Deuteronomy 8:1-20

Deuteronomy 8. Israel's duty to be faithful and obedient to Yahweh enforced by a recital of His loving treatment of them in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:1). Unless they are faithful they will perish as the Canaanites did (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Deuteronomy 8:2. prove: Deuteronomy 6:16 * (tempt, same Heb. verb).

Deuteronomy 8:3. manna: Exodus 16:14; Numbers 11:7 *. The lesson of the manna is, that Yahweh can sustain human life by whatever means He wills or commands Jesus quotes but spiritualises the words (Matthew 4:4).

Deuteronomy 8:4. The miracle of the food was matched by another of the clothing they wore not out during all the forty years (see Deuteronomy 10:18; Genesis 28:20). Rashi on this passage says that, as the children grew older, their clothes grew also, just as the shells of snails do. swell: render blister.

Deuteronomy 8:5. chasteneth: Deuteronomy 4:36 * (instruct).

Deuteronomy 8:7. brooks of water: better, water wadies, i.e. such wadies as never become dry. depths: i.e. the waters under the earth (see Deuteronomy 4:18 *.

Deuteronomy 8:9. iron: render basalt (Deuteronomy 3:11 *). brass: render copper. Brass was then unknown. With Deuteronomy 8:11 cf. the similar warning in Deuteronomy 6:12.

Deuteronomy 8:11. judgements, etc.: Deuteronomy 4:45 *.

Deuteronomy 8:15. fiery (i.e. stinging) serpents: Numbers 21:6 *, cf. Jeremiah 8:17. The scorpion (mentioned in Dt. only) belongs to the spider family, its sting causing extreme pain and sometimes even death. The proper name Akrabbim (Joshua 15:3) means scorpions.

Deuteronomy 8:18. as at this day: Deuteronomy 2:22 *.