Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 33:2

2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai , and rose up from Seir unto them: he shined forth from mount Paran , and he came with ten thousands of Saints : from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

To wit, to the Israelites, i. e. manifested himself graciously and gloriously among them.

(i. e.) Beginning at Sinai, where the first and most glorious appearance of God was, and so going on with them to Seir and Paran. Or, to Sinai, the particle, mem, oft signifying, to, as is evident by comparing Isa. 59. 20. with Rom. 11. 26. 1 King. 8. 30. with 2 Chron. 6. 21. and 2 Sam. 6. 2. with 1 Chron. 13. 6. See also Gen. 2. 8. and 11. 2. and 13. 11. 1 Sam. 14. 15. Or, in Sinai, mem being oft put for beth, in, as Exod. 25. 18. Deut. 15. 1. Iob 19. 26. Psal. 68. 29 and 72. 16.

He appeared or shewed himself, as the Sun doth when it riseth.

(i. e.) From the mountain or land of Edom, which is called Seir, Gen. 32. 3. and 36. 8. Deut. 2. 4. to which place the Israelites came Num. 20. 14, &c. and from thence God led them on towards the land of promise, and then gloriously appeared for them in subduing Sihon and Og before them and given their countries unto them. Which glorious work of Gods is particularly celebrated Iudg. 5 4. But because the land of Seir or Edom is sometimes taken more largely, and so reacheth even to the Red-sea, as appears from 1 King. 9. 26. and therefore mount Sinai was near to it, and because Paran, which here follows, was also near Sinai, as being the next station into which they came from the wilderness of Sinai, Numb. 10. 12. all this verse may belong to Gods appearance in mount Sinai, where that glorious light which shone upon mount Sinai directly did in all probability scatter its beams into the adjacent parts, such as Seir and Paran were, and so this is onely a Poetical and Prophetical variation of the phrase and expression of the same thing in diverse words, and Gods coming or rising or shining from or to or in Sinai and Seir and Paran note one and the same illustrious action of God appearing there with ten thousands of his Saints or holy Angels, and there giving a fiery law to them, as it here follows. And this interpretation may receive some strength from Hab. 3. 3. where this glorious march of God before his people is remembred, onely Teman, which signifies the South is put for Seir, which is here, possibly to signify, that that Seir which is here mentioned was to be understood of the Southern part of the country of Seir or Edom, which was that part adjoyning to the Red Sea. Others refer this of Seir to the brasen Serpent, that eminent type of Christ, which was erected in this place.

A place where God eminently manifested his presence and goodness both in giving the people flesh which they desired, and in appointing the 70 Elders and pouring forth his Spirit upon them, Num 11. Though the exposition mentioned in the foregoing branch may seem more probable.

(i. e.) With a great company of holy Angels, Psal. 68. 17. Da[illegible: 1+ letters]. 7. 10. which attended upon him in this great and glorious work of giving the law, as may be gathered from Act. 7. 53. Gal. 3. 19. Heb. 2. 2. and 12. 22.

Which both wrote the law and gave it to men. An allusion to men who ordinarily write and give gifts with their right, and not with their left, hand.

The law is called fiery, partly because it is of a fiery nature, purging and searching and inflaming, for which reasons Gods word is compared to fire, Ier. 23. 29. partly to signify that fiery wrath and curse which it inflicteth upon sinners for the violation of it. 2 Cor. 3. 7, 9. and principally because it was delivered out of the midst of the fire, Exod. 19. 16, 18. Deut. 4. 11. and 5. 22, 23.

Marginal references: Heb. holy myriads, or, ten thousands. So Gr. See Jude v. 14.; Heb. a fire of Law.