Deuteronomy 9 commentary

Moses represents the strength of the enemies they were now to encounter. This was to drive them to God, and engage their hope in him. He assures them of victory, by the presence of God with them. He cautions them not to have the least thought of their own righteousness, as if that procured this favour at God's hand. In Christ we have both righteousness and strength; in Him we must glory, not in ourselves, nor in any sufficiency of our own. It is for the wickedness of these nations that God drives them out. All whom God rejects, are rejected for their own wickedness; but none whom he accepts are accepted for their own righteousness. Thus boasting is for ever done away: see Eph 2:9, 11, 12.

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, who not only fasted, but died upon the cross for our sins; through whom we may approach, though self-condemned sinners, and beseech for undeserved mercy and for eternal life, as the gift of God in Him. Let us refer all the victory, all the glory, and all the praise, to Him who alone bringeth salvation.

1. Thou art to pass over Jordan this day. The whole of this passage contains an eulogy on the gratuitous liberality of God, whereby He had bound the people to Himself unto the obedience of the Law. But this (as we have already seen) ought to have been a most pressing stimulus to incite the people, and altogether to ravish them to the worship and love of God, to whom they were under so great obligation. The design of Moses, then, was to shew that the Israelites, for no merit of their own, but by the signal bounty of God, would be heirs of the land of Canaan; and that this entirely flowed from the covenant and their gratuitous adoption; in order that, on their part, they should persevere in the faithful observation of the covenant, and so should be the more disposed to honor Him. For it would be too disgraceful that they, whom God had prevented by His grace, should not meet Him, as it were, by voluntarily submitting to His dominion. Moreover, lest they should arrogate anything to themselves, he commends the greatness of God’s power, in that they could not be victorious over so many nations, unless by the miraculous aid of heaven. With this view, he states that these nations excelled not only in greatness and multitude, but also in military valor. He adds that their cities were great and impregnable; and, finally, that in them were the children of the giants, formidable from their enormous stature. For Anak (as is related in Joshua 15 Or, more fully in Numbers 13:33. ) was a celebrated giant, whose descendants were called Anakim. And, to take away all doubt about this, he cites themselves as witnesses, that they were so terrified by their appearance as to wish to turn back again. We now understand the object of all these details, viz., that God’s glory may shine forth in the victories and success of the people. The words “whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard,” have reference to the spies; “Qui avoyent este envoyez pour descouvrir la terre;” who had been sent to descry the land. — Fr. for these giants had not yet become openly known to the people; but he transfers the case of a few to them all, because, by the account the spies had given, terror had invaded the whole camp, as though they had actually come into conflict with them. Since, then, they had been persuaded of their inferiority to their enemies, and utterly disheartened by the report they received, Moses convicts them on their own evidence, lest, perchance, they might hereafter assume to themselves the praise which was due to God alone. But we are taught in these words, that such is the ingratitude of mankind, that they obscure, as much as they can, God’s bounties, and never yield, except when driven to conviction.

3. Understand therefore this day. He concludes from what has preceded that the Israelites would be too perverse, unless they acknowledge that their enemies were overcome by the hand of God; and, still more to heighten the miracle, he uses a similitude, comparing God to a fire, which consumes so many nations in an unwonted and incredible manner. It is as if he had said, that it could not be effected by human or ordinary means that so many and such warlike peoples could thus quickly perish. Elsewhere God is called “a consuming fire” in a different sense, that we may fear his wrath and power; but here Moses only means that the destruction of the Canaanitish nations was His wonderful work.

4. Speak not thou in thine heart. He now more plainly warns the people not to exalt themselves in proud and foolish boasting. If they had not been naturally so depraved and malignant, it would have been sufficient to point out God’s grace in a single word; but he could not induce them to gratitude except by correcting and destroying their pride. He therefore takes away this stumblingblock, in order that God’s generosity might be conspicuous among them. “To speak in the heart” is equivalent to reflecting or conceiving an opinion. Wherefore Moses not only reproves the boasting of the lips, but that hidden arrogance, wherewith men are puffed up, when they take to themselves the praise which is due to God. Moreover, he not only prohibits them from ascribing it to their own valor, that they had routed their enemies, and gained possession of the land, but also from imagining that this was the just recompense of their merits. For God is not less defrauded of His glory when men oppose their righteousness to His liberality, than when they boast that whatever blessings they have are obtained by their own industry. To make this more ‘clear, I will repeat it. Moses does not forbid the people from thinking that they had themselves acquired the land without God’s aid; nay, he takes it for granted that they themselves will acknowledge that it was by God’s help that they were victorious; but he is not contented with this limited gratitude unless they at the same time acknowledge that they had deserved nothing of the kind, and therefore that it was a mere and gratuitous act of His bounty. The reason given in the second clause does not appear sufficiently De prime face. — Fr. conclusive, viz., that the nations were driven out on account of their own wickedness; for it might have been that what God took away from these wicked reprobates He transferred to those who were more worthy; but. it appears to be an indirect admonition, that the Israelites should compare themselves with these nations; because it was evidently to be gathered by them from thence, “Pour ce que, se cognoissans povres et miserables, ils devoyent aisement conclurre,” etc.; because, knowing themselves to be poor and miserable, they might easily conclude, etc. — Fr. that they had not acquired this foreign land, from which the former inhabitants had been ejected, by their own righteousness. And this is still more clearly expressed in the two next verses.

5. Not for thy righteousness. First of all, he would have the punishment inflicted upon these nations awaken the Israelites to fear, and thus that they should attribute nothing to themselves; because it was God’s design not to reward their merits, but to shew the severity of His judgment. Secondly, he confirms this by two arguments; viz., because God thus had performed what He promised Abraham; (which promise, as has been already seen, was founded on mere grace;) and, again, because the people itself was naturally perverse and rebellious. Hence, it sufficiently appears that there was no room for merits, since by them God’s covenant would have been nullified, nor, if there were, could any such be found in so depraved and contumacious a nation. And besides, God had made His covenant with Abraham almost four centuries before they were born. Hence it follows that this benefit proceeded from some other source. But he still further represses their pride, by reproaching them with being “stiff-necked;” for it would have been too absurd to imagine that God, whom they had not ceased to provoke with their sins, was under obligation to them, as if they had duly discharged their duty. This metaphor is taken from oxen, which are useless until they are accustomed to bend their necks; it is then the same as saying that they were not only unsubmissive, but that in their obstinacy they shook off the yoke. By his impressing on them, for the third time, that the Israelites had not deserved the land by their righteousness, we learn that nothing is more difficult than for men to strip themselves of their blind arrogance, whereby they detract some portion of the praise from God’s mercies. Now, if in regard to an earthly inheritance God so greatly exalts His mercy, what must we think of the heavenly inheritance? L’heritage celeste, et permanent. — Fr. He would have it attributed to Himself alone, that the children of Israel possess the land of Canaan; how much less, then, will He tolerate the obtrusion of men’s merits in order to the acquisition of heaven? Nor is there anything in the pretense of the Papists that they attribute the first place to God’s bounty; because He claims altogether for Himself what they would share with Him. But if any object that this was only said to His ancient people, I reply, that we are no better than they. Let each retire into himself, Pour se bien examiner. — Fr. and he will not excuse the hardness of his neck. But they who are regenerated by God’s Spirit, know that they are not naturally formed unto obedience; and thus that it is only mercy which makes them to differ from the worst of men.

DEUTERONOMY 10

Deuteronomy 10:21, 22

21. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen.

21. Jehova est laus tua, et ipse est Dens qui fecit tecum magna et terribilia ista quae viderunt oculi tui.

22. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.

22. Cum septuaginta animabus descenderunt patres tui in Aegyptum: nunc autem posuit to Jehova Deus tuus sicut stellas coeli in multitudinem.

7. Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst In order to reprove the ingratitude of the people, Moses here briefly refers to some of their offenses; but he principally insists on the history of their revolt, in which their extreme and most detestable impiety betrayed itself. He therefore narrates this crime in almost the identical words which he had previously used in Exodus. He begins by urging them often to reflect upon their sins, lest they should ever be forgotten; and this constant recollection of them not only tended to humiliate them, but also to teach them at length to lay aside their depraved nature, and to accustom themselves to become obedient to God. Afterwards he proceeds to the history itself, shewing that God had been provoked by their idolatry to destroy them. If a question be here put, how it was that God was prevailed upon by Moses to change His intention, our curiosity must be repressed, lest we should dispute more deeply than is fitting respecting the secret and incomprehensible decree of God. Sure it is that God did not act otherwise than He had determined; but Moses goes no deeper than the sentence that was revealed to him; just as we must assuredly conclude that destruction is prepared for us when we transgress; and that God’s anger is appeased when we fly to His mercy in true faith, and with sincere affections. The rest has been already expounded.

17. And I took the two tables, and cast them out Moses here accuses himself of no transgression; he does not, therefore, give us to understand that he was urged to break the tables by the impetuosity of excessive anger; but rather he again repeats what they had deserved, and consequently that he discharged the office of a herald, Lat. “Fecialis munere;” alluding doubtless to the custom of the Roman Feciales, in throwing a bloody spear into the territories of others as a declaration of war. See Liv. 1:32. so as to denounce, not by word of mouth only, but by a solemn rite also, that God’s Covenant was broken and made void by their perfidiousness. For which reason also he cast down and broke the tables before their eyes, in order that being alarmed by so awful a punishment, they might more earnestly betake themselves to the expiation of their sins.

18. And I fell down before the Lord The order of the narrative is confused; for this fact of which he speaks did not precede his second ascent into the mount, when he was commanded to prepare the second tables. If so, he would have fasted three times, which we gather from other passages not to have been the case; but we must not be surprised that the same thing should be often repeated, as we shall see at the beginning of chapter 10, as well as shortly afterwards. The mention of it here, however, is seasonable, because the Covenant was to be renewed, and therefore, as if nothing had been done, he again abstained from meat and drink for forty days. Yet we have elsewhere seen that there were other prayers which had intervened before He ascended the mount a second time; but He does not here distinctly record the details, nay, he mixes up the prayers, whereby he interceded with God, with the second fast, because this was the point most worthy of observation, that the first promulgation of the Law had failed of its effect, and the Covenant which they had violated was to be repeated, as it were, from its very commencement.

Although he says that “because of their sins” he had not eaten bread nor drunk water, he does not signify that this fast was a sign of grief and mourning, like as Joel invites the people to sackcloth and ashes, and urges them to weeping and fasting for the purpose of testifying their repentance. (Joel 2:12.) For abstinence, as I have already shewn, was no more difficult or grievous to Moses than to the angels. But he simply reminds them that so great a sin could not be expiated, unless he had again renounced the life of men and had been taken up to God. Meanwhile, it must be borne in mind that previously to this, he had already made entreaty for the people, and had also been accepted; inasmuch as it was a token that God was reconciled and appeased, when He called up Moses to receive the Law, and to bring it down to them a second time. To this refers what he adds in the next verse, “For I was afraid of the anger,” etc., for he was still in anxiety as to the welfare of the people, since God did not cease to menace them. We see, therefore, that this fear and anxious earnestness in prayer are separated from the fast, as different things; and assuredly he had already propitiated God, when, by His command he hewed out the new tables whereon the Covenant was to be renewed. Still, I do not deny that he labored also in the mount in the cause of obtaining pardon, just as believers, by continuing the requests which have already been granted, confirm their faith more and more. I only warn my readers to observe the distinction of time which I have noticed.

20. And the Lord was very angry with Aaron It hence appears how vain are the pretexts whereby men endeavor to conceal their faults, until they are subdued by genuine fear of God to acknowledge their guilt. Although Aaron did not boast that he was altogether innocent, still he endeavored to blot out, or at any rate to extenuate the enormity of his crime by alleging that he was under compulsion. But Moses declares that God was very angry with him. Whence it follows that he was guilty of a very gross sin, which is also more certainly declared by the greatness of its punishment; for God would never have been thus moved even to destroy him, unless because he was worthy of this condemnation.

In the next verse, the word sin is not applied to the act; itself, “Il appelle le veau Peche du peuple, pource qu’il avoit este la matiere et object de leur idolatrie;” he calls the calf the Sin of the people, because it had been the matter and object of their idolatry. — Fr. but is transferred by metonymy to the calf, as its apposition shews. Again, by saying that he had thoroughly broken the calf to pieces by grinding it till it was reduced to powder, he signifies once more how abominable this idol was, especially when he adds, that the powder was cast into the stream, lest any memorial of it should continue in existence.

22. And at Taberah. He briefly adverts to several cases whereby he may convince the people of ingratitude and persevering obstinacy, and thus of a corrupt nature: for it is just as if he had said, that they had been rebellious against God not once only, nor in one particular way, but that they had heaped together many offences, so that it was wonderful that God had so often pardoned them. He also recounts the names given to the places as memorials of their sins, in order that they may at length cease to transgress, since, although so often provoked, God had borne with them already too long.

Deuteronomy 2

Deuteronomy 2:1

1. Titan we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness, by the way of the Red sea, as the Lord spoke unto me; and we compassed mount Stir many days.

1. Postea reversi profecti sumus in desertum per viam maris Suph, quemadmodum loquutus fuerat Jehova ad me, et circumivimus montem Seir diebus multis.

25. Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days Again the narrative is blended together; for it is certain that this prayer was offered before he remained fasting in the mount during the second forty days. But inasmuch as then also, being still in anxiety, he continued the same prayers, it is not to be wondered at that he should include in the forty days’ fast whatever had been done before. For there is no absurdity in supposing that after having obtained the safety of the people, for which he had petitioned, he should still be in trepidation. Moreover, that this fast was posterior to the prayer which he mentions at the same time, may be inferred from the beginning of the next chapter, where he records that the second tables were given to him, but says not a word of the fast. I have stated why he so often repeats his allusion to the forty days, viz., because it would not have been sufficient merely to intercede, unless this reconciliation had followed, which he obtained when he received the new covenant. The rest I have already expounded.

Deuteronomy 10

Deuteronomy 10:1-5, 10, 11

1. At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.

1. In tempore illo dixit mihi Jehova, Dola tibi duns tabulas lapideas similes prioribus, et ascende ad me in montem, et fac tibi arcata ligneam.

2. And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

2. Et scribam in tabulis verba quae erant in tabulis prioribus, quas fregisti, et pones eas in arca.

3. And I made an ark of shittim-wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.

3. Feci igitur arcata e lignis sittim, ac dolavi duas tabulas lapideas similes prioribus: ascendique in montem habens duas tabulas in manu mea.

4. And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly: and the Lord gave them unto me.

4. Tunc scripsit in tabulis juxta scripturam priorem decem verba quae loquutus fuerat Jehova vobiscum in monte, e medio ignis, in die conventus: et dedit illas mihi Jehova.

5. And I turned myself, and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the Lord commanded me.

5. Conversus autem descendi e monte: posuique tabulas in arca quam feceram: et fuerunt illic, quemadmodum praeceperat mihi Jehova.

10. And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also, and the Lord would not destroy thee.

10. Ego autem steti in monte secundum dies priores, quadraginta dies, et quadraginta noctes: et ex-audivit me Jehova etiam hac vice, nec voluit Jehova perdere te.

11. And the Lord said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.

11. Itaque dixit mihi Jehova, Surge, vade, proficiscendo ante populum ut ingrediantur et possideant terram quam juravi patribus eorum me daturum illis.

CHAPTER 9

De 9:1-25. Moses Dissuades Them from the Opinion of Their Own Righteousness.

1. this day--means this time. The Israelites had reached the confines of the promised land, but were obliged, to their great mortification, to return. But now they certainly were to enter it. No obstacle could prevent their possession; neither the fortified defenses of the towns, nor the resistance of the gigantic inhabitants of whom they had received from the spies so formidable a description.

cities great and fenced up to heaven--Oriental cities generally cover a much greater space than those in Europe; for the houses often stand apart with gardens and fields intervening. They are almost all surrounded with walls built of burnt or sun-dried bricks, about forty feet in height. All classes in the East, but especially the nomad tribes, in their ignorance of engineering and artillery, would have abandoned in despair the idea of an assault on a walled town, which to-day would be demolished in a few hours.

4-6. Speak not thou in thine heart, ... saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land--Moses takes special care to guard his countrymen against the vanity of supposing that their own merits had procured them the distinguished privilege. The Canaanites were a hopelessly corrupt race, and deserved extermination; but history relates many remarkable instances in which God punished corrupt and guilty nations by the instrumentality of other people as bad as themselves. It was not for the sake of the Israelites, but for His own sake, for the promise made to their pious ancestors, and in furtherance of high and comprehensive purposes of good to the world, that God was about to give them a grant of Canaan. 7. Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord--To dislodge from their minds any presumptuous idea of their own righteousness, Moses rehearses their acts of disobedience and rebellion committed so frequently, and in circumstances of the most awful and impressive solemnity, that they had forfeited all claims to the favor of God. The candor and boldness with which he gave, and the patient submission with which the people bore, his recital of charges so discreditable to their national character, has often been appealed to as among the many evidences of the truth of this history.

8. Also in Horeb--rather, "even in Horeb," where it might have been expected they would have acted otherwise.

12-29. Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; 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. 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.

Thou art to pass over Jordan this day - היום haiyom, this time; they had come thirty-eight years before this nearly to the verge of the promised land, but were not permitted at that day or time to pass over, because of their rebellions; but this time they shall certainly pass over. This was spoken about the eleventh month of the fortieth year of their journeying, and it was on the first month of the following year they passed over; and during this interim Moses died.

For the wickedness of these nations - So then it was not by any sovereign act of God that these people were cast out, but for their wickedness; they had transgressed the law of their Creator; they had resisted his Spirit, and could no longer be tolerated. The Israelites were to possess their land, not because they deserved it, but first, because they were less wicked than the others; and secondly, because God thus chose to begin the great work of his salvation among men. Thus then the Canaanites were cut off, and the Israelites were grafted in; and the Israelites, because of their wickedness, were afterwards cut off and the Gentiles grafted in. Let the latter not be high-minded, but fear; if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he spare not thee. But let it be remembered that this land was originally their own, and that the present possessors had no legal right to it.

Tables of stone - See the notes on Exo 31:18, Exo 32:15 (note), and Exo 32:16.

Thy people - have corrupted themselves - Debased themselves by making and worshipping an Egyptian idol. See on Exodus 32 (note).

I took your sin, the calf which ye had made - See this fully explained Exo 32:20 (note).

At Kibroth-hattaavah - See the note on Num 11:34.

Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - As if he had said: "These are their descendants, and the covenant was made with those patriarchs in behalf of these." God bestows many blessings on comparatively worthless persons, either for the sake of their pious ancestors, or on account of the religious people with whom they are connected; therefore union with the Church of God is a blessing of no common magnitude. The reader will find the grand subject of this chapter explained at large in the notes on Exodus 31 and 32, to which he is particularly desired to refer.

Hear, O Israel - This seems to be a new discourse, delivered at some distance of time from the former, probably on the next sabbath - day. This day - That is, shortly, within a little time, the word day being often put for time. Nations - That is, the land of those nations. Mightier than thyself - This he adds, that they might not trust to their own strength, but rely upon God's help for the destroying them, and, after the work was done, might ascribe the glory of it to God alone, and not to themselves.

Who can stand - This seems to be a proverb used in those times.

Not for thy righteousness - Neither for thy upright heart, nor holy life, which are the two things which God above all things regards. And consequently he excludes all merit. And surely they who did not deserve this earthly Canaan, could not merit the kingdom of glory. To perform the word - To shew my faithfulness in accomplishing that promise which I graciously made and confirmed with my oath.

Stiff - necked - Rebellious and perverse, and so destitute of all pretence of righteousness. And thus our gaining possession of the heavenly Canaan, must be ascribed to God's power, not our own might, and to God's Grace, not our own merit. In him we must glory.

In Horeb - When your miraculous deliverance out of Egypt was fresh in memory; when God had but newly manifested himself to you in so stupendous and dreadful a manner, and had taken you into covenant with himself, when God was actually conferring farther mercies upon you.

With the finger of God - Immediately and miraculously, which was done not only to procure the greater reverence to the law, but also to signify, that it is the work of God alone to write this law upon the tables of men's hearts. In the day of the assembly - That is, when the people were gathered by God's command to the bottom of mount Sinai, to hear and receive God's ten commandments from his own mouth.

Let me alone! - Stop me not by thy intercession.

I brake them before your eyes - Not by an unbridled passion, but in zeal for God's honour, and by the direction of God's spirit, to signify to tine people, that the covenant between God and them contained in those tables was broken and they were now cast out of God's favour, and could expect nothing from him but fiery indignation.

I fell down - In a way of humiliation and supplication, on your behalf.

Into the brook - That there might be no monument or remembrance of it left.

I fell down forty days - The same as were mentioned before, Deu 9:18, as appears by comparing this with Exodus, where this history is more fully related, and where this is said to be done twice only.

Through thy greatness - Through the greatness of thy power, which appeared most eminently in that work.

Thy servants - That is, the promise made and sworn to thy servants.

Thy people - Whom thou hast chosen to thyself out of all mankind, and publickly owned them for thine, and hast purchased and redeemed them from the Egyptians.

1 HEar, O Israel, thou art to pass over Jordan this day , to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thy self , cities great and fenced up to heaven .

(i. e.) Shortly, within a little time, the word day being oft put for time, as Iob. 8. 56. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Revd. 16. 14. within two moneths: for Moses spake this on the first day of the eleventh moneth, Deut. 1. 3. and they passed over Ierdan on the tenth day of the first moneth, Ios. 4. 19.

(i. e.) The land of those nations; for that onely they were to possess, but as for the Nations or people they were not to possess, but to destroy them. Thus they are said to [illegible: 1 word] Gad, Ier. 4[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1. i. e. the Country and [illegible: 1 word] of Gad, as it is there explained.

This he adds, partly that they might not be surprized when they find them to be such: partly that they [illegible: 1+ letters]ght not trust to their own strength, but wholly rely upon Gods help for the destroying of them▪ and, after the work was done, might ascribe the p[illegible: 1+ letters]se and glory of it to God alone, and not to themselves.

As the Spies reported, Deut. 1. 28. See on Gen. 11. 4.

Marginal references: Chap. 1. 28.

2 A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say , Who can stand before the children of Anak?

Either from the spies, or rather from common same, for this seems to be a proverb, used in those times.

Marginal references: Num. 13. 28, [illegible: 1+ letters].

3 Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee as a consuming fire: he shall destroy them and he shall bring them down before thy face; so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly as the LORD hath said unto thee.

Without great difficulty or long wars.

Marginal references: Chap. [illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters]4. Heb. 12. 29.

5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart , dost thou go to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob .

Neither for thy upright heart, nor holy life, which are the two things which God a[illegible: 1+ letters]ove all [illegible: 1 word] regards, 1 [illegible: 1 word]. 29, 17. Psal. 15. 1. 2. And consequently he [illegible: 1 word] all merit. And surely they who did not deserve this earthly [illegible: 1 word] ▪ could not merit the Kingdom of Glory.

To shew my faithfulness in accomplishing that promise which I graciously made and confirmed with my oath. By which words it is implyed, that this land was not given to them for the righteousness of their fathers though they were righteous and holy persons, and much less for their own righteousness, which they had not, as it follows.

Marginal references: Gen 12. 7. & 13. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. & 15. [illegible: 1+ letters]. & 17. 8. & [illegible: 1+ letters] 4. & [illegible: 1+ letters]. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].

6 Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness, for thou art a stiff-necked people .

Rebellious and perverse, and so destitute of all pretence of righteousness; such were the people, but there were divers particular persons amongst them truly righteous and holy, and yet even their righteousness is denyed to be the procuring cause of this land.

Marginal references: Exod. 32. 9. & 34. 9.

8 Also in Horeb , ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you, to have destroyed you.

When your miraculous deliverance out of Egypt was fresh in memory; when God had but newly manifested himself to you in so stupendious and dreadful a manner, and had taken you into covenant with himself, when God was actually conferring further mercies upon you.

Marginal references: Exod. 32. 4. Ps. 106. 19.

9 When I was gone up into the mount, to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty dayes and forty nights; I neither did eat bread, nor drink water .

(i. e.) I wholly abstained from all meat and drink. Compare 1 King. 13. 8, 9, 13. 2 King. 6. 22.

Marginal references: Exod. 24. 12▪ 15.; Exod. 24. 18. & 34. 28.

10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone, written with the singer of God , and on them was written according to all the words which the LORD spake with you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly .

Immediately and miraculously, which was done not onely to procure the greater reverence to the law, but also to signifie, that it was the work of God alone to write this Law upon the Tables of mens hearts. See I[illegible: 1+ letters]. 31. 33. 2 Cor. 3. 3. 7.

(i. e.) When the people were gathered together by Gods command to the bottom of Mount Sinai, to hear and receive Gods ten Commandements from his own mouth.

Marginal references: Exod. 31. 18.; Exod. 19. 17▪ & 20. 1.

14 Let me alone , that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.

Stop not the course of my fury by thy intercession.

17 And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes .

Not by an unbridled passion, but in zeal for Gods honour, and by the direction of Gods spirit, to signifie to the people, that the covenant between God and them contained in those tables was broken and made void, and they were now quite cast out of Gods favour, and could expect nothing from him but fiery indignation and severe justice. See on Exod. 32. 19.

18 And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty dayes, and forty nights; I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins, which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

In way of humiliation and supplication, on your behalf.

Marginal references: Psa. 106. 23.

20 And the LORD was very angry with Aaron , to have destroyed him: And I prayed for Aaron also the same time.

Though he was onely accessary, as being perswaded, and in a manner compelled to comply with your desire.

21 And I took your sin , the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.

(i. e.) The object and matter of your sin, as sin is taken Isa. 31. 7.

That there might be no monument or remembrance of it left.

Marginal references: Exod. 32. 20.

25 Thus I fell down before the LORD forty dayes, and forty nights , as I fell down at the first, because the LORD had said, he would destroy you.

The same mentioned before v. 18. as appears, 1. By comparing this with Exodus, where this History is more fully related, and where this is said to be done twice onely. 2. By the occasion and matter of Moses his prayer here following, which is the same with the former. 3. By the words here following, as I fell down at first, which shew that this was the second time of his so doing.

Marginal references: Ver. 18.

26 I prayed therefore unto the LORD and said, O LORD God, destroy not thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness , which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt, with a mighty hand.

(i. e.) Through the greatness of thy power, which appeared most eminently in that work, as is noted v. 29.

27 Remember thy servants , Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: look not unto the stubborness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin:

(i. e.) The promise made and sworn to thy servants, which was mentioned above v. 5.

29 Yet they are thy people , and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power, and by thy stretched-out arm.

Whom thou hast chosen to thy self out of all mankind, and publickly owned them for thine, and hast purchased and redeemed them from the Egyptians.

Warning Against Self-Righteousness, Founded upon the Recital of Their Previous Sins - Deuteronomy 9-10:11

Besides the more vulgar pride which entirely forgets God, and attributes success and prosperity to its own power and exertion, there is one of a more refined character, which very easily spreads-namely, pride which acknowledges the blessings of God; but instead of receiving them gratefully, as unmerited gifts of the grace of the Lord, sees in them nothing but proofs of its own righteousness and virtue. Moses therefore warned the Israelites more particularly of this dangerous enemy of the soul, by first of all declaring without reserve, that the Lord was not about to give them Canaan because of their own righteousness, but that He would exterminate the Canaanites for their own wickedness (Deu 9:1-6); and then showing them for their humiliation, by proofs drawn from the immediate past, how they had brought upon themselves the anger of the Lord, by their apostasy and rebellion against their God, directly after the conclusion of the covenant at Sinai; and that in such a way, that it was only by his earnest intercession that he had been able to prevent the destruction of the people (Deut 9:7-24), and to secure a further renewal of the pledges of the covenant (Deut 9:25-10:11).

Deu 9:1-3 Warning against a conceit of righteousness, with the occasion for the warning. As the Israelites were now about to cross over the Jordan (“this day,” to indicate that the time was close at hand), to take possession of nations that were superior to them in size and strength (the tribes of Canaan mentioned in Deu 7:1), and great fortified cities reaching to the heavens (cf. Deu 1:28), namely, the great and tall nation of the Enakites (Deu 1:28), before which, as was well known, no one could stand (התיצּב, as in Deu 7:24); and as they also knew that Jehovah their God was going before them to destroy and humble these nations, they were not to say in their heart, when this was done, For my righteousness Jehovah hath brought me in to possess this land. In Deu 9:3, היּום וידעתּ is not to be taken in an imperative sense, but as expressive of the actual fact, and corresponding to Deu 9:1, “thou art to pass.” Israel now knew for certain - namely, by the fact, which spoke so powerfully, of its having been successful against foes which it could never have conquered by itself, especially against Sihon and Og - that the Lord was going before it, as the leader and captain of His people (Schultz: see Deu 1:30). The threefold repetition of הוּא in Deu 9:3 is peculiarly emphatic. “A consuming fire:” as in Deu 4:24. ישׁמידם הוּא is more particularly defined by וגו יכניעם והוּא, which follows: not, however, as implying that השׁמיד does not signify complete destruction in this passage, but rather as explaining how the destruction would take place. Jehovah would destroy the Canaanites, by bring them down, humbling them before Israel, so that they would be able to drive them out and destroy them quickly “מהר, quickly, is no more opposed to Deu 7:22, 'thou mayest not destroy them quickly,' than God’s not delaying to requite (Deu 7:10) is opposed to His long-suffering” (Schultz). So far as the almighty assistance of God was concerned, the Israelites would quickly overthrow the Canaanites; but for the sake of the well-being of Israel, the destruction would only take place by degrees. “As Jehovah hath said unto thee:” viz., Exo 23:23, Exo 23:27., and at the beginning of the conflict, Deu 2:24.

Deu 9:4-6

When therefore Jehovah thrust out these nations before them (הדף, as in Deu 6:19), the Israelites were not to say within themselves, “By (for, on account of) my righteousness Jehovah hath brought me (led me hither) to possess this land.” The following word, וּברשׁעת, is adversative: “but because of the wickedness of these nations,” etc. - To impress this truth deeply upon the people, Moses repeats the thought once more in Deu 9:5. At the same time he mentions, in addition to righteousness, straightness or uprightness of heart, to indicate briefly that outward works do not constitute true righteousness, but that an upright state of heart is indispensable, and then enters more fully into the positive reasons. The wickedness of the Canaanites was no doubt a sufficient reason for destroying them, but not for giving their land to the people of Israel, since they could lay no claim to it on account of their own righteousness. The reason for giving Canaan to the Israelites was simply the promise of God, the word which the Lord had spoken to the patriarchs on oath (cf. Deu 7:8), and therefore nothing but the free grace of God, - not any merit on the part of the Israelites who were then living, for they were a people “of a hard neck,” i.e., a stubborn, untractable generation. With these words, which the Lord Himself had applied to Israel in Exo 32:9; Exo 33:3, Exo 33:5, Moses prepares the way for passing to the reasons for his warning against self-righteous pride, namely, the grievous sins of the Israelites against the Lord.

Deu 9:7-24

He reminded the people how they had provoked the Lord in the desert, and had shown themselves rebellious against God, from the day of their departure from Egypt till their arrival in the steppes of Moab. את־אשׁר, for אשׁר, is the object to תּשׁכּח (Ewald, §333, a.): “how thou hast provoked.” המרה, generally with את־פּי (cf. Deu 1:26), to be rebellious against the commandment of the Lord: here with עם, construed with a person, to deal rebelliously with God, to act rebelliously in relation to Him (cf. Deu 31:27). The words “from the day that thou camest out,” etc., are not to be pressed. It is to be observed, however, that the rebellion against the guidance of God commenced before they passed through the Red Sea (Exo 14:11). This general statement Moses then followed up with facts, first of all describing the worship of the calf at Horeb, according to its leading features (Deu 9:8-21), and then briefly pointing to the other rebellions of the people in the desert (Deu 9:22, Deu 9:23).

Deu 9:25-29

After vindicating in this way the thought expressed in Deu 9:7, by enumerating the principal rebellions of the people against their God, Moses returns in Deu 9:25. to the apostasy at Sinai, for the purpose of showing still further how Israel had no righteousness or ground for boasting before God, and owed its preservation, with all the saving blessings of the covenant, solely to the mercy of God and His covenant faithfulness. To this end he repeats in Deu 9:26-29 the essential points in his intercession for the people after their sin at Sinai, and then proceeds to explain still further, in Deu 10:1-11, how the Lord had not only renewed the tables of the covenant in consequence of this intercession (Deu 10:1-5), but had also established the gracious institution of the priesthood for the time to come by appointing Eleazar in Aaron’s stead as soon as his father died, and setting apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant and attend to the holy service, and had commanded them to continue their march to Canaan, and take possession of the land promised to the fathers (Deu 10:6-11). With the words “thus I fell down,” in Deu 9:25, Moses returns to the intercession already briefly mentioned in Deu 9:18, and recalls to the recollection of the people the essential features of his plea at the time. For the words “the forty days and nights that I fell down,” see at Deu 1:46. The substance of the intercession in Deu 9:26-29 is essentially the same as that in Exo 32:11-13; but given with such freedom as any other than Moses would hardly have allowed himself (Schultz), and in such a manner as to bring it into the most obvious relation to the words of God in Deu 9:12, Deu 9:13. אל־תּשׁחת, “Destroy not Thy people and Thine inheritance,” says Moses, with reference to the words of the Lord to him: “thy people have corrupted themselves” (Deu 9:12). Israel was not Moses’ nation, but the nation and inheritance of Jehovah; it was not Moses, but Jehovah, who had brought it out of Egypt. True, the people were stiffnecked (cf. Deu 9:13); but let the Lord remember the fathers, the oath given to Abraham, which is expressly mentioned in Exo 32:13 (see at Deu 7:8), and not turn to the stiffneckedness of the people (קשׁי equivalent to ערף קשׁה, Deu 9:13 and Deu 9:6), and to their wickedness and sin (i.e., not regard them and punish them). The honour of the Lord before the nations was concerned in this (Deu 9:28). The land whence Israel came out (“the land” = the people of the land, as in Gen 10:25, etc., viz., the Egyptians: the word is construed as a collective with a plural verb) must not have occasion to say, that Jehovah had not led His people into the promised land from incapacity or hatred. יכלת מבּלי recalls Num 14:16. Just as “inability” would be opposed to the nature of the absolute God, so “hatred” would be opposed to the choice of Israel as the inheritance of Jehovah, which He had brought out of Egypt by His divine and almighty power (cf. Exo 6:6).

Victory Promised. (b. c. 1451.)

1 Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, 2 A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! 3 Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee. 4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee. 5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 6 Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.

The call to attention (v. 1), Hear, O Israel, intimates that this was a new discourse, delivered at some distance of time after the former, probably the next sabbath day.

I. Moses represents to the people the formidable strength of the enemies which they were now to encounter, v. 1. The nations they were to dispossess were mightier than themselves, not a rude and undisciplined rout, like the natives of America, that were easily made a prey of. But, should they besiege them, they would find their cities well fortified, according as the art of fortification then was; should they engage them in the field, they would find the people great and tall, of whom common fame had reported that there was no standing before them, v. 2. This representation is much the same with that which the evil spies had made (Num. xiii. 28, 33), but made with a very different intention: that was designed to drive them from God and to discourage their hope in him; this to drive them to God and to engage their hope in him, since no power less than that which is almighty could secure and prosper them.

II. He assures them of victory, by the presence of God with them, notwithstanding the strength of the enemy, v. 3. "Understand therefore what thou must trust to for success, and which way thou must look; it is the Lord thy God that goes before thee, not only as thy captain, or commander-in-chief, to give direction, but as a consuming fire, to do execution among them. Observe, He shall destroy them, and then thou shalt drive them out. Thou canst not drive them out, unless he destroy them and bring them down. But he will not destroy them and bring them down, unless thou set thyself in good earnest to drive them out." We must do our endeavour in dependence upon God's grace, and we shall have that grace if we do our endeavour.

III. He cautions them not to entertain the least thought of their own righteousness, as if that had procured them this favour at God's hand: "Say not. For my righteousness (either with regard to my good character or in recompence for any good service) the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land (v. 4); never think it is for thy righteousness or the uprightness of thy heart, that it is in consideration either of thy good conversation or of thy good disposition," v. 5. And again (v. 6) it is insisted on, because it is hard to bring people from a conceit of their own merit, and yet very necessary that it be done: "Understand (know it, and believe it, and consider it) that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this land for thy righteousness. Hadst thou been to come to it upon that condition, thou wouldst have been for ever shut out of it, for thou art a stiff-necked people." Note, Our gaining possession of the heavenly Canaan, as it must be attributed to God's power and not to our own might, so it must be ascribed to God's grace and not to our own merit: in Christ we have both righteousness and strength; in him therefore we must glory, and not in ourselves, or any sufficiency of our own.

IV. He intimates to them the true reasons why God would take this good land out of the hands of the Canaanites, and settle it upon Israel, and they are borrowed from his own honour, not from Israel's deserts. 1. He will be honoured in the destruction of idolaters; they are justly looked upon as haters of him, and therefore he will visit their iniquity upon them. It is for the wickedness of these nations that God drives them out, v. 4, and again, v. 5. All those whom God rejects are rejected for their own wickedness: but none of those whom he accepts are accepted for their own righteousness. 2. He will be honoured in the performance of his promise to those that are in covenant with him: God swore to the patriarchs, who loved him and left all to follow him, that he would give this land to their seed; and therefore he would keep that promised mercy for thousands of those that loved him and kept his commandments; he would not suffer his promise to fail. It was for their fathers' sakes that they were beloved, Rom. xi. 28. Thus boasting is for ever excluded. See Eph. i. 9, 11.

Cautions Against Self-Righteousness; Israel Reminded of Their Rebellions. (b. c. 1451.)

7 Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord . 8 Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with you to have destroyed you. 9 When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the Lord made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water: 10 And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the Lord spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. 11 And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. 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. 13 Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they. 15 So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands. 16 And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the Lord had commanded you. 17 And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes. 18 And I fell down before the Lord , as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord , to provoke him to anger. 19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also. 20 And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time. 21 And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount. 22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye provoked the Lord to wrath. 23 Likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice. 24 Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you. 25 Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the Lord had said he would destroy you. 26 I prayed therefore unto the Lord , and said, O Lord God , destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 27 Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin: 28 Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness. 29 Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.

That they might have no pretence to think that God brought them to Canaan for their righteousness, Moses here shows them what a miracle of mercy it was that they had not long ere this been destroyed in the wilderness: "Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God (v. 7); so far from purchasing his favour, thou hast many a time laid thyself open to his displeasure." Their fathers' provocations are here charged upon them; for, if God had dealt with their fathers according to their deserts, this generation would never have been, much less would they have entered Canaan. We are apt to forget our provocations, especially when the smart of the rod is over, and have need to be often put in mind of them, that we may never entertain any conceit of our own righteousness. Paul argues from the guilt which all mankind is under to prove that we cannot be justified before God by our own works, Rom. iii. 19, 20. If our works condemn us, they will not justify us. Observe, 1. They had been a provoking people ever since they came out of Egypt, v. 7. Forty years long, from first to last, were God and Moses grieved with them. It is a very sad character Moses now at parting leaves of them: You have been rebellious since the day I knew you, v. 24. No sooner were they formed into a people than there was a faction formed among them, which upon all occasions made head against God and his government. Though the Mosaic history records little more than the occurrences of the first and last year of the forty, yet it seems by this general account that the rest of the years were not much better, but one continued provocation. 2. Even in Horeb they made a calf and worshipped it, v. 8, &c. That was a sin so heinous, and by several aggravations made so exceedingly sinful, that they deserved upon all occasions to be upbraided with it. It was done in the very place where the law was given by which they were expressly forbidden to worship God by images, and while the mountain was yet burning before their eyes, and Moses had gone up to fetch them the law in writing. They turned aside quickly, v. 16. 3. God was very angry with them for their sin. Let them not think that God overlooked what they did amiss, and gave them Canaan for what was good among them. No, God had determined to destroy them (v. 8), could easily have done it, and would have been no loser by it; he even desired Moses to let him alone that he might do it, v. 13, 14. By this it appeared how heinous their sin was, for God is never angry with any above what there is cause for, as men often are. Moses himself, though a friend and favourite, trembled at the revelation of God's wrath from heaven against their ungodliness and unrighteousness (v. 19): I was afraid of the anger of the Lord, afraid perhaps not for them only, but for himself, Ps. cxix. 120. 4. They had by their sin broken covenant with God, and forfeited all the privileges of the covenant, which Moses signified to them by breaking the tables, v. 17. A bill of divorce was given them, and thenceforward they might justly have been abandoned for ever, so that their mouth was certainly stopped from pleading any righteousness of their own. God had, in effect, disowned them, when he said to Moses (v. 12), "They are thy people, they are none of mine, nor shall they be dealt with as mine." 5. Aaron himself fell under God's displeasure for it, though he was the saint of the Lord, and was only brought by surprise or terror to be confederate with them in the sin: The Lord was very angry with Aaron, v. 20. No man's place or character can shelter him from the wrath of God if he have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Aaron, that should have made atonement for them if the iniquity could have been purged away by sacrifice and offering, did himself fall under the wrath of God: so little did they consider what they did when they drew him in. 6. It was with great difficulty and very long attendance that Moses himself prevailed to turn away the wrath of God, and prevent their utter ruin. He fasted and prayed full forty days and forty nights before he could obtain their pardon, v. 18. And some think twice forty days (v. 25), because it is said, as I fell down before, whereas his errand in the first forty was not of that nature. Others think it was but one forty, though twice mentioned (as also in ch. x. 10); but this was enough to make them sensible how great God's displeasure was against them, and what a narrow escape they had for their lives. And in this appears the greatness of God's anger against all mankind that no less a person than his Son, and no less a price than his own blood, would serve to turn it away. Moses here tells them the substance of his intercession for them. He was obliged to own their stubbornness, and their wickedness, and their sin, v. 27. Their character was bad indeed when he that appeared an advocate for them could not give them a good word, and had nothing else to say in their behalf but that God had done great things for them, which really did but aggravate their crime (v. 26),—that they were the posterity of good ancestors (v. 27), which might also have been turned upon him, as making the matter worse and not better,—and that the Egyptians would reproach God, if he should destroy them, as unable to perfect what he had wrought for them (v. 28), a plea which might easily enough have been answered: no matter what the Egyptians say, while the heavens declare God's righteousness; so that the saving of them from ruin at that time was owing purely to the mercy of God, and the importunity of Moses, and not to any merit of theirs, that could be offered so much as in mitigation of their offence. 7. To affect them the more with the destruction they were then at the brink of, he describes very particularly the destruction of the calf they had made, v. 21. He calls it their sin: perhaps not only because it had been the matter of their sin, but because the destroying of it was intended for a testimony against their sin, and an indication to them what the sinners themselves did deserve. Those that made it were like unto it, and would have had no wrong done them if they had been thus stamped to dust, and consumed, and scattered, and no remains of them left. It was infinite mercy that accepted the destruction of the idol instead of the destruction of the idolaters. 8. Even after this fair escape that they had, in many other instances they provoked the Lord again and again. He needed only to name the places, for they carried the memorials either of the sin or of the punishment in their names (v. 22): at Taberah, burning, where God set fire to them for their murmuring,—at Massah, the temptation, where they challenged almighty power to help them,—and at Kibroth-hattaavah, the graves of lusters, where the dainties they coveted were their poison; and, after these, their unbelief and distrust at Kadesh-barnea, of which he had already told them (ch. i.), and which he here mentions again (v. 23), would certainly have completed their ruin if they had been dealt with according to their own merits.

Now let them lay all this together, and it will appear that whatever favour God should hereafter show them, in subduing their enemies and putting them in possession of the land of Canaan, it was not for their righteousness. It is good for us often to remember against ourselves, with sorrow and shame, our former sins, and to review the records conscience keeps of them, that we may see how much we are indebted to free grace, and may humbly own that we never merited at God's hand any thing but wrath and the curse.

CHAP. IX.

HEare O Israel; thou art passing over Londan this day, to goe in to possesse Nations, greater and mightier than throu; Cities, great and fenced, up to the Heavens. A people great and tall, the sonnes of the Anakims, whom thou hast knowen, and thou hast heard: who can stand before the sonnes of Anak? And thou shalt know this day, that Iehovah thy God is he that passeth over before thee, a consuming fire; he will destroy them, and hee will bring them downe before thy face, and thou shalt drive them out and dessroy them suddenly, as Iehovah hath spoke unto thee. Say not in thine heart, when Iehovah thy God hath cast them out from before thy face, saying; For my justice, Iehovah hath brought me in to possesse this land: but for the wickednesse of these nations, Iehovah doth drive them out from thy face. Nor for thy justice, or for the righteousnesse of thine heart, doest thou goe in to possesse their land; but for the wickednesse of these nations, Iehovah thy God doth drive them out from thy face, and for to stablish the word which Iehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaak, and to Iakob.

And thou shalt know, that not for thy justice doth Iehovah thy God give thee this good land, to possesse it; for thou art a stiffe-necked people.

Remember, forget not, how thou provoledst to wrath Iehovah thy God, in the wildrnesse, from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, untill ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against Iehovah. And in Horeb yee provoked Iehovah to wrath; and Iehovah was angry with you, to have destroyed you. When I was gone up into the mount, to receive the tables of stone, the tables of the Covenant, which Iehovah stroke with you: and I abode in the mount fortie dayes and fortie nights; I did neither eat bread, not drinke water. And Iehovah gave unto me the two tables of stone, written with the finger of God: and on them, according to all the words which Iehovah spake with you in the mount, out of the midst of fire, in the day of the Assembly. And it was, at the end of forty daies and forty nights, Iehovah gave unto me the two tables of stone, the tables of the Covenant. And Iehovah said unto me, Arise, goe downe quickly from hence; for thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves; they have quickly turned aside our of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten calfe. And Iehovah said unto me, saying; I have seene [illegible: 1 word] people, and behold, it is a stiffe-necked people. Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under the heavens: and I will make of thee a nation mighter and greater than they. And I tur [illegible: 1 word] mee, and came downe from the mount, and the mount burned with fire, and the two tables of the Covenant were in my two hands.

And I saw, and behold, yee had sinned against Iehovah your God, yee had made you [illegible: 1 span]n calfe, yee had turned aside quickly [illegible: 1 word] the way which Iehovah had comman [illegible: 1 span] you. And I tooke the two tables and [illegible: 1 word] them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes. And I fell downe before Iehovah, as at the first, fortie daies, and [illegible: 1 word] nights; I did neither eat bread, nor [illegible: 1 word] water, because of all your sinne which yee had sinned, in doing evill in the eyes of Iehovah, to provoke him to anger. For I was afraid because of the anger and hot displeasure where with Iehovah was wroth against you, to destroy you: but Iehovah hear [illegible: 1 span] unto me at that time also. And Ieho [illegible: 1 span] very angry with Aaron, to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also, in the same time. And your sinne, the Calfe which yee had made, I tooke, and burned it with fire, and stamped it, grinding it well, untill it was made small as dust, and I cast the dust thereof into the brooke that descended out of the mount. And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hataavah, yee provoked Iehovah to wrath. And when Iehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, Goe up, and possesse the land which I have given unto you, then yee rebelled against the mouth of Iehovah your God, and yee beleeved him not, neither hearkened unto his voice. You have beene rebellious against Iehovah, from the day that I knew you. And I fell downe before Iehovah, fortie daies and fortie nights, as I fell downe, because Iehovah had said for to destroy you. And I prayed unto Iehovah, and said; O Lord Iehovah, destroy not thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatnesse, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a strong hand. Remember thy servants Abraham, Isaak, and Iaakob: looke not unto the hardnesse of this people, nor to their wickednesse, nor to their sinne. Lest the land from whence thou hast brought us out, doe say, Because Iehovah was not able to bring them into the land which he spake unto them; and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wildernesse. Yet they are thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy great power, and by thy stretched out arme.

Annotations. IOrdan] Hebr. Iarden: a river thorow which Israel was to passe into the land, Deut. 1. 1. See Num. 34. 12. this day] that is, at this time, very shortly. Day is often used for time, as 2 Cor. 6. 2. An boure is likewise so used for time; as the last houre, 1 Iohn 2. 18. So, in that houre, Luke 10. 21. 16. At that time, Matth. 11. 25. possesse] or inherit; which when it is spoken of nations, signifieth dominion over them, Lev. 25. 45, 46. Here it may be meant also of the lands or countries of those nations, as they are said to possesse Gad, which dwelt in his cities, Ier. 49. 1. Vers. 2. Anakims] whom the Chaldee calleth Giants. They were named of one Anak. (of whom see Numb. 13. 23.) and so the Greeke here saith, sonnes of Enak. hast heard] to wit, men say. A common report of others, and of the Israelites themselves, Numb. 13. 29, 34. Vers. 3. he that passeth] Against feare and distrust, (such as had affected them before, Numb. 14. 1, 2, 3, &c.) hee opposeth the presence and power of God, which is the maine argument to strengthen faith, Numb. 14. 9. Psal. 56. 4, 5. and 60. 13, 14. [illegible: 1 word] consuming] Hebr. eating: so Deut. 4. 24. The Chaldee translateth, his word is a consuming fire suddenly] or, quickly, hostily: see the notes on Deut. 7. 22. Vers. 4. For my justice] The Hebrew In, is by the Greeke also here translated For, and it often noteth the cause of a thing; as Hos. 12. 13. in (that is, for) [illegible: 1 word]. So in Psal. 1. 2. Deut. 2[illegible: 1 letter]. 16. Here he opposeth the second evill, pride of heart, against which he dealeth in all the rest of this Chapter. Vers. 5. righteousnesse] or, uprightnes, straitnesse, equitie: the Greeke translateth it here piety; the Chaldee, truth. By naming iustice, hee excludeth all merit of workes, Deut. 6. 25. and by righteousnesse of heart, all inward affections and purposes, which men might plead, notwithstanding that they faile in action. Yet these two are the chiefe things which God respecteth in men, Psal. 15. 1, 2. 1 Chron. 29. 17. for the wickednesse] Two causes are here shewed of this worke of God; justice against the wicked inhabitants, which should perish for their sinnes; and mercie towards Israel, whom he would doe good unto, of grace. Thus also hee dealeth concerning the heavenly inheritance, the wicked are shut out, for their evill works, Iude v. 14. 15. But the Saints are saved by grace through faith not of workes, lest any man should boast, Ephes. 2. 8, 9. the word] the Greeke translateth, stablish the covenant (or, testament:) hereby he calleth them wholly to Gods word and promise, as Paul doth us in Gal. 3. 18. Rom. 15. 8. shewing that Iesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to constrant the fathers promises, and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for mercie. Vers. 6. this good land] a figure of heavenly blessings, as is shewed on Gen. 12. 5. stiffe-necked] or, of a hard necke, that is, stubborne and rebellious: see the notes on Exod. 32. 9. to which place Moses hath reference, and from Gods testimonie there, and their sinnes then and at other times, convinceth them as being altogether unworthy: that (as another Prophet saith) they might remember their wayes, and all their doings wherein they had beene defiled; and might loath themselves in their own eyes, for all their evils that they had committed; and might know that he was Iehovah, when he had wroug[illegible: 1 span] it with them for his names sake, not according to their wicked wayes, nor according to their corrupt doings, Ezek. 20. 43, 44. and 36. 31, 32. Vers. 7. Remember, forget not] an earnest and effectuall manner of speaking, to move unto carefull remembrance: see the notes on Deut. 33. 6. against] Hebr. with Iehovah, which the Chaldee translateth, before the Lord; the Greeke, yee have rebelliously performed things pertaining to the Lord. This generall charge he proveth by many particular instances following. Vers. 8. H[illegible: 1 letter]reb] or [illegible: 1 word], the mountaine where the Law was given: their rebellion there is described in Exod. 32. destroyed you] for there God said to Moses, let me alone, &c. and I will consume them, Exod. 32. 10. Vers. 9. [illegible: 1 word] the mount] called up thither of God, to receive the tables of the covenant, and other ordinances, Exod. 24. 12.—18. The time, place, occasion, end, and all circumstances, greatly aggravated the peoples sinne. Vers. 10. of stone] the signification whereof is noted on Exod. 31. 18. finger] signifying the Spirit: as, I with the finger of God, cast out devils, Luke 11. 20. that is, with the Spirit of God, Matt. 12. 28. So it figured the worke of God in our hearts writing there his Law; as, Yee are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ, ministred by us, written not with inke, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshie tables of the heart, 2 Cor. 3. 3. Vers. 12. corrupted.] This word meaneth the corruption of Gods service and religion▪ see the notes on Exod. 32. 7. and Gen. 6. 11, 12, 13. molten calfe] the word calfe is expressed in v. 16. This molten calfe they worshipped; and Moses said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sinne, and have made them gods of gold, Exod. 32. 8. 31. Vers. 13. saying] Here the Greeke version addeth, I have spoken unto thee once and twise, saying; I have seene, &c. I have seene] by the Lords seeing and hearing of sinners, is often meant a due regard of their sinnes, to punish them in his anger, Deut. 32. 19. Psal. 78. 21. and 90. 8. But when he pardoneth sinners, he is said to hide his face from their sinnes, and not to see them, Psal. 51. 11. Num. 23. 21. Vers. 14. Let me alone] which the Chaldee expounds; Leave off thy prayer before me. So in Exod. 32. 10. Vers. 15. burned] Hebr. burning: the terrour of which sight onely, might have kept them from this sinne, in that the signes of Gods presence were not yet departed from their eyes. See Exod. 19. 18. and 20. 18. two hands] both hands full with blessings of the Lord for them, if their unworthinesse had not turned them away. Vers. 17. I took a] the originall word signifieth a purposed taking hold, and [illegible: 2 letters]ndling of a thing; as they that goe to warre, are said to take (or handle) the shield, Ier. 46. 9. and they that expound the Law, are said to handle it. Ier. 2. 8. So Moses did this advisedly, guided by Gods Spirit; signifying that the covenant betweene God and them was now disa[illegible: 1 letter]ulled and broken, and that the Law pertained not to them, except to their condemnation, for breaking the same. See Exod. 32. 19. Vers. 18. I fell downe] the Greeke expoundeth it, I prayed before the Lord the second time, as at the first. Here Moses repeateth, how by his humble intercession, they escaped destruction, and were reconciled againe unto God. See the historie at large, in Exod. 32. 31. &c. fortie dayes] the number of dayes, and of yeeres, sundry times mentioned in the Scripture; [illegible: 1 span]tion [illegible: 1 word] judgement. See the [illegible: 1 word]. 7. 4. sinne] the Greeke transleteth, sinne▪ respecting the manifold evill in this, and their other [illegible: 2 letters]ansgressions. Vers. 19. For I was] the Greeke applying this to the time present also, saith; And I am afraid: For the Lord, though he pardoned it then, reserved vengeance till another opportunity, Exod. 32. 34. hearkened unto me] that is, as the Chaldee explaineth it, accepted my prayer. Vers. 20. with Aaron] who made the calfe for them, and would have excused himselfe, but was guilty of death: see Exod. 32. 21,—24. Vers. 21. your sinne] the Calfe is so called, as being the thing wherein they sinned. So Idols are called a sinne in Esa. 31. 7. the brooke] that came out of the Rock Horeb, which Rocke in figure was Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 4. of which they drunke, to signifie the abolishing of their sinne by Christ, upon their repentance and faith: see the notes on Exod. 32. 20. Vers. 22. at Taberah] or, in Taberah, that is (as both Greeke and Chaldee do interpret it) the Burning: a place so called, because the people complaining there, the fire of the Lord was kindled, and consumed some of them. See the historie in Num. 11. 1, 2, 3. Massah] in English, the tentation; and so the Greek and Chaldee translate it. A place at Rephidim in the wildernesse, before they came to Horeb, ten stations from Egypt, in the first yeere of their travell; where wanting water, they tempted God, saying, Is the Lord amongst us, or no? and there he gave them water out of the Rocke, Exod. 17. See the annotations there, and Psal. 95. 8, 9. Heb. 3. 8. &c. Deut. 6. 16. Kibroth-hattaavah] in English, the Graves of lust; so translated also by the Greeke. Here (a little from Taberah forementioned) they loathed Manna, and lusted for flesh: God gave them Quailes, but they died of a plague, [illegible: 1 word] the flesh was yet betweene their teeth; and [illegible: 1 word] buried there, occasioned this name of the [illegible: 1 word], for a perpetuall memoriall. See Num. 11. 4—34. and the annotations there. Also Psal. 78. [illegible: 1 word].—31. and 106. 14, 15. Vers. 23. Kadesh-barnea] where, being come thorow the wildernesse of Pharan, to the border of the land of Canaan, they were commanded of God to goe take possession. Then they sent spies, who discouraged the people: so through want of [illegible: 1 word] they durst not enter, and were for it condem [illegible: 2 words] 40. yeeres wandring in the wildernesse, and [illegible: 1 word] ended their dayes. See Numb. 13. and 14. [illegible: 1 word]. against the mouth] that is, against the [illegible: 1 word] ▪ or commandement: in Greeke, yee disobeyed [illegible: 1 word] word. Vers. 24. that I knew you] the Greeke expounds [illegible: 1 span] the day that he was knowne unto you. So he [illegible: 1 span]deth with a generall charge of rebellion upon them, shewing hereby the impossibility of the law, and ministery thereof, to bring men unto God▪ for it causeth sinne and wrath to abound; as [illegible: 1 word] 4. 15. and 8 3. Gal. 3. 19, 22. For besides these [illegible: 1 span]lars, they sinned many other times in the [illegible: 1 span]nesse, as is noted on Num. 14. 22. and in Psa. [illegible: 1 word]. and 106. Vers. 25. I fell downe] in Greeke, I prayed. Hee [illegible: 1 span]th to speake of their reconciliation to God, which was by the prayer of Moses, as a mediatour, [illegible: 1 word] figure of Christ: by whom (and not by our own deserts) we have entrance into the kingdome of God, Gal. 3. 22. 24. Rom. 3. 20,—22. and 5. 1, 2, &c. as I fell downe] to wit, at the first, as v. 18. or, which I fell downe, that is, which I said before that I fell downe. But the Hebrew asher, which, is sometimes used for as, as in Ier. 48. 8. said for to destroy] that is, said that he would destroy you. See the like phrases so expounded in Esay 49. 6. with Acts 13. 47. 1 Chron. 17. 4. with 2 Sam. 7. 5. Matt. 20. 19. with Mark. 10. 33, 34. Vers. 26. Lord Iehovoh] in Greeke, Lord, Lord: in Chaldee, Lord God. See the annotations on Gen. 15. 2. thy people] this respecteth their adoption in Christ, and justification, 1 Pet. 2. 9, 10. inheritance] this implyeth their sanctification, unto the obedience and service of God by the Spirit: See Exod. 34. 9. through thy greatnes] in Greek, through thy great strength, as v. 29. it implyeth also his great goodnesse, and therefore is often spoken of his gracious workes for his people, 1 Chron. 17. 19. Luke 1 49. Vers. 27. thy servants] Hee meaneth Gods oath unto them, to multiply their seed, and to give them the land for an eternall inheritance, as is expressed in this prayer before, Exod. 32. 13. So the Greeke addeth here, unto whom thou swarest by thy selfe. hardnesse] the naturall corruption, whereby the heart is hardned, that it cannot repent and beleeve the word of God; (from which, the two evils following doe flow,) Rom. 2. 5. Vers. 28. the land] that is, as the Greeke and Chaldee both explaine, the inhabitants of the land. This reason is also alleaged in Exod. 32. 12. and Numb. 14. 16.