Deuteronomy 9:12

_AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ME, ARISE, GET THEE DOWN QUICKLY FROM HENCE; FOR THY PEOPLE WHICH THOU HAST BROUGHT FORTH OUT OF EGYPT HAVE CORRUPTED THEMSELVES; THEY ARE QUICKLY TURNED ASIDE OUT OF THE WAY WHICH I COMMANDED THEM; THEY HAVE MADE THEM A MOLTEN IMAGE._ Arise, get thee down ... for thy people ... have corrupted themselves. With a view to humble them effectually, Moses proceeds to particularize some of the most atrocious instances of their infidelity; and he begins with the impiety of the golden calf-an impiety which, while their miraculous emancipation from Egypt, the most stupendous displays of the Divine Majesty that were exhibited on the adjoining mount, and the recent ratification of the covenant by which they engaged to act as the people of God, were fresh in memory, indicated a degree of inconstancy or debasement almost incredible....

7-29 That the Israelites might have no pretence to think that God brought them to Canaan for their righteousness, Moses shows what a miracle of mercy it was, that they had not been destroyed in the wilderness. It is good for us often to remember against ourselves, with sorrow and shame, our former sins; that we may see how much we are indebted to free grace, and may humbly own that we never merited any thing but wrath and the curse at God's hand. For so strong is our propensity to pride, that it will creep in under one pretence or another. We are ready to fancy that our righteousness has got for us the special favour of the Lord, though in reality our wickedness is more plain than our weakness. But when the secret history of every man's life shall be brought forth at the day of judgment, all the world will be proved guilty before God. At present, One pleads for us before the mercy-seat,...

Verse Deuteronomy 9:12. _THY PEOPLE - HAVE CORRUPTED_ THEMSELVES] Debased themselves by making and worshipping an Egyptian idol. Exodus 32:1, c....

EXPOSITION DISSUASIVES FROM SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. DEUTERONOMY 9:1 Israel might acknowledge that it was of God's free gift that they possessed the land of Canaan, and yet might flatter themselves by thinking it was because of their righteousness and goodness that the gift was bestowed. To guard against this, _Moses _tells them that not because of their righteousness would God go before them and drive out the mighty peoples that then occupied the land, but because of the wickedness of these peoples themselves were they to be extirpated (Deuteronomy 9:1). He further reminds them of their transgressions in the past, and how they thereby came under the Divine displeasure, and were saved

AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ME,.... The omniscient God, who knew what was doing in the camp of Israel, though Moses did not, of which he informs him: ARISE, GET THEE DOWN QUICKLY FROM HENCE; from the mount where he was; and the word "arise" does not suppose him to be sitting or lying along, neither of which postures would have been suitable, considering in whose presence he was; but is only expressive of urgency and haste of his departure; it is not used in Exodus 32:7 FOR THY PEOPLE, WHICH THOU HAST BROUGHT FORTH OUT OF EGYPT, HAVE CORRUPTED THEMSELVES; their way, as the Targum of Jonathan; that is, by idolatry, than which nothing is more corrupting and defiling; the Lord calls them not his people, but the people of Moses, being highly displeased with them; and ascribes their coming out of Egypt to Moses the instrument, and not to himself, as if he repented of

5. WARNING AGAINST SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THEIR PREVIOUS FAILURES Chapter S 9:1-10:11 _ 1. The warning (Deuteronomy 9:1)_ 2. The failures of the past (Deuteronomy 9:7) 3. The intercession of Moses (Deuteronomy 9:25) 4. The results of the intercession (Deuteronomy 10:1) This chapter and the first eleven verses of the tenth are aimed against the spirit of self righteousness. First there is the warning. This is followed by their shameful history of the past, which showed that a boast of being righteous, or having any righteousness had to be positively excluded in their

DEUTERONOMY 9:7_ b-_ DEUTERONOMY 10:11 (or DEUTERONOMY 10:9). Narrative of the legislation on Mount Horeb; for the purpose apparently of illustrating Deuteronomy 9:7_ a._ This historical survey suddenly thrust into a hortatory context closely resembles Deuteronomy 1-3, and is thought by Horst and Bertholet to be by the same author. They agree with Steuernagel (who, however, says its closest affinities are with Deuteronomy 5) in holding it to be an interpolation here. But surely the history in this section is didactic and therefore hortatory....

SAID. See note on Deuteronomy 2:9, and compare Exodus 32:7; Exodus 32:8....

Taken from E, Exodus 32:7-8 _a_(on which see notes) with the addition of _quickly from here_and the substitution of _brought forth_(D's favourite expression) for _brought up_; and the omission of _calf_. _corrupted themselves_ Deuteronomy 4:16; Deuteronomy 4:25; Deuteronomy 31:29 also Pl. passages: while the Sg. passages use one form of the verb only in the sense to destroy: Deuteronomy 4:31; Deuteronomy 10:

b. HOW TO PREVENT THE THREAT (Deuteronomy 9:1 to Deuteronomy 11:21) (1) BY A REALISTIC SELF-EVALUATION (Deuteronomy 9:1 to Deuteronomy 10:11) (Moses rehearses the story of the two tables of stone and the Israelite's sin at Sinai. This is done so Israel might see their previous course: rebelliousness, stubbornness, and disobedience.) Hear, O Israel: thou art to pass over the Jordan this day to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, 2 a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can sta