Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 5 · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
Mos… being to renew the covenant, exhorteth Israel to obedience, by the m…mory of the workes they have seene. 10 All stand before the Lord, to enter into his covenant. 18 The great wrath on him that flattereth himselfe in his wickednesse. 29 Secret things belong unto God.
THese are the words of the covenant which Iehovah commanded Moses to strike with the sonnes of Israel, in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he stroke with them in Horeb.
And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, You have seene all that Iehovah did before your eies in the land of Egypt, unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land. The great tentations which th…e eies have seene, the signes, and those great wonders. Yet Iehovah hath not given unto you an heart to know, and eies to see, and eares to heare, unto this day. And I have lead you forty yeares in the wildernesse; your cloathes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shooe is not waxen old upon thy foot. Ye have not eaten bread, neither have you drunke wine or strong drinke, that yee might know that I am Iehovah your God. And yee came unto this place, and Sihon king of Heshbon, and Ogh king of Bashan came out against us unto battell, and wee smote them. And we tooke their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to halfe the tribe of the Manassites. Therefore yee shall keepe the words of this covenant, and doe them▪ that ye may wisely doe all that ye… doe.
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Yee stand this day all of you before Ieho… your God, your heads of your tribes, your elders and your officers, all the men of … ▪ Your little ones, your wives, and thy … ▪ that is within thy campe, from the … of thy wood, unto the drawer of thy water. That thou shouldest passe into the covenant of Iehovah thy God, and into his … which Iehovah thy God striketh with …ee this day. That hee may stablish thee this day for a people unto himselfe, and that he may bee unto thee a God, as hee hath spoken unto thee, and as hee hath sworne unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Iakob. And not with you your selves alone doe I strike this covenant and this oath; But with him that is standing here with us this day before Iehovah your God, and with him that is not here with us this day. For ye know, how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt, and how wee have passed in the midst of the nations which yee passed by. And yee have seene their abominations, and their filthy idols, wood and stone, silver and gold which were with them. Lest there should be among you man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from Iehovah our God, to goe to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should bee among you a root that beareth gall and wormewood. And it be when he heareth the words of this oath, that hee blesse himselfe in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walke in the imagination of mine heart, to adde the drunken to the thirsty. Iehovah will not spare him; but then the anger of Iehovah and his jealousie shall smoke against that man, and every curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him, and Iehovah will blo… out his name from under the heavens. And Iehovah will separate him unto evill, out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the Law. And the after generation, your sonnes that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a farre land, shall say, when they shall see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses thereof, wherewith Iehovah hath made it sicke; That all the land thereof is brimstone & salt, and burning▪ that it is not sowen, neither springeth, nor any grasse groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorr…h, Admah, and Zebojim, which Iehovah overthrew in his anger & in his wrath.
Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath Iehovah done thus unto this land; what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Then they shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of Iehovah the God of their fathers, which he strucke with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. For they went and served other gods, and bowed themselves▪ downe unto them; gods whom they knew not, and hee had not imparted unto them. And the anger of Iehovah was kindled against this land, to bring upon it every curse that is written in this booke. And Iehovah rooted them out of their land, in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day. The secret things belong unto Iehovah our God, and the things revealed belong unto us, and to our sonnes forever, to doe all the words of this Law.
Annotations.
TO strike] or, to cut, whereof see the notes on Gen. 15. 18. Here the covenant is renewed betweene God and the people; and it is the same in effect with the covenant made at Horeb, Exod. 19. and 24. save that Christ, who is the end of the legall covenant, is here more cleerely revealed, especially in Chap. 30. vers. 11,—14. of Moab] the countrey on the out side of Iordan, whereof see Deut. 1. 1, 5. in Horeb] or Choreb, that is, mount Sinai, where the covenant was given, Ex. 20. and the blessings and curses for confirmation thereof, Lev. 26. 3,—46.
Vers. 3. tentations] or trialls, whereby God tried the Israelites faith, and the hardnesse of the Egyptians in letting Israel goe: see Deut. 4. 34. and 7. 19. From Gods former benefits, whereof they had experience, hee exhorteth them unto the keeping of the covenant.
Vers. 4. not given unto you] This sheweth the unability of man to understand the things of God, without the gift of God. And long after this, Paul complaineth of the Iewes, even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veile is laid over their hearts, 2 Cor. 3. 15. and Christ saith, that to them it was not given to understand the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven, Matt. 13. 11, 13, 14.
Vers. 5. upon you] or, from upon you; that is, so as you should put them off and cast them from you. Compare Deut. 8. 4.
Vers. 6. bread] to wit, ordinary bread out of the earth, but God hath nourished you with Manna, the bread of heaven, Psal. 78. 24, 25. Deut. 8. 3.
Vers. 7. Sihon] in Greeke, Seon king of Esebon. Of this history see Num. 21.
Vers. 8. wee tooke] in Chaldee, wee subdued. to the Reubenites] in Chaldee, to the tribe of Reuben, &c. See the performance hereof in Num. 32.
Vers. 9. wisely doe] or, prudently carry, and with understanding, and consequently prosper: so in 1 King. 2. 3. Ios. 1. 7, 8.
Here beginneth the one and fiftieth foreign section of the Law: see the notes on Gen. 6. 9.
Vers. 10. your heads of your tribes] that is, your heads, or chiefe men, which are the heads of your tribes: the Greeke translateth them by one word Archiphuloi, that is, the chiefe, or Rulers of the tribes.
Vers. 11. thy stranger] in Greeke, the proselyte which is in the midst of your campe. Such of that mixed multitude as came out of Egypt with Israel, Exod. 12. 38. and others that had joyned themselves to the Church. hewer of thy wood] such ashewed wood, and drew water, were the basest servants or slaves of Israel, (as afterward was the case of the Gibeonites, Ios. 9. 21, 27.) who also by faith were admitted into the Church and covenant of Israel.
Vers. 12. That thou shouldest passe] He speaketh to them all, as to one man; and to passe into the covenant, is a phrase taken from the manner of making covenants, when they passed betweene the parts of the sacrifices, Gen. 15. 17. Ier. 34. 18, 19, 20. his oath] or, his execration; in Greeke, his curses, because they tooke the curses of the Law upon them, if they kept not the Covenant. This is called the oath of God, Eccles. 8. 2. So this people returned from the captivity of Babylon, entred into a curse, and into an oath, to walke in Gods law which was given by the hand of Moses, Neh. 10. 29.
Vers. 13. a God] or, for a God: this is the substance of the Covenant, even such as is made with us in Christ, 2 Cor. 6. 16. Heb. 8. 10. Rev. 21. 3. See the Annotations on Gen. 17. 7.
Vers. 15. not here] meaning their posterity throughout all generations, to whom this covenant did alike belong. So in Thargum Ionathan it is expounded, and with every generation that shall rise up unto the worlds end, &c. But this is to be understood with exception of the new Covenant, which God promised, and hath now stablished unto us in Christ, Ier. 31. 31, 32, 33. Heb. 8. 7, 8, 9, 10.
Vers. 16. how wee have dwelt] or, that which we have dwelt, which Ionathan expoundeth, the number of yeares that wee have dwelt. This their peregrination in Egypt, and deliverance thence, with Gods gracious conduct of them thorow the wildernesse, are named as motives to perswade unto obedience.
Vers. 17. filthy idols] in Hebr. Gillulim, (whereof see Levit. 26. 30.) in Greeke, Idols.
Vers. 18. Lest there should be] or, as the Greeke and Chaldee explaine it, That there be not. whose heart] the heart is to bee kept with all diligence, because out of it are the issues of life, Prov. 4. 23. According therefore to this, Paul warneth the Israelites, Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeleefe, in departing from the living God, Heb. 3. 12. from Iehovah] in Chaldee, from the feare of the Lord. the gods] in Chaldee, the idols of the peoples. a root] an evill heart forementioned, which is hidden from men, as the root is hidden in the earth, but the fruits after doe appeare. The Chaldee translateth it, a man. beareth] or, fructifieth, beareth fruit: in Greeke, springeth up; which word Paul useth in Hebr. 12. 15. gall and wormwood] the Greeke translateth, with gall and bitternesse; whereby is meant sinnes, (as the Chaldee explaineth it, and) as it was said to Simon Magus, Thou art in the gall of bitternesse, and in the bond of iniquity, Act. 8. 23. The Apostle respecting this place, saith, lest any root of bitternesse springing up trouble you, Heb. 12. 15, (for enc…oles, with gall, saying, enochlee, trouble.) Gall (or Hem…ke) was a bitter and poisonous weed, growing in the East countries, as appeareth by Hos. 10. 4. and wormewood likewise: which are applied sometime to sinnes, as here and in Amos 6. 12. Deuteronom. 32. 32. sometime to bitter punishments, as in Ier. 9. 15. and 23. 15. Lament. 3. 15, 19.
Vers. 19. of this oath] or, as the Greeke saith, of this curse: see vers. 12. I shall have peace] or, peace shall be unto me, that is, safety and prosperity, without hurt or punishment. imagination] or contemplation, that which the heart hath spied out, and looketh unto. So the Chaldee translateth it, imagination, (or conceit) but the Greeke calleth it aberration. This sinne Ieremy often imputeth to this people, Ier. 3. 17. and 7. 24. and 9. 14. and 11. 8. and 16. 12. and 18. 12. and 23. 17. to adde the drunken] to wit, the drunken soule to the thirsty, or, the moist to the dry; meaning, to adde sinne unto sinne in abundance, as in Esay 30. 1. The soule that desireth is said to thirst, Psal. 63. 1: and as the godly doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, Matt. 5. 6. so doe the wicked after unrighteousnesse, and drinke it up like water, Iob 34. 7. which when he hath glutted himselfe therewith, hee may be said to have added drunkennesse to his thirst. Some understand it also of punishment for sinne, which the Chaldee favoureth, translating, that I may adde unto him the sinnes of ignorance, unto (the sinnes of) presumption. The Hebrew Sephoth, to adde, is sometime used for to consume or destroy. (as in Psal. 40. 15.) in which sense the Greeke Interpreters tooke it here, saying, that the sinner destroy not also him that is without sinne.
Vers. 20. not spare] or, not forgive him in mercy. For, if wee walke in the light, as (God) is in the light, the bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth us from all sinne, 1 Ioh. 1. 7. But God will not bee mercifull to any that unfaithfully commit iniquity, Psal. 59. 6. jealousie] which is the rage of a man, that he will not spare in the day of vengeance, Prov. 6. 34. applied here unto the Lord, as in Exod. 20. 5. smoke] in Greeke, burne: a signe of great displeasure, as in Psal. 74. 1. shall lie upon him] the Greeke and Chaldee translate, shall cleave unto him. See this word in Gen. 4. 7.
Vers. 21. out of all the tribes] in Greeke, from all the sonnes of Israel, that is, from the communion of the Church (whereto hee addeth daily such as shall be saved, Act. 2. 47.) even as before in v. 20. the man was separated from communion with God. So he threatneth against the false Prophets, they shall not be in the secret of my people, neither shall they be writtē in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shal they enter into the land of Israel, Ezek. 13. 9. And this is a separation unto evill, or for his hurt, as on the contrary the Levites were separated for their good when they were designed to stand before the LORD, to minister unto him, &c. Deut. 10. 8. that is written] in Chaldee, that are written: meaning all and every one.
Vers. 22. made it sicke] in Greeke, which he hath sent upon it. God here signifieth such a certainty of his judgments, as all peoples (within the Church and without) should be witnesses of them.
Vers. 23. and salt] which maketh the land barren, as saltnesse is used for barrennesse in Psal. 107. 34. So Abimelech sowed the city with salt, which hee made utterly desolate, Iudg. 9. 45. and the wicked man shall dwell in a salt land and not inhabited, Ier. 17. 6. and of mytie places, which should not be healed, it is said, they shall bee given to salt, Ezek. 47. 11. any grasse] or, any herbe: in Greeke, any greene thing; which phrase is used in Rev. 9. 4. This signified a spirituall barrennesse in mens hearts, that they should not bringforth the fruits of the Spirit, Heb. 6, 7, 8. overthrow of Sodom] whereof see Gen. 19. 24, 25. with the Annotations. Zebojim] by the letters, Zebiim, but read Zebojim, as is noted on Gen. 14. …. in Greeke, Sebocim. These two cities were destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrhe; and so another Prophet saith unto Israel, How shall I make thee as Admah? shall I set thee as Zebojim? Hos. 11. 8. in his anger] to their condemnation, 2 Pet. 2. 6. he overthrew them, and repented not, Ier. 20. 16.
Vers. 24. shall say] every man to his neighbour, as Ier. 22. 8. that is, one to another.
Vers. 25. stroke] Hebr. cut, that is, made with them; which the Greeke translateth, covenanted (or disposed) with their fathers. For things done to the fathers are applied to the children: see v. 14, 15. The like speech is in 1 King. 9. 8, 9. they shall say, Why hath Iehovah done thus unto this land, and to this house? And they shall answer, Because they have forsaken Iehovah their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, &c. which another Prophet recordeth thus; Because they have forsaken Iehovah the God of their fathers, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, 2 Chron. 7. 22. So in Ier. 22. 8, 9.
Vers. 26. other gods] in Chaldee, the idols of the peoples. gods whom they knew not] or gods which knew not them. and he had not imparted] that is, and hee, to wit, any of those gods, had not imparted or bestowed any good thing upon them. Thus the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds it, and they had not done good unto them: and Ionathan in Tharg, and they had not divided unto them. Or it may be referred to the true God, that he had not imparted, that is, taught them to have any part or fellowship with those gods, or their services. The Greeke translateth, neither had hee distributed unto them. And whereas it is said of the Sunne, Moone, and Stars, that God hath imparted them unto all nations, Deut. 4. 19. this here may aggravate their idolatry, that not onelyonly worshipped such, but even the fictions also of the heathens, gods which they never saw, knew, or had any manner of benefit by them; whereby their sinne was the moreodious.
Vers. 27. every curse] the Greeke paraphraseth, according to all the curses of the covenant, which are written in the booke of this Law. The accomplishment of this was acknowledged by Daniel, The curse is powred upon us, and the oath that is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him, Dan. 9. 11. &c.
Vers. 28. rooted them out] or, plucked them up: which is contrary to planting, Ier. 24. 6. and 42. 10. and 45. 4. Thus the Law of Moses leaveth sinners under the curse, and rooted out of the Lords land: but grace in Christ towards repentant and beleeving sinners, planteth them upon the land, and they shall no more be plucked up, Amos. 9. 15. for they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1. 5. and cast them] or, sent them: in the Hebrew the word cast hath an extraordinary great letter, to signifie the greatnesse of this punishment. And Baal Hatturim noteth upon it, there is a great Lamed, and a want of Iod, to teach, that there is no casting away like that of the ten tribes. Whereof see 2 King. 17. 18, 23.
Vers. 29. The secret things belong] or hidden things are to be left unto Iehovah. This is to be understood generally of all secret things which God hath not revealed in his word, as the times or seasons which the father hath put in his owne power, Act. 1. 7. the day and houre of judgment, Matt. 24. 36. and all other like things. Particularly it may be applied to Gods counsell concerning the Israelites, in punishing, and casting them off for their sinnes, and afterward calling a remnant of them: which the Apostle treating of in Rom. 11. saith; O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his waies past finding out! Rom. 11. 33. The Hebrew Nistaroth (here used) sometime meaneth secret sinnes, as Psal. 19. 13. VntoUnto which some of the Hebrewes referre this speech, that secret sinnes: God will punish, but open sinnes are for men to punish, Chazkuni on Deut. 29. & so Ionathan in Thargum explaineth it, Hidden sinnes are manifest before the Lord our God, and hee will take vengeance on them, &c. and the things revealed] or, but open (or manifest) things belong to us, and to our sonnes: upon which last words, the Hebrew text hath extraordinary pricks, to stir up attention to the matter here spoken, as it is indeed worthy of all observation, for it teacheth the continuall duty of Gods people in all ages, to learne his law, to doe the same, and to have care that true religion may bee continued among their posterity. The Hebrewes say, Every man of Israel is bound to learne the Law, be he poore or rich, be he in health of body, or under chastisements; be he young, or old and decrepit; though he be so poore that he lives on almes; yea, though he have wife and children, he is bound to set himselfe a time to leanne the Law, by day and by night, as it is said, and thou shalt meditate therein day and night. The great wise men of Israel, some of them were hewers of wood, and some drawers of water, and some blinde: notwithstanding they imployeth themselves in learning the Law, day & night. How is a man bound to learne the law? Vntill the day of his death, as it is said, and lest they depart from thine heart, all the daies of thy life, (Deut. 4. 9.) and all the while that he imployeth not himselfe in learning, he forgetteth. Maimony in Thalmud Torah, chap. 1. sect. 8, 9, 10.