments. Bp. Sanderson.

The Church teaches us to pray God to deliver us “in all time of our tribulation, in all time of our wealth;” that is, as well in our prosperity as adversity; from the dangers and temptations that beset us in every condition of life. A petition for deliverance in the time of wealth and prosperity may appear to a worldly-minded person needless, if not absurd. But our blessed Lord teaches us a very different lesson: warning us, in the strongest terms, of the great danger attending a state of affluence; which our daily experience and observation most abundantly confirm. The Jews of old were a remarkable instance of this: “Jeshurun waxed fat, &c., then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.” And the Prophet to the same effect; “They were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me,” Hos. xiii. 6. If therefore to forget and forsake God be too often the consequence of a prosperous condition, how earnestly ought we to pray for His grace, to deliver us from the power of its temptations! Waldo.

In this and in the following verses Moses speaks in the prophetic style, in which the past tense is frequently used for the future; and things to come represented as already past, to denote the certain event of the things predicted. Pyle.

— the Rock of his salvation.] We have in Scripture several instances of persons retiring to rocks for safety; and it appears that rocks are still resorted to in the East, as places of security. Before the invention of gunpowder, and before its explosive power was known,

he [ abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.

— he came with ten thousands of saints:] Or, “of holy angels.” The law, which He gave, as men do when with their “right hands” they deliver their gifts, is called “a fiery law;” because God spake the words thereof “out of the midst of the fire,” Deut. v. 22. Bp. Kidder.

— the deep that croucheth beneath.] Springs of water which burst out of the bowels of the earth. Bp. Patrick.

Deuteronomy 32:2

2. — The Lord came from Sinai, &c.] God, like a glorious sun, imparted His beams unto Israel: beginning His course at their first entering into the wilderness, and still “rising up” to them by the proof of His

Deuteronomy 32:3

3. — all his saints are in thy hand:] He hath a special care of the Israelites, that “holy nation,” Exod. xix. 6, who sat at His feet, and promised subjection and obedience to Him. Bp. Kidder. The change of the person from his to thy is very frequent in the Hebrew language. See particularly Dan. ix. 4. Bp. Patrick.

— they sat down at thy feet:] Meaning, they received instruction from thee. To the same effect St. Paul says, “I was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel,” Acts xxii. 3. If the same mode of sitting prevailed anciently in the East, as now prevails, in respect of master and scholars, the phrase is very descriptive and accurate. For the master is seated on a carpet spread on the ground with his books before him; and around him, at a little distance, beyond his books, sit his scholars in a circle, attending to his instructions. Fragments to Calmet.

Deuteronomy 32:4

4. Moses commanded us a law.] Josephus remarks, that the Greek legislators were modern in comparison of Moses; and that the ancient Greeks were unacquainted with the very term (Nomos) Law. It is not in Homer, the most ancient Greek writer. Calmet.

Deuteronomy 32:5

5. — he was king in Jeshurun.] Many persons are called kings in Scripture, whom we should rather denominate chiefs or leaders. Such is the sense of the word in this passage. Moses was the chief, the leader, the

Before CHRIST 1451. 1401. of law. The blessings of the twelve tribes. Before CHRIST 1431.

Deuteronomy 32:6

6. Let Reuben live, &c.] Though it was formerly prophesied of this tribe, that, in punishment of the sin of its founder, it should not be so honourable or so numerous as several of the rest, yet shall it continue in some measure to flourish. Pyle. In the last clause of this verse, the word not is wanting in the original. The words may be thus translated exactly: “Let Reuben live and not die, though his men be few:” which seems to be a confirmation of the prophecy of Jacob, Gen. xlix. 4, “that he should not excel,” and yet should live and not perish: that is, he should be in some measure a flourishing tribe, though not so numerous as some others. Bp. Patrick.

— live, and not die;] When a thing is intended to be described in a striking manner, it is usual in Hebrew to repeat the same terms, a little varied; or to express the sentiment both affirmatively and negatively, as here and in other places: see Gen. xliii. 8; Ps. cxviii. 7; Is. xxxviii. 1. Dr. Durell.

Deuteronomy 32:7

7. And this is the blessing of Judah.] He speaks of Judah next, as that which was to be the royal tribe in time, and the principal tribe in the wars all along after: he therefore says, “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah,” when he calls for Thy help at going out to war before his brethren; “and bring him home unto his people” again, safe and victorious. Dr. Wells.

This benediction cannot relate to the time when it was given; for then Judah’s “hands” were very “sufficient for him,” this being by far the greatest of the twelve tribes; see Numb. i. and xxvi: and there was more reason to put up this petition for several other tribes than for Judah. It is to be referred therefore to the prophecy of Jacob, and to the continuance of the sceptre of Judah, after the destruction of the other tribes. Judah, in Moses’s time, consisted of 74,600, reckoning only those of twenty years old, and upwards, Numb. ii. 4. But on the return from Babylon, Judah, with Benjamin, the Levites, and the remnant of Israel, made only 42,360, Ezra ii. 64; and they were in so weak a state, that Sanballat in great scorn said, “What do these feeble Jews?” Neh. iv. 2. Now Moses, in the spirit of prophecy, seeing the desolation of all the tribes; seeing the tribes of the children of Israel carried away

Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

Deuteronomy 32:8

8. — Let thy Thummim and thy Urim &c.] Continue in this tribe the high dignity of consulting with Thee, and receiving directions from Thee, by the high priest, concerning the publick safety. Aaron is called “the saint of the Lord,” Ps. cvi. 16. Bp. Patrick.

Be gracious to the tribe of Levi, and furnish Thou Thy high priest, whom Thou hast chosen out of it, with those excellent graces, which Thou hast figured in his breastplate, with perfection of knowledge, and sanctity. Thus do Thou bless the son of that Thy servant Aaron, whom Thou providest at Massah, &c. Bp. Hall.

— with whom thou didst strive] Whom Thou didst punish and chastise, as the Hebrew word signifies, but didst not deprive of the dignity of the priesthood. Bp. Kidder.

Deuteronomy 32:9

9. Who said unto his father &c.] We have in general the most concern for those, of whom we have the most knowledge. Hence, in the sacred books, knowing or owning any person signifies having a regard for him: and denying or disowning any one, the contrary. Thus wicked men are said to “deny God, while they profess to know Him,” Tit. i. 16, and our Saviour in return will deny them at the great day, saying, “I never knew you, depart from Me,” Matt. vii. 23; Luke xiii. 25, 27. Thus in the Old Testament, when the children of Levi had suppressed a rebellion of the people against God and their lawful governours, by falling without destruction upon all whom they found engaged in it, Moses describes the heroic behaviour of that tribe in these terms: “Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for he observed Thy word and kept Thy covenant:” that is, they preferred their duty to Heaven and the publick, before the tenderest private regards. So also Job: “Though I were perfect,” which he had just been disclaiming, “yet would I not know my soul,” Job ix. 21. Were I freer from faults than I am, it should not tempt me to self-partiality. Abp. Secker.

Deuteronomy 32:10

10. He found him in a desert land.] There He first took the Israelites to be His peculiar people; for so the word, rendered here “found,” frequently signifies. Bp. Patrick. Or, There He sustained them, and made for them sufficient provision. Bp. Kidder. — he led him about, &c.] Irwin describes the mountains of the desert of Thebaia as sometimes so steep and dangerous, as to induce even very bold and hardy travellers to avoid them, by taking a large circuit; and says, that, for want of a proper knowledge of the way, such a wrong path may be taken as may on a sudden bring them into the greatest dangers: at other times a dreary waste may extend itself so prodigiously, as to make it difficult, without assistance, to find the way to a proper outlet. This shews the meaning of the words of Moses. God instructed Israel how to avoid the dangers of the journey, by “leading the people about” this and that dangerous precipitous bill, directing them to proper passes through the mountains, and guiding them through the intricacies of their difficult journey, which might have confounded the most consummate Arab guides. Harmer. — he kept him as the apple of his eye.] As the sight of the eye is by God’s care and wise providence fenced about and preserved from harm by the eyelids, by its deep situation, and by several other means; so did He in the wilderness preserve Israel from harm and danger. Bp. Kidder.

11. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, &c.] The Levites were not only commissioned to instruct the people in the law of Moses, but were also appointed by that law

The blessings of the twelve tribes. whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.

Deuteronomy 32:11

11. As an eagle &c.] This admirable similitude, so sublimely beautiful, and yet so simple and natural, of the parent eagle, training his young nestlings to fly; first, “stirring them up,” or rousing them from the nest; then “hovering about them,” to watch and encourage their timid efforts; “spreading abroad his wings,” to receive them, when drooping; “taking them up, carrying them on his shoulder,” to ease them, when wearied and exhausted by unusual efforts; is probably painted from the life, with so much circumstantial imagery, from the scenes which Moses might often have witnessed in the deserts of Arabia Petrea. God himself had been pleased to employ this comparison, “I bare you on eagles’ wings,” Exod. xix. 4. Dr. Hales.

Deuteronomy 32:12

12. — there was no strange god with him.] To help or assist him: but by His Almighty power alone they were protected and preserved. This made their sin the more heinous in sacrificing to other gods, ver. 17, as if they had been their benefactors. Bp. Patrick.

13. And of Benjamin he said,] He mentions Benjamin next to Levi, because the temple, in which the priests officiated, was partly situated in his lot. Bp. Patrick.

— The beloved of the Lord shall dwell &c.] Benjamin, favoured of God, shall have his inheritance in a safe place; namely, about Jerusalem the holy city, and the temple, or place of God’s special residence among the Israelites. Compare Josh. xviii. 11. 28. Bp. Kidder.

— he shall dwell between his shoulders.] That is, The Lord’s temple shall be situated in his land. Bp. Kidder. “Between his shoulders,” or, by his sides or borders: so the word, translated “shoulders” is used in Numb. xxxiv. 11. And it is plain that the lot of Benjamin touched on that of Judah, at Jerusalem: the temple being included within the limits of Benjamin’s tribe. Bp. Patrick, Pyle.

It is with reference to this circumstance, that wha Moses here predicts of Benjamin, is to be understood: namely, that God’s providence would remarkably continue over him until the dissolution of their state; and that He would, for a season, vouchsafe to dwell by His visible representation in the inheritance of Benjamin. Dr. Durell. See the note on Gen. xlix. 27; latter part of the verse.

Deuteronomy 32:13

13. — ride on the high places of the earth.] Or, of the land: that is, conquer, and in a triumphant manner possess, Canaan, full of lofty and fruitful hills. Dr. Wells. — suck honey out of the rock.] That is, the country abounds in wild bees, which, hiving in the rocks, furnish honey. See the instance of Jonathan, 1 Sam. xiv. 25. Hasselquist says, between Acre and Nazareth, “great numbers of wild bees breed, to the advantage of the inhabitants.” Maundrell observes of the great salt plain near Jericho, that “he perceived in it, in many places, a smell of honey and wax, as strong as if he had been in an apiary.” See the account of the wild honey of John the Baptist, Matt. iii. 4; Mark i. 6. Script. illust. — oil out of the flinty rock.] That is, the olive trees grow in the crevices of rocks, and these yield oil. Hasselquist tells us, that “he ate olives at Joppa, which were said to grow on the mount of Olives near Jerusalem; and that independent of their supposed holiness, they were of the best kind he tasted in the Levant.” That Syria abounded in oil is evident, from its being exported into Egypt, Hos. xii. 1; and we find William of Tyre, in the time of the crusades, describing Syria. Sobal as all thick set with olive trees, making prodigious woods that covered the country, and afforded subsistence to the inhabitants. Script. illust. Some naturalists observe, that olive trees grow most prosperously in stony and barren places. Bp. Patrick.

14. And of Joseph he said, &c.] Joseph’s tribe shall have a country fall to its share, most plentifully blest with every thing, that can render it fruitful and pleasant: with seasonable rains, dews, and convenient springs of water: with a soil yielding the fattest crops, and fairest fruits. Such will be the ancient and famous hills and valleys of Ephraim, Samaria, and Bashan. Pyle.

Whether we consider Joseph, with respect to his situ-

Deuteronomy 32:14

14. — rams of the breed of Bashan.] That is, of the fairest and best kind. Bashan was famous for cattle, Numb. xxxii. 4. Bp. Kidder. — the fat of kidneys of wheat:] The Hebrews call the best of every kind of thing, “the fat.” And “the kidneys of wheat,” signifies large and plump corn, affording great plenty of flour. It is a metaphorical expression; there being some resemblance between the figure of that grain, and the kidneys. Bps. Patrick and Kidder. This expression has been adopted by the Psalmiat twice, who speaks of “the fat of wheat.” Ps. lxxxi. 16; cxlvii. 14; which our translation renders “the finest wheat.” Dr. Hales. Some of the greatest delicacies in India are now made from the rolong-flour, which is called the heart, or kidney, of the wheat. Forbes’s Oriental Memoirs. — the pure blood of the grape.] Most generous red wine; very clear and bright. Bp. Patrick. Red wine, in colour like blood. Bp. Kidder.

15. — fruits — by the sun.] Whose kindly beat brings them forth and makes them grow to maturity. Bp. Patrick.

— put forth by the moon.] And for those precious fruits which are brought forth by the warmth of the sunbeams, and by the kindly moisture of the night, under the influence of the moon. Bp. Hall. Or by this may be meant, what most of the ancient versions understand, what is produced every month, or several times in the year, as grass, and herbs; in opposition to what comes but once in the year, as corn, &c. implied in the fruits of the sun. Dr. Durell.

Deuteronomy 32:15

15. But Jeshurun &c.] The third part of the song, to the end of the 18th verse, describes the usual but ungenerous effect of prosperity, upon “Jeshurun,” or righteous Israel heretofore, in their adoption of the false gods of the neighbouring nations, and forgetfulness of the true God, their Creator and Protector. This is expressed in the most animated and glowing apostrophes, or changes of person, in which this most highly wrought lyrick composition abounds; uniting all the fire and richness of oriental eloquence, with the close and accurate reasoning of occidental composition. Dr. Hales. — Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked:] That is, Is- Moses’ song. Moses’ song.

grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

Deuteronomy 32:16

16. — the earth and fulness thereof.] “Earth” being here opposed to “hills” and “mountains,” seems to imply a champaign country; and “the fulness thereof” to signify a most plentiful champaign country. This sense will appear more probable from the event: for besides the great plain near Jordan, which Joseph had in common with some other tribes, and the plain of Sharon near the Mediterranean sea, there seems to have been another great plain near Samaria, which Josephus calls the great plain of Samaria; and near mount Ephraim was the valley of fatness. Dr. Durell.

Deuteronomy 32:17

17.— devils.] The original word imports destroyers, as the devil is called in the book of Revelation, chap. ix. 11, evil spirits, delighting in mischief, and leading their worshippers into perdition. Bp. Patrick. They sacrificed unto evil spirits, who seek only their destruction, the wastes and destroyers of mankind; and not unto God, their Saviour and Protector, who seeks only their welfare. Bp. Kidder, Dr. Wells, Pyle.

— gods whom they knew not.] Or, as the words may be translated, “gods, who knew not them:” that is, from whom they had received no benefits, as they had from the Lord, the God of Israel. Bps. Patrick and Kidder.

— that came newly up.] New, and fresh invented imaginary demons of the Gentiles, of whom their forefathers never heard so much as the name. Pyle. Such as were lately, in comparison of the sun and moon, &c. set up for gods, as were the demon-gods or dead men deified. Dr. Wells. They seem to have been the local gods of the neighbourhood. Dr. Hales.

17. — unicorns.] See note on Numb. xxiii. 22. The Jerusalem Targum expounds this verse of the victories gained over the Canaanites by Joshua and Gideon, who were both of this family; to whom, for the same reason, might have been added Jephithah, who distinguished himself signally in the war against the Ammonites. Dr. Durell.

Deuteronomy 32:18

18. — Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; &c.] Zebulun and Issachar are here joined together; they were brothers by the same mother; but the disposition of their respective posterities was to be very different: the former, it is intimated, would delight in commerce, and the latter in agriculture. By trade and manufactures the descendants of Zebulun would enrich themselves, as the others might by disposing of the produce of their

Deuteronomy 32:19

19. And when the Lord saw it, &c.] The fourth part, to the end of the 25th verse, expresses the indignation of the Lord, and His denunciations, that He would reject apostate Israel, and adopt in their room the believing Gentiles; according to the interpretation of St. Paul, Rom. x. 19, citing ver. 21; and the parallel prophecy of Isaiah, chap. lxv. 1, 2. This part describes also, in the glowing colours of the preceding prophecies, all the calamities of the Babylonian and Roman captivities. Dr. Hales.

— the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.] For such they were, till they corrupted themselves, and thereby highly incensed Him against them. For nothing can be so provoking as the rebellion of children against a most indulgent parent. Bp. Patrick.

The “daughters” are here expressly named, because the women were notoriously guilty of provoking God by their idolatry. See Jer. vii. 18; xliv. 15; Exek. viii. 14. Bp. Kidder.

Deuteronomy 32:20

20.— I will see what their end shall be.] I will not cease My judgments, till I have brought the sorest calamities upon them, and made an end of their polity and government. Bp. Patrick.

Deuteronomy 32:21

21.— I will move them to jealousy &c.] The meaning is, that God would, by a people that was not peculiar to Him, as the Israelites were, provoke them to jealousy. And this He fulfilled, by delivering them to the Assyrians, Chaldeans, and their other enemies, who were

Moses’ song. Moses’ song. Before CHRIST 1461. Or, hath burned. Or, hath crashed. burning rods. the chambers. her own.

Deuteronomy 32:22

22. For a fire is kindled in mine anger,] Great and sore calamities are compared to “fire” in Scripture, Esak. xxx. 8. God here threatens to send such calamities upon the Jews, as the woeful effects of His heavy displeasure, which should never cease till they were destroyed. For “hell” and “destruction” seem to be the same, Prov. xv. 11. And therefore “the lowest hell” signifies the depth of misery. Bp. Patrick. This verse gives an account, in a figurative manner, of the destruction of the land, in words which seem to import the total consumption of it. “Hell” signifies the lower parts of the earth, Numb. xvi. 30. Bp. Kidder. Such a fire is threatened, as should not only burn the earth, but penetrate the abyss below, and in its way consume the very “foundations of the mountains.” Edit.

Deuteronomy 32:24

24.—the teeth of beasts &c.] They were exposed to these calamities, when they were forced to fly into wildernesses, and hide themselves in dens and caves: where some of them could not avoid being devoured by wild beasts, and stung by serpents, the sting of which is venomous, and which creep upon “the dust.” It has been observed, that this denunciation was partly fulfilled, when the Jews were thrown by the Romans to wild beasts in the theatre, as Josephus relates. Bp. Patrick. Or the words may be a prophecy of the desolate state of the country, which should be overrun with wild beasts and serpents. Edit.

Deuteronomy 32:25

25. I said, I would scatter them &c.] The fifth part, to the end of ver. 36, states the wise and gracious reasons of the dispersion of the Jews into all lands, rather than their confinement to one corner, as in the Assyrian captivity: both for their preservation from the collected force of their enemies; and to prevent the beasts of the latter, ascribing to themselves their destruction. Dr. Hales.

membrance of them to cease from among men:

Deuteronomy 32:27

27. Were it not that I feared &c.] He, that is Omnipotent, is not capable of fearing any thing: but He speaks in our language, and gives this reason why He did not make them cease to be a nation, because He would not have their enemies insult, and use insolent language even against Himself. Of this we have an instance, Is. xxxvii. 28, 29. Bp. Patrick. Fear is imputed to God after the manner of men, who refrain from doing things from that principle. Bp. Kidder.

Deuteronomy 32:28

28.—void of counsel, &c.] He that considers the lives and actions of the greatest part of men would verily think, that they understood not that there is such a being as God, and that it is their duty to demean themselves religiously towards Him. Therefore the Scriptures represent wicked men as “without understanding:” not that they are destitute of the natural faculty of understanding, but they do not use it as they ought: they are not blind, but they wink; they “hold the truth of God in unrighteousness, and though they know God, yet they do not glorify Him as God,” nor suffer the apprehension of Him to have a due influence upon their hearts and lives. Abp. Tillotson.

Deuteronomy 32:30

30. How should one chase a thousand, &c.] Whence should such an amazing change proceed, that the Israelites, who formerly with an handful of men put vast armies to flight, Lev. xxvi. 8, should now, though never so numerous, be beaten by one or two of their enemies, and flee when none pursued them? Bp. Patrick. The Prophet here states the true reason of the timidity of the Israelites, so that a thousand would flee from one enemy; as God had warned them repeatedly before in even stronger terms. See Lev. xxvi. 17—36; Deut. xxviii. 25. Dr. Hales.

Deuteronomy 32:31

31. For their rock is not &c.] This is a parenthetical observation of Moses himself, introduced incidentally into the Divine speech, stating the superiority of the God of Israel over the gods of their enemies, even by their own confession. Thus Jethro acknowledged it, Exod. xviii. 11; the Egyptians confessed it, Exod. xiv. 25; Balaam, Numb. xxiii. 19—23; the Canaanites, Josh. ii. 11; the Gibbonites, Josh. ix. 9—24; the Philistines, 1 Sam. iv. 7; Nebuchadnezzar, the haughty king of Babylon, Dan. iii. 29; iv. 37; Darius the Mede, Dan. vi. 26, 27; Cyrus, king of Persia, Ezra i. 3; Artaxerxes Longimanus, Ezra vii. 23. And Philostratus

Before CHRIST 1461. Or, Our high hand, and not the LORD, hath done all this. b Josh. 23. 10. Moses’ song. Moses’ song. Before CHRIST 1451. Or, is worse than the wine of Sodom, &c.

Deuteronomy 32:32

32. For their vine &c.] The Prophet next proceeds to state, that the enemies of the Jews had no claim to the Divine assistance from any superior merits of their own: for that, on the contrary, their idolatures and corruptions were still more abominable than those of the Jews; not only compelling them in their captivities to serve their gods, by the most dreadful persecutions, such as those of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. iii. 8-28; of Antiochus Epiphanes, 1 Mac. i. 41-64; of the Romans, &c. Dan. xi. 35; xii. 1; but corrupting the whole world by their mischievous example and influence. Thus Babylon is represented as making all the nations of the earth drunken and mad with the wine of her idolatrous fornication, Jer. ii. 7; and the mystical Babylon, or Rome Imperial and Papal, likewise, Rev. xvii. 2; xviii. 3. The bitter and poisonous ingredients of which are here emphatically described. Of all these, God declares in the sequel, that He will keep an account, or registry, and severely punish them in the day of vengeance. Dr. Hales.

— the vine of Sodom.] This is a vine of a plant from Sodom, which brings only bitter and useless grapes; wine as bad or deadly as the gall of a serpent; grapes as bitter as gall; the fruits which grow about the Dead sea are said to be rotten within, and only full of dust. Calmet.

Deuteronomy 32:33

33. — the poison of dragons.] As the Hebrew word signifies any kind of serpent, so it is certain that the dragons of Africa and Arabia had in them a deadly poison, though those of Greece had not, as Bochart observes. The poison of asps is called “cruel,” because it is accounted particularly acute, instantly penetrating into the vital parts: whence the proverb, the biting of asps for an incurable wound. Those, who are bitten by an asp, seldom escape with life; as many naturalists observe. Bp. Patrick.

It is probable that by the word, rendered “dragons” in this place, is to be understood a species of lizard, called Gekko, extremely venomous and deadly. This reptile yields in malignity to no serpent whatever: be inhabits Cairo, and the country of Egypt, so that he could not have been unknown to Moses: nor is he confined to desert places, but visits houses, and makes his abode in them, so that the people of Israel, to whom

servants, when he seeth that their †power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.

Deuteronomy 32:34

34. Is not this laid up in store with me, &c.] That is, is not this vengeance, with which I now threaten them, though they flatter themselves in their present impunity, reserved for them, and kept in store for them against the time, when their iniquities shall be full and shall require it? Bp. Kidder.

Deuteronomy 32:36

36. For the Lord shall judge &c.] The sixth and last part of the song rehearses the consolation of Israel, and signal punishment of their foes. It begins with God’s expostulation with His people, when reduced to their lowest state of desolation, referring them for relief, ironically, to the vain idols in which they had trusted, and to which they had sacrificed; and by an admirable contrast describing His own self-existence, as “living for evermore;” and His sole and exclusive power “to kill” and “to make alive,” to “wound” and to “heal.” Hence the captivity is called the wound of Israel, which is to be healed at the restoration of Israel, Is. xxx. 26: while His power to “kill” or destroy His adversaries, as a mighty warrior, with “sword and arrows,” or the miseries of war, forms the conclusion of it. Dr. Hales.

— shall judge his people, &c.] After having punished them, “the Lord shall judge” or plead the cause of “His people,” and act as one that “repents himself” for the evils which He has been obliged in justice to bring upon “His servants:” “when He sees that their power is gone,” so that they cannot help themselves; and that “there is none shut up or left;” that is, that they have neither garrisons nor army left sufficient for their deliverance. Dr. Wells.

Deuteronomy 32:40

40. For I lift up my hand &c.] In Scripture there are two ceremonies mentioned of swearing. One, of putting the hand under the thigh of him to whom the oath was made, Gen. xxiv. 2, and xlvii. 29. The other was by lifting up the hand to heaven, Gen. xiv. 22. Thus God, condescending to the manner of men, expresses Himself in this place. In allusion to this custom the Psalmist describes the perjured person, “whose month peaketh vanity, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood,” Ps. cxliv. 8. Abp. Tillotson.

This verse is connected with the two next, and the sense of the whole is as follows: “For I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, As I live for ever,” (the cere-

Moses’ song. Moses’ song. Before CHRIST 1451.

and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.

Deuteronomy 32:42

42.—from the beginning of revenges] That is, from such time as I shall begin to take vengeance. Bp. Kidder. Instead of the received translation of the last line, “from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy,” until their final completion, in which the rendering of the original word by “revenges” is unsupported by any of the ancient versions, the phrase may be translated “hairy head:” and by adjusting the order of the lines, the whole verse will run thus: “I will make Mine arrows drunk with blood, with the blood of the slain and of the captives; and My sword shall devour flesh, from the hairy head of the enemy.” The literal expression “head of locks,” remarkably corresponds to “scalp of hair,” or “hairy scalp,” in the following parallel passage: “God shall wound the head of His enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses,” Ps. lxviii. 21. Dr. Hales.

Deuteronomy 32:43

43. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people:] This last verse terminates the whole song with the joint exultation of the Gentile with the Jewish converts to Christianity, arising from the prospect of the approaching judgments of God to be inflicted both upon His adversaries and the persecutors of His servants. St. Paul has cited this verse to prove the future conversion of the Jews and of the Gentiles to Christ, Rom. xv. 10—12, supported by the parallel prophecies of Ps. cxvii. 1; Isa. xi. 1—10.

Theodoret has well paraphrased the last verse: “The Gentiles and the Jews, the people of God, might well rejoice together: for even among the Jews there were many myriads who believed (early) in Christ, Acts xxi. 20, as well as by far the greatest part of the Gentile world. But the heathens were indebted to the Jewish believers for their knowledge, and received the principles and precepts of the Christian religion solely from them: for the holy Apostles were Jews. The prophet therefore, enjoying a clear view of this great period, exults, “Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people,” the converted heathens with the believing Jews.

your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.

Deuteronomy 32:50

50. And die in the mount] It was no small favour, that God warned Moses of his end. He that had so often apprized Moses of what He meant to do to Israel, would not now do aught to himself, without his knowledge. Expectation of any important event is a great

Moses’ song. The majesty of God Before CHRIST 1451. 12, 13. & 27. 14. Kadeah.

Deuteronomy 32:51

51. Because ye trespassed against me] Death, though it were to Moses an entrance into glory, yet was also a chastisement of his infidelity. How many noble proofs had he given of his courage and strength of faith! How many gracious services had he done to his Master! Yet for one act of distrust he must be gathered to his fathers. All our acts of obedience cannot bear out one sin against God. How vainly shall we hope to make amends to God for our former trespasses by our better behaviour, when Moses hath this one sin laid to his charge, after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelity! When we have forgotten our sins, yet God remembers them; and although not in anger, yet He calls for payment. Alas, what shall become of them, with whom God hath ten thousand times greater quarrels; who, amongst many millions of sins, have scattered some few acts of formal services! If Moses must die the first death for one fault, how shall they escape the second for sinning always? Bp. Hall.

Chap. XXXIII. ver. 1. And this is the blessing, &c.] As Jacob blessed his children at his departure out of the world, when God had begun to fulfil the promise to Abraham of giving him a numerous offspring; so Moses, having seen them vastly increased, and ready to enter upon the promised land, takes his farewell of them with a blessing pronounced upon the people in general, and upon each tribe in particular. This blessing is in part prophetic, as that of Jacob was, and delivered in the prophetic style; and consequently it is not without some difficulty and obscurity. Bp. Patrick.

As Moses had before composed a song, to celebrate the miraculous passage of the Israelites through the Red sea, so his view in this song seems to have been, to commemorate God’s gracious dealings with them since that time. A more proper subject could not have been thought of, in order to awaken their attention, and raise a due sense of gratitude in all Israel, before the several tribes heard, from the mouth of their great Prophet now speaking for the last time, what Providence intended to do farther for each of them. Dr. Durell.