Deuteronomy 29
OGCSUMMARY OF CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
A recapitulation of God’s gracious dealings with Israel, 1-8. An exhortation to obedience, and to enter into covenant with their God, that they and their posterity may be established in the good land, 9-15. They are to remember the abominations of Egypt, and to avoid them, 16, 17. He who hardens his heart, when he hears these curses, shall be utterly consumed, 18-21. Their posterity shall be astonished at the desolation that shall fall upon them, 22, 23; shall inquire the reason, and shall be informed that the Lord has done thus to them because of their disobedience and idolatry, 24-28. A caution against prying too curiously into the secrets of the Divine providence, and to be contented with what God has revealed, 29.
QUESTIONS, LESSON TWENTY-TWO (Deuteronomy 29:1 to Deuteronomy 30:20)
CHAPTER 29
This chapter begins, These are the words of the covenant. Should the covenant made here be considered separate from the one made at Sinai?
Why had Jehovah not given them knowing hearts and seeing eyes (Deuteronomy 29:4)?
What convincing evidences had God given of his love and power?
What promise, made to the patriarchs, were they now fulfilling?
Mention two groups of people, not now present, that must also keep this covenant.
Who or what is meant by a root that beareth gall and wormwood?
What would a person be doing if he destroyed the moist with the dry?
What two groups would denounce Israel’s wickedness in this chapter? (Hint: Same answer as No. 5).
Israel’s desolation and barrenness is described by the terms_____, and a
(finish)
To what cities is this destruction likened?
What is brimstone?
To what factor(s) would other nations attribute Israel’s failure?
Thoroughly memorize Deuteronomy 29:29.
CHAPTER 30
How is Israel’s condition pictured after returning from captivity?
What captivity especially fits the prophecy?
Of what does Moses remind them concerning their capability of keeping the law?
Now re-read Deuteronomy 30:11-14. Make a present day New Testament application of these words.
In what very literal way could Moses say, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil (Deuteronomy 30:15), and therefore choose life that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed (Deuteronomy 30:19)?
Deuteronomy 29:1
LESSON TWENTY-TWO Deuteronomy 29:1 to Deuteronomy 30:20
E. REMINDER OF GOD’S BLESSINGS Deuteronomy 29:1-13
THE PRESENT LAW TO BE ENFORCED (Deuteronomy 29:1)
These are the words of the covenant which Jehovah commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 29:1
Why another covenant with Israel? Or is this the thought here?
Consider the circumstances of this text. What particular need was there for a renewal of God’s covenant?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 29:1
These are the words of the covenant, which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
COMMENT 29:1
Note that the covenant made here on the plains of Moab is distinguished from the covenant previously made at Sinai.[55]
[55] In the Hebrew text this verse is included with ch. 28. But of course Moses made no divisions of Chapter s and verses in his original autograph.
The Pulpit commentary remarks, This was not a new covenant in addition to that made at Sinai, but simply a renewal and reaffirmation of that covenant. At Sinai, the covenant was, properly speaking, made; sacrifices were then offered, and the people were sprinkled with the sacrificial blood, whereby the covenant was ratified (Exodus 24; Cf. Psalms 50:5); but on the occasion here referred to no sacrifices were offered, for this was merely the covenant formerly made as still subsisting. Thus in future writings, the law of Moses includes both those given at Sinai and on these plains of Moab. Compare Deuteronomy 5:2-3, notes.
Deuteronomy 29:2-9
- THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD (Deuteronomy 29:2-9)
And Moses called unto all Isreal, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that Jehovah did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; 3 the great trials which thine eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders: 4 but Jehovah hath not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day, 5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxed old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxed old upon thy foot. 6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink; that ye may know that I am Jehovah your God, 7 And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote them: 8 and we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of the Manassites. 9Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 29:2-9
If Jehovah did not give them a heart to know or eyes to see, how could Israel be held responsible?
Read the comments on Deuteronomy 8:3-4 to review what is meant by the preservation of clothes and shoes.
How would the lack of bread and wine establish their trust in Jehovah?
Why the review of God’s acts of power and conquest?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 29:2-9
2 Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land; 3 The great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders;
4 Yet the Lord has not given you a [mind and] heart to understand, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day. 5 I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out upon you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet. 6 You have not eaten [grain] bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, that you might recognize and know [your dependence on Him Who is saying], I am the Lord your God. 7 And when you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us to battle, but we defeated them; 8 We took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites. 9 Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may deal wisely and prosper in all that you do.
COMMENT 29:2-9
BUT JEHOVAH HATH NOT GIVEN YOU A HEART TO KNOW. UNTO THIS DAY (Deuteronomy 29:4)This was partly their own fault, partly the working of God. Truthfully Moses could say they had been rebellious from the day that thou wentest forth out of the land of Egypt and from the day that I knew you (Deuteronomy 9:7; Deuteronomy 9:24). Persons with such dispositions are not capable of perceiving and appreciating the will of God. Thus this passage is similar to those above, and should also have served as a rebuke: God has not seen fit to open up your eyes even yetunto this day. The essence of the rebuke seems to be, Will you now wake up?Stubborness and rebellion invariably clog the channels of one’s spiritual perceptionand God withholds understanding (Isaiah 6:9-10, Matthew 11:25-26, Romans 11:7-10).
Yet, Israel had every opportunity to understand and appreciate God’s ways. These are enumerated in Deuteronomy 29:5-8, with the conclusion, Keep therefore the words. that ye may prosper. (Deuteronomy 29:9).
YOUR CLOTHES ARE NOT WAXED OLD (Deuteronomy 29:5)See Deuteronomy 8:4, note.
YE HAVE NOT EATEN BREAD, NEITHER HAVE YE DRUNK WINE OR STRONG DRINK; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT I AM JEHOVAH YOUR GOD (Deuteronomy 29:6)Basically the same thought is expressed in Deuteronomy 8:3. They had been living all these years, not by harvesting wheat and baking bread, or by harvesting grapes and making wine. In short, they had not been sustained by their own labor, but by every thing that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Deuteronomy 8:3). It was God who directed their route for forty years, who kept their clothes from becoming old and ragged, who kept their shoes from wearing out, and who daily supplied their manna for food. The response should have been heartfelt obedience and praise to their Sustainer and Giver of life! Their recent victories in battle (Deuteronomy 29:7-8) described earlier (Chapter s 2 & 3) were also the result of God’s direct blessing and goodness, and provided yet another reason for their cheerful obedience.
REUBENITES. GADITES. MANASSITES (Deuteronomy 29:8)Note their boundaries in Deuteronomy 3:12-17.
Deuteronomy 29:10-13
- THE PURPOSE OF GOD (Deuteronomy 29:10-13)
10 Ye stand this day all of you before Jehovah your God; your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel, 11 your little ones, your wives, and thy sojourner that is in the midst of thy camps, unto the drawer of thy water; 12 that thou mayest enter into the covenant of Jehovah thy God, and into his oath, which Jehovah thy God maketh with thee this day; 13 that he may establish thee this day unto himself for a people, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he spake unto thee, and as he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 29:10-13
Please notice how God expected everyone to enter into His covenant on a personal basis, Has His interest in individual participation changed?
What was God’s purpose in establishing His covenant with Israel?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 29:10-13
10 All of you stand before the Lord your God; your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel. 11 Your little ones, your wives, and the stranger and sojourner in your camp, from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water; 12 That you may enter into the covenant of the Lord your God, and into His oath, which He makes with you today; 13 That He may establish you this day as a people for Himself, and that He may be to you a God, as He said to you and as He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
COMMENT 29:10-13
AS HE SWARE UNTO THY FATHERS (Deuteronomy 29:13)Israel, about to become a great nation, was the chief participant in the covenant God made with Abraham (Genesis 17:7), Isaac (Genesis 26:4), and Jacob (Genesis 28:14). Cf. Deuteronomy 8:1, etc. The promises of God were not being kept because of Israel’s goodness (Deuteronomy 7:6-8, Deuteronomy 9:4-5) but because of God’s eternal purpose to bring the Messiah into the world through a nation he loved.
Deuteronomy 29:14-21
F. SOLEMN WARNINGS AND REMINDERS (Deuteronomy 29:14 to Deuteronomy 30:20)
COVENANT ALL-INCLUSIVE (Deuteronomy 29:14-21)
14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath, 15 but with him that standeth here with us this day before Jehovah our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day; 16 (for ye know how we dwelt in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which ye passed; 17 and ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them;) 18 lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from Jehovah our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 19 and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to destroy the moist with the dry. 20 Jehovah will not pardon him, but then the anger of Jehovah and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him, and Jehovah will blot out his name from under heaven. 21 And Jehovah will set him apart unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the law.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 29:14-21
Who could be identified under the phrase with him that is not here with us this day?
Jehovah’s wrath is especially kindled against some people. Who are they?
Give three characteristics of the person of question 519.
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 29:14-21
14 It is not with you only that I make this sworn covenant. 15 But with future Israelites who do not stand here with us today before the Lord our God, as well as with those who are here with us this day. 16 You know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations you crossed; 17 And you have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them. 18 Beware lest there should be among you a man or woman or family or tribe, whose [mind and] heart turns away this day from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a [poisonous] root that bears gall and wormwood; 19 and lest, when he hears the words of this curse and oath, he flatter and congratulate himself in his [mind and] heart, saying, I shall have peace and safety, [56] though I walk in the stubbornness of my [mind and] heart [bringing down a hurricane of destruction] and sweep away the watered land with the dry.
[56] It is on the strength of the Lord’s oath to be Israel’s God and also to protect them, that this Israelite flatters himself he is secure, no matter how he may behave. In the history of religion such a delusion has been lamentably frequent, and persons depending upon the unlimited protection of election have presumed on this and recklessly indulged in evil (Cambridge Bible, condensed), The Bible emphasizes the security of the saints, but it is equally emphatic concerning the insecurity of those in conscious and continued indifference to God, [Ezek. 3:29; Ezekiel 18:24; Ezekiel 18:26; Revelation 22:14; James 1:21; Galatians 6:8; 2 Peter 1:10-11,]
20 The Lord will not pardon him, but then the anger of the Lord and His jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall settle on him; the Lord will blot out his very name from under the heavens; 21 And the Lord will single him out for ruin and destruction from all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law.
COMMENT 29:14-21
NEITHER WITH YOU ONLY DO I MAKE THIS COVENANT (Deuteronomy 29:14)The covenant extended to all who were within the country of Israel as a nationor who would be (Deuteronomy 29:15; Deuteronomy 29:22). Thus strangers and sojourners who made Israel their home were also included, Leviticus 24:22, Numbers 9:14; Numbers 15:14-16; Numbers 15:29.
Israel was to be a land within whose confines God was to be worshipped according to His wordregardless of the nationality of the resident. So it was with such well-known sojourners as Rahab and Ruth (Rth 1:16).
LEST THERE SHOULD BE AMONG YOU MAN. TO GO TO SERVE THE GODS OF THOSE NATIONS (Deuteronomy 29:18)referring back to the neighboring nations of Deu 29:16, a fact that lends weight to the argument of modern translators that the parentheses enclosing Deuteronomy 29:16-17 should be omitted.
LEST THERE SHOULD BE AMONG YOU A ROOT THAT BEARETH GALL AND WORMWOOD (Deuteronomy 29:18)descriptive terms of one who was rebellious, stubborn, and disobedient towards God and his word, as the following verses show. And the factor of others being defiled by this man’s influence may well be implied here, as in Hebrews 12:14-15.
GALL (Heb. rosh) is the name of a poisonous plant or herb. It grows quickly and luxuriantly (Hosea 10:14, hemlock), but is of bitter taste (Psalms 69:21, Lamentations 3:5) and on this account is, as here and in Lamentations 3:19, connected with wormwood.
On the other hand, What the Heb. laanah [wormwood] may have been is obscure; it is clear it was a bitter substance and it is usually associated with -gall-’. The genus Artemisis. has five species of shrubs or herbs found in Palestine, any one of which may furnish a bitter taste (I.S.B.E.). Thus this man’s influence would be poisonous, hurtful, and distasteful both to God and his people.
TO DESTROY THE MOIST WITH THE DRY (Deuteronomy 29:19)The margin reads to add drunkenness to thirst.
Note that in the former part of the verse this man is blessing himself in his hearti.e., congratulating or complimenting himself, saying I shall have peacei.e. all shall be well with me, everything is fine. And this, though he realizes he is stubborn of heart, and intends To destroy the well-watered [land] with the dry (Pulpit). His hardness of heart would influence him to destroy one and all. His very nature is destructive and ruinous. This interpretation suits the context, describing one whose influence is pernicious and devastating to God’s people. Such a person imprecates the wrath of God (Deuteronomy 29:20-21).
Deuteronomy 29:22-29
- ISRAEL’S COMING WICKEDNESS: THE JUDGMENT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS AND FOREIGNERS
22 And the generation to come, your children that shall rise up after you, and the foreigner that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sickness wherewith Jehovah hath made it sick; 23 and that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and a burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Jehovah overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 24 even all the nations shall say, Wherefore hath Jehovah done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? 25 Then men shall say, Because they forsook the covenant of Jehovah, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, 26 and went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods that they knew not, and that he had not given unto them: 27 therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curse that is written in this book; 28 and Jehovah rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as this day. 29 The secret things belong unto Jehovah our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 29:22-29
From reading this text there seems to be but little question that Israel will be tragically disobedient. Could they help it if God thus predicted it?
State three descriptive phrases used here to describe God’s punishment of His disobedient children.
There seems to be a balance between the natural results of disobedience and the punishment of God. Are these two sides of the same coin?
Read Deuteronomy 29:29 very carefully. Why does it appear in this context?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 29:22-29
22 So that the next generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who shall come from a distant land, shall say, when they see the plagues of this land, and the diseases with which the Lord has made it sick 23 The whole land is brimstone and salt, and a burned waste, not sown or bearing anything, where not grass can take root, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and wrath 24 Even all the nations shall say, Why has the Lord done thus to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean? 25 Then men shall say, Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. 26 For they went and served other gods, and worshiped them, gods they knew not, and that He had not given to them; 27 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, bringing upon it all the curses that are written in this book; 28 And the Lord rooted them out of their land in anger and in wrath and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as this day. 29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
COMMENT 29:22-29
AND THE GENERATION TO COME, etc. (Deuteronomy 29:22)Better, And later generations will askthe children who succeed you. (The Torah).
Both the generations future to those Moses was addressing and foreigners would speak of Israel’s decline and degeneration in terms of reproach and disdain.
AND THAT WHOLE LAND THEREOF IS BRIMSTONE, AND SALT, AND A BURNING (Deuteronomy 29:23)Obviously figurative language to describe a sterile, desolate unproductive land. Perhaps also punishment and destruction, which brought such barrenness. See Job 18:15, Psalms 11:6, Isaiah 30:33. But these minerals would, in truth, be physically present, and burning. See below.
BRIMSTONE (Deuteronomy 29:23)Heb. gophrith (as in Genesis 19:24), signifies brimstone, sulfur (Baumgartner). Gesenius agrees, believing the word originally meant pitch, the name of which was afterwards transferred to other inflammable materials; especially sulphur. The I.S.B.E. is helpful here: Sulphur existed in Palestine in early times and was known by most of the ancient nations as a combustible substance that the inhabitants of the land had experienced the terrors of burning sulphur is very probable. Once one of these deposits took fire it would melt and run in burning streams down the ravines spreading everywhere suffocating fumes such as come from the ordinary brimstone [sulphur] match. No more realistic figure could be chosen to depict terrible suffering and destruction. It is not at all unlikely that during some of the disastrous earthquakes which took place in this part of the world, the hot lava sent forth ignited not only the sulphur, but also the bitumen, and added to the horrors of the earthquake the destruction caused by burning pitch and brimstone.
SALT (Deuteronomy 29:23)also associated with destruction, ruin, and desolation, Job 39:6, Judges 9:45, Jeremiah 17:6, Zephaniah 2:9.
A BURNING (Deuteronomy 29:23)Again, a phenomenon especially associated with devastation and destruction, especially by a foreign power, Isaiah 1:7; Isaiah 64:11, 2 Kings 25:9, Psalms 74:7-8, etc.[57]
[57] Fires also raged in Jerusalem’s destruction. See Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book VI, Ch. IV, #8; Ch, V, # 1; Ch, IV, #5.
Such land as described above is worthless for agriculture, so THAT IT IS NOT SOWN, NOR BEARETH, NOR ANY GRASS GROWETH THEREIN (V, 23), Rather, it is LIKE THE OVERTHROW OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH, ADMAH AND ZEBOIIM [Genesis 19:23-28, Admah and Zeboiim are associated with Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 10:19; Genesis 14:2, and thus are included in the cities of the plain destroyed with Sodom] WHICH JEHOVAH OVERTHREW IN HIS ANGER, AND HIS WRATH (Deuteronomy 29:23)and this is the very point of Moses-’ words. Their wickedness would result in their overthrow. Note Deuteronomy 29:25-26.
ALL THE CURSE THAT IS WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK (Deuteronomy 29:27)The reference seems especially to refer to those just uttered, beginning in Ch. 27. But many others may well be included, not only in Deuteronomy (as in Deuteronomy 4:25-27), but in other passages of the Pentateuch, such as Leviticus 26:14 ff.
ROOTED THEM OUT. CAST THEM INTO ANOTHER LAND (Deuteronomy 29:28)See Deuteronomy 28:36 ff, notes. This is not foreign domination or servitude to another power, but captivity.
THE SECRET THINGS BELONG UNTO JEHOVAH (Deuteronomy 29:29)The reference may be especially to future matters: The hidden issues of the future. (Moffatt), but secret (Heb. sather) of itself simply means hidden, secret, or concealed.. things in God’s purpose known only to himself: these things, it is affirmed, belong to him, are his affair, and may be left with him (Pulpit), On the other hand.
THE THINGS THAT ARE REVEALED BELONG TO US AND OUR CHILDREN FOR EVER, THAT WE MAY DO ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW (Deuteronomy 29:29)What God has revealed he expects his children to study, meditate upon, and obey. Cf. Deuteronomy 30:11-14. His people are responsible to him for responding to what he has made known. Thus, as it is wrong to subtract from what is written, so it is wrong to add to God’s will where he, in his infinite wisdom, has seen fit to say nothing. His word is sacredand so is his silence. (Cf. Deuteronomy 4:2, Deuteronomy 12:32). See also Psalms 119:160, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Revelation 18:18-19.
This passage is not intended to discourage honest scientific investigation. It simply states that there are, indeed, many secret things in lifeand ever shall be, no matter how much knowledge accumulates. There are secrets among the minute (a few more of which have recently been probed by the electron microscope and other scientific instruments). There are secrets in the vastness of spaceWhat is beyond the farthest observable star? And who can tell all about a blade of grass or a stonelet alone the human body! In short, the religion of God demands that a man admit certain limitations within himself and the omniscience of God. He who contains all knowledge and wisdom has revealed what we need for life everlasting. And he has granted unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue (2 Peter 1:3). The truths of the universe known or knowable only to himself will not form the criterion for our judgment in the final day.
This passage also forms, indirectly, an exhortation for studying. If we are responsible for revealed truth, effort must be exerted that we might know what is revealed. And it also comprises a rebuke to those who believe spiritual truth is found outside God and his word. Cf. Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 8:19-20, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, 2 Timothy 1:13.
It was, in fact, the very essence of this scripture that was being repeated by Thomas Campbell’s famous phrase, Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent. Opinions, conjectures, educated guesses, theories on any of thousands of subjects not discussed in God’s wordwhat do we do with them? As far as, God is concerned, this word is open for exploration and investigation. But when we profess to know more than our maker and transgress revealed truth, we have, indeed, degenerated. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? (1 Corinthians 2:16 a).