Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 9

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.