1._Now, therefore, hearken, O Israel. _He requires the people to be teachable, in order that they may learn to serve God; for the beginning of a good and upright life is to know what is pleasing to God. From hence, then, does Moses commence commanding them to be attentive in seeking direction from t... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Your eyes have seen what the Lord did. _This enlargement more clearly shews that so conspicuous was the example given in the punishment, that it could not be hidden from even the most ignorant; for Moses does not here address those of refined judgment, but the common people generally, who had onl... [ Continue Reading ]
6._Keep therefore, and do them. _In order that they may set themselves more cheerfully about the keeping of the Law, and may proceed more steadily in this endeavor, he reminds them that nothing is better or more desirable for themselves. For God is not duly honored, except with ready minds and volut... [ Continue Reading ]
7._For what nation is there so great? _Moses now repeats in his own name what he had stated in the person of others, as if to shew by additional reasons, that not without cause would the Jews be celebrated in the whole world, because it would actually appear that none were equal to them. He mentions... [ Continue Reading ]
9._Only take heed to thyself _The same particle, רק, _rak, _of which I have just spoken, is used here, and its meaning in this place is, as if Moses had said, that this _only _remained; unless it is preferred to translate it _nevertheless. _What follows means literally “Guard _(custodi) _thyself, an... [ Continue Reading ]
10._The day _(227) _that thou stoodest. _The word _day _might be taken in the accusative, as if in apposition. It is, at any rate, clear that he explains more fully what he had briefly alluded to before, for he summons the people as eye-witnesses, lest, perchance, they should object that they were n... [ Continue Reading ]
11_And ye came near, and stood. _This explanatory narrative is intended to prove the same thing, viz., that Moses was only the ambassador and minister of God, because the mountain burned in the sight of all the people, that God might be manifested, speaking from the midst of the fire. His statement... [ Continue Reading ]
Deuteronomy 4:12._And the Lord spake unto you. _It is a confirmation of the Second Commandment, that God manifested Himself to the Israelites by a voice, and not in a bodily form; whence it follows that those who are not contented with His voice, but seek His visible form, substitute imaginations an... [ Continue Reading ]
19._And lest thou lift up thine eyes. _Moses proceeds further, lest the Jews should imagine any divinity in the sun, and moon, and stars; nor does he only recall them from the error with which many were imbued, (96) thinking that these were so many gods; but also anticipates another superstition, le... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Furthermore, the Lord was angry with me. _He again records that it arose from the transgression of the people that he was not permitted to enter the land, not by way of expostulation, and much less in order to accuse God of cruelty, as if he had been improperly and unjustly substituted as a crim... [ Continue Reading ]
23._Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget. _There is no contradiction in the sense, that he should first of all altogether forbid that idols should be made; and, secondly, speak only of worshipping and adoring them; for it is already in itself a wicked error to attribute any image to God; and an... [ Continue Reading ]
25._When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children_. Although at the outset he only adverts to idolatry, yet, inasmuch as he thence takes occasion to inveigh generally against the transgressors of the Law, and denounces punishment against them, I have thought it advisable to introduce this... [ Continue Reading ]
29._But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord_. In this passage also he exhorts and encourages them in the confidence of obtaining pardon, and thus anticipates them, so that they might not be overwhelmed with sorrow when smitten by God’s hand; for despair awakens such rage in the wretched that the... [ Continue Reading ]
30._When thou art in tribulation_. He here shews the advantage of punishments, on the ground of their usefulness and profit; for what the Apostle says is confirmed by experience, that “no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable... [ Continue Reading ]
32._For ask now. _Moses here more forcibly extols and pronounces magnificent praises upon the miracles which he had before more simply related to have taken place at the promulgation of the Law, his object being to produce a fuller conviction of its dignity. He magnifies, too, by comparison, the tes... [ Continue Reading ]
33._Did ever people hear? _He points out more openly the greatness and extraordinary transcendency of the matter which he has just mentioned, viz., that they heard the voice of God speaking out of the fire. It is true, indeed, that the superstitions of the Gentiles had been confirmed of old by many... [ Continue Reading ]
35._Unto thee it was shewed. _He first says that God had so proved His divinity by miracles and prodigies, that the Israelites might know certainly that He was God. Whence, too, he concludes that He is the only God; for although God’s holy name be torn in pieces by various opinions, whilst each one... [ Continue Reading ]
37._And because he loved. _These words admit of two meanings; for the copulative conjunction stands at the beginning of the verse, — “_And _because he loved thy fathers,” and also before the next clause, “and he chose their seed;” the reasons here assigned might, therefore, be taken in connection wi... [ Continue Reading ]
39._Know therefore this day. _He again inculcates what we have lately spoken of, that the glory of the one true God was proved by the miracles, but he does so by way of exhortation. For he desires them carefully and attentively to consider what God had shewn them, because in so plain a matter there... [ Continue Reading ]
God had destined, as we have before seen, (221) six cities for refuge, in case any one had killed a man, provided he could prove his innocence before the judges. As to the three which He had appointed on the other side of Jordan, Moses records that he had faithfully performed what God had commanded.... [ Continue Reading ]
44._And this is the Law. _This last passage refers to the same thing, viz., that the Law was promulgated anew when the people had now reached the threshold of the promised land, in order that they might be more disposed to obedience, especially when the two tribes and a half had now, by the conquest... [ Continue Reading ]