Deuteronomy 32:46

44-47 Here is the solemn delivery of this song to Israel, with a charge to mind all the good words Moses had said unto them. It is not a trifle, but a matter of life and death: mind it, and you are made for ever; neglect it, and you are for ever undone. Oh that men were fully persuaded that religion is their life, even the life of their souls!...

Verse 46. _SET YOUR HEARTS UNTO ALL THE WORDS_] Another proof that all these awful denunciations of Divine wrath, though delivered in an _absolute_ form, were only _declaratory_ of what God would do IF they rebelled against him....

These verses were, no doubt, added by the author of the supplement to Deuteronomy. For the statements contained in them, consult the marginal references....

EXPOSITION SONG OF MOSES AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS DEATH. In accordance with the Divine injunction, Moses composed an ode, which he recited in the hearing of the people, and committed to writing, to remain with them as a witness for God against them. With this end in view, the ode is directed principally to a contrasting of the unchanging faithfulness of the Almighty with the anticipated perversity and unfaithfulness of his people. The poem may be divided into six parts. 1. An introduction (Deuteronomy 32:1), in which the importance of the doctrine to be delivered is announced. 2. The blamelessness and excellency of Jehovah are placed in contrast with the corruptness and perversity of

AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... By way of exhortation: SET YOUR HEARTS TO ALL THE WORDS WHICH I TESTIFY AMONG YOU THIS DAY; it was not enough to hear them, but they were to lay them up in their hearts, and retain them in their memories; and not only so, but reflect on them in their minds, and closely apply to the consideration of them, and get the true knowledge and sense of them, and put it in practice: WHICH YE SHALL COMMAND YOUR CHILDREN TO OBSERVE, TO DO ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW; which shows that the exhortation does not respect the song only, but the whole law delivered in this book; which they were not only to attend to themselves, but to transmit to their children, and enjoin them the observance of, that so religion might be perpetuated in their posterity....

3. THE BLESSING OF MOSES Chapter S 32:44-33:29 _ 1. Introduction (Deuteronomy 32:44)_ 2. Jehovah's manifestation (Deuteronomy 33:1) 3. The blessing of Reuben, Judah and Levi (Deuteronomy 33:6) 4. The blessing of Benjamin and Joseph (Deuteronomy 33:12) 5. The blessing of Zebulon and Issachar (Deuteronomy 33:18) 6. The blessing of Gad, Dan, Nephtali and Asher ...

Moses'song is a didactic poem, a theodicy in which Yahweh's ways are vindicated. In its sentiments and artistic form it is unsurpassed in the poetry of the OT. Its dominant theme is Yahweh's justice and lovingkindness to Israel notwithstanding the nation's sinfulness. It is impossible to fix the date of this poem with any confidence. But points of contact with Jer., Isaiah 40-55, Ezek., and the Wisdom literature suggest the closing years of the Exile (say 550 B.C.). Moses is certainly not the author, for to the latter the Exodus belongs to his distant past (Deuteronomy 32:7), and the Israelites are already in Canaan (Deuteronomy 32:13 f.). The words translated doctrine (Deuteronomy 32:2), abominations ...

SET YOUR HEARTS. Moses' ninth address. See note on Deuteronomy 1:6. THE WORDS. Not merely the Word of God as. whole, but the "words" of which it is made up. Compare Jeremiah 15:16; John 17:8; John 17:14; John 17:17. THIS DAY. See note on Deuteronomy 4:26. TO DO. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Syriac, read "and to do"....

A Postscript Moses again exhorts all Israel to attend to the Law and enforce it on their children, for it is their life, by which they shall prolong their days in the Land. Both the ideas and the language are deuteronomic, and the passage belongs to one of the hortatory supplements to the Law. Most connect it with Deuteronomy 31:24-27. Berth."s proposal to read _Shirah, Song_, for _Torah_, Law, in Deuteronomy 32:46 (see on Deuteronomy 31:24) and to refer all the _vv_. to the Song, is contradicted by the phraseology, which is elsewhere consistently used of the Law....

DISCOURSE: 238 A MINISTER’S DYING CHARGE TO HIS PEOPLE Deuteronomy 32:46. _Set 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. For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life._ THIS song was composed in order “to be a witness for God against the children of Israel” to the remotest ages [Note: Deuteronomy 31:19.]. It contains a summary of God’s dealings with them, and of the provocations whereby they constrained him at last to visit them with his heavy displeasure. At the same time, it gives an intimation of his mercies, which he has yet in reserve for them, when they and the Gentiles shall be incorporated into one Church, and become one fold under one Shep