Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 29:18

18 Lest there should be among you, man or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go, and serve the gods of these nations: lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood .

Or take heed or beware lest there be. For it seems to be an Ellipsis, or defect of a verb which is usual in Scripture, and which we have in a case parallel to this, Gen. 3. 22. And now we must take care lest he put forth, &c. Or this particle, lest, may be joyned with v. 14, 15. to this purpose, I now renew the covenant with you, and with your posterity, lest any of you or yours should be tempted to depart from God, &c.

(i. e.) Who turneth away from God to Idols not by constraint, but by choice, and the inclination of his own heart. By this phrase he leads them to the spring of their sin and ruine, even their own hearts, which he admonisheth them hereby to look to above all things.

Either 1. An evil heart enclining you to such cursed Idolatry, and bringing forth bitter fruits. Or, rather 2. Some secret and subtil Apostate who lurks and works like a root under ground, and sliely conveighs his poison to the infection of others, for both the foregoing and following words speak of some particular person.

(i. e.) Which though for the present it may please your fancy, yet in the end, assure your selves, will produce bitter fruits, not onely distateful to God, but also poisonful and destructive to your selves.

Marginal references: Heb. 12. [illegible: 1 word]; Or, a [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]. Heb. [illegible: 1 word]