Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 32

1 GIve ear, O ye heavens , and I will speak: and hear, O earth , the words of my mouth.

Either 1. Angels and men. Or 2. You lifeless and senceless creatures, heaven and earth, which he calls upon partly to accuse the stupidity of Israel, that were more dull of hearing than these: and partly as witnesses of the truth of his sayings and the justice of Gods proceedings against them.

Either 1. Angels and men. Or 2. You lifeless and senceless creatures, heaven and earth, which he calls upon partly to accuse the stupidity of Israel, that were more dull of hearing than these: and partly as witnesses of the truth of his sayings and the justice of Gods proceedings against them.

Marginal references: chap. 4. 36. & 30. 19. Psal. 50. 4. Isa. 1. 2. Jer 2. 12. & 6. 19.

2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain , my speech shall distill as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the▪ grass.

Look what effect rain and dew have upon herbs and grass which they make fresh and fragrant and growing, the same effect I may justly expect and hope that my discourse wil have upon your hearts, i. e. to make them soft and pliable and fruitful. Or this may be a prayer, Let my doctrine drop, &c. O that it might do so, that my discourse might not be lost upon you, but be profitable to you; the future tense of the indicative mood being put for the imperative mood, as is usual.

Marginal references: Isa. 55. 10, 11. 1 Cor. 3. 6, 7, 8.

3 Because I will publish the Name of the LORD : ascribe ye greatness unto our God .

(i. e.) His glorious excellencies and righteous and worthy actions, by which he hath made himself known as a man is known by his name, and by which it will appear both that there is no blame to be laid upon him whatsoever befals you, and that it is gross madness to forsake such a God for dumb Idols and meer vanities.

As I am about to publish the great power and Majesty and glory of God, so do you also own and acknowledge it, as you have reason to do; or do you attend to the words which God hath commanded me to speak to you in his Name with that diligence, reverence and godly fear which the presence of so great and glorious a Majesty calls for.

4 He is the rock , his work is perfect : for all his wayes are judgment : a God of truth , and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Or, a rock, as for the stability and everlastingness of his nature, and invincibleness of his power, so also for his fixedness and immutability in his counsels and promises and wayes; so that if there shall be a sad change in your affairs from an high and prosperous, to a calamitous and deplorable, condition, as there will be, remember this proceeds from your selves and from the change of your ways and carriages towards God, and not from God, in whom there is no variableness nor shadow of change, Iam. 1. 17.

All his works and actions are unblameable, as being perfectly wise and righteous, as it follows.

All his administrations in the world and particularly all his dealings with you are managed with judgment and justice.

Constant to his promises: you cannot accuse him of any levity or unfaithfulness towards you to this day.

5 They have corrupted themselves , their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation .

(i. e.) The Israelites, as the following words manifest.

This phrase sometimes in Scripture notes sin, and sometimes destruction. And so the sense may be either 1. Their wickedness is not from God but from themselves, and their own choice, they have wilfully and industriously depraved themselves, and sold themselves to sin. Or rather 2. Their destruction is not from God, who is just and true, &c. as was now said, but wholly and solely from themselves, and from their own wickedness, as it here follows.

(i. e.) Their blemishes or sins are not committed through ignorance or frailty or surprizal, as good men sometimes sin, but they proceed from design and deliberation, are accompanied with malice and wilfulness and contempt, and followed with obstinacy, impenitency and incorrigibleness. So that they carry themselves not like my children and people as they seem to be and profess to be, but like mine enemies.

Not onely some few of them but the whole body or generation of them are perverse, (i. e.) froward and untractable, and crooked, (i. e.) irregular and disorderly, not agreeing with the straight and righteous nature of God and of his law. Compare Isa. 42. 16.

Marginal references: Heb. he hath corrupted to himself.; Or, that they are not his children that is their blot.

6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee ? Hath he not made thee and established thee? .

That hath redeemed and rescued thee from Egyptian bondage.

(i. e.) Advanced thee, as that word is used, 1 Sam. 12. 6. Esth. 6. 6. & Psal. 95. 6. & 149. 2. Isa. 43. 7. Made thee, not onely in a general and common way by Creation or production, but in a peculiar manner by adoption or making thee his peculiar people and children.

(i. e.) Renewed and confirmed his grace and favour to thee, and not taken it away from thee, which thou hast oft provoked him to do.

7 Remember the dayes of old consider, the years of many generations, ask thy father, and he will shew thee, thy elders, and they will tell thee.

(i. e.) The history and events of antient dayes or former ages, and thou wilst find that I had a respect unto thee not onely in Abrahams time, but long before it. Compare Ier. 2. 20.

Marginal references: Heb. of eternity. Isa. 63. 11. Mic. 5. 2.; Heb. generation & generation.

8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance , when he separated the sons of Adam , he set the bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel .

When God by his providence did allot the several parts of the world to several people, which was done Gen. 10. and 11. See Deut. 2. 5, 9. Amos 9. 7. Act. 17. 26, 27.

(i. e.) Divided them in their languages and habitations according to their families.

(i. e.) He disposed of the several lands and limits of the people so as he did reserve a convenient and sufficient place for the great numbers of the people of Israel, whom he designed to make as numerous as the stars of heaven. And therefore he so guided the hearts of several people that the posterity of Canaan, which was accursed of God, Gen. 9. 25, 26, 27. and devoted to ruine should be seated in that country which God intended for the children of Israel, that so when their iniquities were ripe and Gods time came they might be rooted out, and the Israelites might come in their stead.

Marginal references: Zech. 9. 2▪ Act. 17. 26.; Heb. peoples.

9 For the LORDS portion is his people : Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

It is no wonder God had so great a regard to this people, for he chose them out of all mankind to be his peculiar portion and treasure.

Marginal references: Exod. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]; [illegible: 1 word]

10 He found him in a desert land , and in the wast howling wilderness : he led him about , he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye .

Not by chance, but as it were looking out and seeking for him, he met with him there. He did indeed manifest himself to him in Egypt, but it was in the wilderness at Sinai where he found God and God found him in an eminent manner and revealed his mind and will to him and entred into covenant with him and imparted himself and his grace and blessing to him, that being the place appointed even in Egypt for God and Israel to meet together, Exod. 3. 12. By this word he also signifies both their lost condition in themselves, and that their recovery was not from themselves, but onely from God who sought and found them out by his grace.

In a place destitute of all the necessaries and comforts of life, which also was a type of that desolate and comfortless condition in which all men are before the grace of God finds them out. See Cant. 3. 6. and 8. 5. Ezek. 16. 4. Hos. 9. 15. and 13. 10.

Where in stead of the voices of men is nothing heard but the howlings and yellings and scrietches of ravenous birds and beasts. See Isa. 43. 20. Mich. 1. 8.

He conducted them from place to place by his cloudy pillar and providence. See Exod. 13. 18, &c. Or, he compassed him about, by his provident care over him, watching over him and preserving him on every side. Compare Psal. 32. 7.

As men use to keep the apple of their eye, i. e. with singular care and diligence, this being as most tender so a most useful part. Compare Psal. 17. 8. Prov. 7. 2. Zech. 2. 8.

Marginal references: chap. 8. 15▪ Jer. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 6.; Or, camp[illegible: 1+ letters] him about.; Psal. 17. 8. Zech. 2. 8.

11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest , fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings d, taketh them, beareth them on her wings :

(i. e.) Her young ones in the nest, by a common Metonymy, which she by her cry and motion provoketh to flie by her example.

Or, as on her wings, i. e. gently and tenderly and safely too, as if she carried them not in her claws for fear of hurting them but upon her wings. So it is onely an Ellipsis of the particle as, which is frequent, as hath been shewed. Though some say, the eagle doth usually carry her young ones upon her wings.

Marginal references: Exod. 19 [illegible: 1+ letters] chap. 1. 31. Isa. 31. 5.

12 So the LORD alone did lead him , and there was no strange God with him .

(i. e.) When they were shut up in Egypt as in their nest whence they durst not venture to fly nor stir, he taught and incouraged and enabled them to flie out and free themselves from that bondage, and brought them into a state of liberty and safety, he dealt tenderly with them, bearing with their infirmities, keeping them from all harms.

To wit, to assist him in that work or to deliver them. The more unworthy they in giving to Idols a share in that worship and service which they owe to God onely.

Marginal references: Isa. 43. 12.

13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth , that he might eat the increase of the fields, and he made him to suck honey out of the rock , and oil out of the flinty rock .

(i. e.) To conquer their strongest holds, which oft-times are in the mountains, and their cities fenced with walls of greatest height and strength, Deut. 1. 28. and 2. 36. and 33. 29. Isa. 58. 14. To ride upon in Scripture phrase is to subdue or conquer, as Psal. 45. 4. and 66. 12. Rev. 6. 2. and 19. 11, 14.

This being a land flowing with hony, Exod. 3. 8, 17. where the bees made hony even in woods, as 1 Sam▪ 14. or in the holes of rocks, or in the trees that grew upon or among rocks.

The olive trees grow and fructifie most in rocky or hilly places.

Marginal references: Psal. 81. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].

14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep with fat of lambs , and rams of the breed of Bashan , and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat , and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape .

For though the fat wherewith the inward parts were covered was not to be eaten by them but offered to God, Lev. 3. 9, 10. yet that fat which was fast joyned to and mixed with the flesh they might eat, as the Iewish Doctours note.

A place famous for excellent cattel, Numb. 32. 4, 33.

(i. e.) With the finest of the grains or kernels of wheat compared to kidneys for their shape and plumpness and largeness. Compare Psal. 81. 16. and 147. 14.

Wine not mixed with water, but pure as it comes from the grape, which was of a red or bloody colour. See Psal. 75. 8. Isa. 27. 2.

15 But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked : thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness : then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

(i. e.) Israel, as is agreed by Christian and Iewish Interpreters, whom he calls right or upright or righteous, (as the word signifies) not that they were so indeed, but partly by way of instruction to mind them what they professed and promised and ought to be; and partly by way of exprobration, to shew them how unlike they were to the people of God which they pretended to be, and what a shame it was to them to degenerate so much from their name and profession.

As well fed and wanton cattel use to do: he grew insolent and rebellious against God and against his word and spirit.

Which is here rightly understood and supplied, by comparing this place with Iob 15. 27. Psal. 17. 10.

Marginal references: Isa. 44. 2.; Neh. 9. 25. Jer. 2. 7. and 5. 7. Hos. 13. 6.

16 They provoked him to jealousie with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.

(i. e.) To anger and fury, for jealousie is the rage of a man, Prov. 6. 34. And withall it implies the ground of this anger, to wit, their falseness to God whom they had owned and accepted as their husband, and their spiritual whoredom with other Gods.

17 They sacrificed unto devils , not to God : to gods whom they knew not , to new gods, that came newly up , whom your fathers feared not .

(i. e.) Unto Idols, which the Devils brought into the World in opposition to God, in and by which the Devils ofttimes manifested themselves unto men and gave them answers, and received their worship. Compare 1 Cor. 10. 20. The Gentiles pretended to worship God in these Idols, and the Devils which inspired them deluded the nations with false pretences that they were a sort of lower Gods. Moses therefore takes off this mask, and shews the Israelites that these pretended Gods were really Devils, those great enemies of mankind, and therefore that it was the height of madness to honour or worship them.

This he saith, either because though at first they joyned God and Idols together in worship, yet at last they quite forsook God and adhered to Idols onely: or because God utterly rejected those sacrifices which they offered to him together with Idols, and took them for no sacrifices. See 1 Cor. 10. 21.

Or, who never knew them, i. e. never shewed any kindness to them, or did them any good: for so words of knowledge are oft used, as Psal. 1. 6. Hos. 13. 5.

Not simply or absolutely, for some of these Gods had been worshipped for many generations and had a fair pretence of long antiquity, but comparatively to the true God, who is the antient of dayes, Dan. 7. 9. and who was worshipped from the beginning of the world. To this original and first antiquity Moses recals them; as also our Saviour doth recal the Iews to the first institution, Mat. 19. 8. And therefore we may safely follow both their patterns in despising all pretences of antiquity which are contrary to Gods first institutions contained (as all confess) in the holy Scriptures.

(i. e.) Served not, worshipped not, but justly despised and abhorred them.

Marginal references: Lev. 17. 7. Psal. 106. 37. 1 Cor. 10. 20. Rev. 9. 20.; Or, which were not God.

18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

(i. e.) Of God, one of whose titles this is, above ver. 4. Isa. 44. 8. or of Christ, who is called the rock, 1 Cor. 10. 4. whom the Israelites are said to have tempted, there ver. 9.

(i. e.) Who hath adopted you to be his people, and hath shewed as much care and kindness to you, as if he had begotten you.

19 And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters .

Because of their sins whereby they provoked him to anger. Or, by reason of his great and just anger against them he abhorred or reprobated or cast off his sons and his daughters, for such they were by calling and profession, but not in truth and reality, ver. 5.

Marginal references: Or, despised.

20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be : for they are a very froward generation, children in whom there is no faith .

I will see and observe what will be the issue of all this, what will become of them at last: but this God doth not see onely by way of speculation but practically, i. e. considers with himself what he shall do with them, and how he shall punish them, and sees what he will or purposes to do. A speech after the manner of men. Or I will see is put for, I will make them and others to see, what the fruit of such actions shall be. Hebrew verbs in Cal do ofttimes take the signification of Hiphil.

Persidious, that have broken their covenant so solemnly made with me.

Marginal references: Isa. 30. 9.

21 They have moved me to jealousie with that which is not god, they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousie with those which are not a people , I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation .

(i. e.) With the Gentile or Heathenish nations, who are none of my people, who scarce deserve the name of a people, as being without yoke, without the knowledge and fear of God which is the foundation of all true policy and government, and without righteous and necessary laws; and many of them are destitute of all government and laws and order, barbarous and rude and savage and brutish in their manners. And yet these people I will prefer before you and take into your stead, receive them and reject you; which, when it came to pass how desperately it provoked the Iews to jealousie, may be gathered from Mat. 21. 43, &c. Act. 11. 2, 3. and 22. 21, 22, 23. 1 Thes. 2. 15, 16.

So the Gentiles were both in the opinion of the Iews, and in truth and reality, notwithstanding all their pretences to wisdom, Rom. 1. 22. there being nothing more foolish or brutish than the worship of Idols. See Ier. 10. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 2.

Marginal references: Hos. 1. 9. Rom. 10. 19.

22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell , and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

(i. e.) Great and grievous judgments shall be inflicted, which oft come under the name of fire, &c. See Deut. 4. 24. Ezek. 30. 8. Amos 2. 2, 5.

Or, unto hell or the graves beneath. The sence is, it shall not onely burn up all the corn and fruits and buildings which appear above ground, but it shall reach to the inwards and depths of the earth and burn up the very roots and hopes of future increase.

Marginal references: Jer. 15, 14▪ Lam. 4. 11.; Or, hath consumed.; Or, hath burned.

23 I will heap mischiefs upon them, I will spend mine arrows upon them.

(i. e.) Even empty my quiver, and send upon them all my plagues, which, like arrows shot by a skilful and strong hand shall speedily reach and certainly hit and mortally wound them. Compare Zech. 9. 14.

Marginal references: Isa. 26. 14, 15.; Psal. 7. 12, 13. Ezek. 5. 16.

24 They shall be burnt with hunger , and devoured with burning heat , and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poyson of serpents of the dust .

With famine, which burneth and parcheth the inward parts, and makes the face black as a coal, Lam. 4. 8.

From fevers or carbuncles, or other inflaming distempers.

Who feed upon the dust, Gen. 3. 14. and lurk in it that they may surprize unwary passengers, Gen. 49. 17.

Marginal references: Heb. burning coals. Heb. 3. 5.; Lev. 26 22.

27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy , lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely , and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this.

(i. e.) Their rage against me, as it is expressed Isa. 37. 28, 29. their insolent and furious reproaches against my name, as if I were unnatural and cruel to my people or unable to deliver them. Compare Exod. 32. 12. Numb. 14. 13. Deut. 9. 28. Ios. 7. 9. The fear hereof is ascribed to God after the manner of men.

(i. e.) Insolently and arrogantly above what they used to do. Or, make themselves strangers, i. e. either really not acknowledge or pretend they did not know that which I had publickly declared and they either did or easily might have known, to wit, that this judgment was inflicted upon them by my hand for their sins.

Marginal references: Or, our high hand, and not the LORD hath done all this.

28 For they are a nation void of counsel , neither is there any understanding in them.

Either 1. the enemies last mentioned, who are foolish people, and therefore make so false and foolish a judgment upon things. Or rather 2. the Israelites themselves, of whom he speaks both in the foregoing ver. 26. and in the whole foregoing chapter, and in the next v. 29. and afterwards.

That have not wisdom to direct themselves, nor discretion to desire and receive counsel from others, but rashly and madly go on in those courses which will certainly ruine them.

29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end .

What their end will be, and that although God spare them long, yet at last judgment will certainly overtake them.

Marginal references: Psal. 94. 8.; Lam. 1. 9.

30 How should one chase a thousand , and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them , and the LORD had shut them up ?

Whence should this miraculous change come, that whereas God had promised that five Israelites should chase an hundred of their enemies, &c. Levit. 26. 8. now on the contrary one enemy should chase a thousand Israelites.

(i. e.) Their God, as before ver. 4, 18. who was their onely refuge and defence.

To wit, for bondslaves, had quitted his right and relation to them, and given them up into their enemies hands.

As it were in the net which their enemies had laid for them.

Marginal references: Josh. 23. 10. 2 Chro. 24. 24. Isa. 30. 17.; Psal. 44. 12. Isa. 50. 1. and 52. 3.

31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges .

Who by their dear bought experience have been forced to acknowledge that our God was far stronger than they and their [illegible: 1+ letters]ise Gods together. See Exod. 14. 25. Num. 23. 1 Sam. 4. 8. Ier. 40. 3.

32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom , and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter .

Or, But; for these words seem to contain an answer to that question, ver. 30. how should, &c. To this he answers, 1. Negatively it was not from impotency in God, for if he had not forsaken and delivered them up, they could not have been so easily chased. 2. Positively, But, saith he, the true reason was this, their vine, &c.

The people of Israel, which I planted and brought up as a choice vine, are now degenerated and become like the vine of Sodom, their principles and practises are all corrupt and abominable. Compare Isa. 1. 10.

Their fruits or actions are most loathsome to me, malicious and mischievous to others, and at last will be pernicious to themselves.

Marginal references: Or, is worse than the vine of Sodom, &c.

33 Their wine is the poison of dragons , and the cruel venom of asps .

For although some write that the Dragons of Greece have no poison in them, yet that the African and Arabian Dragons, of which Moses here writes, have poison in them, is confessed by antient heathen authors.

Whose poison kills certainly and speedily, as Aristotle and others write.

34 Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?

(i. e.) All their wickedness mentioned before. My longsuffering towards them may make them and others think that I have forgotten their sins, but I remember them punctually, they are sealed up as in a bag, Iob 14. 17. and as men seal up their treasures, that nothing be lost, and I shall bring them to their remembrance also.

Marginal references: Jer. 2. 22. Hos. 13. 12.

35 To me belongeth vengeance and recompence, their feet shall slide in due time : for the day of their calamity is at hand , and the things that shall come upon them, make haste.

It is my office to punish sin, and therefore as I know their sins so I will assuredly punish them.

They who now think they stand fast and unmoveable they shall fall into utter destruction.

Though not so soon as some may expect it, yet in that time when it shall be most proper and seasonable, when they have filled up the measure of their sins. This due time may be the same with that fulness of time, Gal. 4. 4. when Christ came into the world, whom this people by wicked hands crucified and slew, Act. 2. 23. for which wrath came upon them to the uttermost, 1 Thes. 2. 15, 16.

Heb. is near. So the Scripture oft speaks of those things which are at many hundred years distance, to meet with objections arising in mens minds from the delays of them, and to signifie, that though they may be afar off as to our measures of time and expectation of the things, yet in Gods account they are near, they are as near as may be, as soon as ever the fit and the full time is come, they come instantly, they are nearer than sinners would have them, when the measure of their sins is once full, the judgment shall not be deferred.

Marginal references: Rom. 12. 19. Heb. 10. 30.; 2 Pet. 2. 3.

36 For the LORD shall judge his people , and repent himself for his servants , when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left .

Or, Nevertheless, or, But yet, as the particle, chi, is sometimes used, as Iob 5. 7. Isa. 9. 1. and 49. 25. Having now spoken of the dreadful calamity which would come upon his people, he now turns his discourse into a more comfortable strain, according to the usual method of the Prophets, and here begins to shew that after God had humbled and sorely chastised his people, yet at last he would have mercy upon them and turn their captivity, as it here follows.

(i. e.) Shall plead their cause, shall protect and deliver them, as that phrase is oft used. See Psal. 7. 8. and 10. 18. Isa. 1. 17. and 11. 4. Ier. 5. 28. and 22. 16.

(i. e.) Repent of the evils he hath brought upon them, will change his course and carriage towards them.

None shut up, either in their strong cities or castles or other hiding places, or in the enemies hands or prisons, whence there might be some hope or possibility of redemption; and none left, as the poor and contemptible people are neglected and usually left by the conquerours in the conquered land, as 2 King. 25. 12. but all seem to be cut off and the people quite destroyed. So this phrase is used 1 King. 14. 10. and 21. 21. and 2 King. 9. 8. and 14. 26.

Marginal references: Psal. 106. 45. Jer. 31. 20.; Heb. hand.

37 And he shall say , where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted?

The Lord, before he deliver his people, will first convince them of their former folly in forsaking him and following Idols: he will find an occasion from that miserable and hopeless condition into which their Idols have brought them to upbraid them with it.

Marginal references: Judg. 10. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]

38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offerings ? let them rise up, and help you , and be your protection.

(i. e.) To whom you offered sacrifices and oblations after the manner of the Gentiles. See Exod. 34. 13. Psal. 106. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 20.

If they can do it. Compare Iudg. 10. 14. Ier. 2. 28.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] for you.

39 See now , that I even I am he , and there is no god with me; I kill, and I make alive: I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Learn now by your own sad experience what vain and impotent things Idols are, and what a silly thing it was in you to put your trust in them, as they did ver. 37.

(i. e.) The onely true and omnipotent and irresistible God, as it here follows.

Marginal references: Psal. 102[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪; chap. 4. 35.; 1 Sam. 2. 5. Job 5. 18▪ Hos. 6. 1.

40 For I lift up my hand to heaven , and say, I live for ever .

(i. e.) I solemnly swear, that I will do what here follows, that, as I will deliver my people, so I will fully avenge my self upon all mine enemies, whom I have used as rods to scourge my people.

(i. e.) As sure as I live. Compare Ier. 4. 2. Heb. 6. 13. Rev. 10. 5, 6.

41 If I whet my glittering sword , and mine hand take hold on judgment , I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.

If once I begin to prepare for war and for the execution of my sentence.

(i. e.) Of the instruments of judgment, of the weapons of war. A metaphor from warriours, that take their weapons into their hand, when they intend to fight.

Marginal references: Isa. 27. 1. [illegible: 1+ letters] 34. 5. & 65. 15. Ezek. 21. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word]

42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood (and my sword shall devour flesh) and that with the blood of the slain, and of the captives , from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy .

Whom my sword hath sorely wounded, though not utterly killed.

(i. e.) When once I begin to revenge my self and my people upon mine and their enemies, I will go on and make a full end. Or, with the head, or with the blood of the bead, i. e. of the chief or chiefs, of the revenges of the enemy, i. e. of the revengeful or malicious enemy of God and of his people. The noun substantive is oft put for the adjective, as Gen. 17. 5. a multitude of nations is put for many nations, Rom. 4. 17. and Gen. 45. 22. changes of raiment, i. e. changeable raiment; and Psal. 99. 4. the kings strength, i. e. the strong and mighty king. And so here, the revenges of the enemy, i. e. the revengeful enemy. And by the head may be here understood either the Devil, or the heads and rulers of those Empires which were enemies to Gods people. Or, of the head shall be the revenges upon the enemies, i. e. I will take vengeance upon all mine enemies, yea upon the head or heads of them.

Marginal references: Job 13. 24 Jer. 30. 14 Lam. 2. 5.

43 Rejoyce, O ye nations, with his people , for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

This translation is justified by St. Paul, Rom. 15. 10. the particle with, being oft understood, as Lev. 26. 42. He calls upon the nations to rejoyce and bless God for his favours and especially for the last wonderful deliverance which shall be given to the Iews when they shall be converted unto the Gospel in the last days, which they have all reason to do not onely from that duty of sympathy which they owe to all people, and especially to Gods antient people, whereby they are to rejoyce with them that rejoyce, but because of that singular advantage and happiness which all nations will have at that time and upon that occasion. Or, rejoyce, O ye Gentiles, his people, i. e. O you Gentiles, who once were not Gods people, but now are his people, do you rejoyce for Gods mercies to the Iews his antient people, bless God for their conversion and salvation.

Marginal references: Or, praise [illegible: 1 word] people, ye [illegible: 1 word], or sing ye.; Rom. 15. 10.

44 And Moses came, and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.

Or Ioshua: who is here joyned with Moses in this action, because though Moses onely spake the words, yet Ioshua consented to them, and, it may be, afterwards repeated them; this being not a song to be sung once for all, but a standing monument which was written and kept for future use, Deut. 31. 22, &c. and to be repeated again and again upon solemn occasions, which Ioshua and other succeeding Magistrates were to take care of.

Marginal references: Or, Ioshua.

47 For it is not a vain thing for you , because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your dayes, in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

It is not an unprofitable or contemptible work I advise you to, but well worthy of your most serious care oft to remember and diligently to consider it.

49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo , which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho, and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:

Nebo was a ridge or top of the mountains of Abarim. See on Numb. 27. 12. Deut. 3. 27.