Commentary on Deuteronomy, Commentary · Chapter 9
Chapter IX.CHAP. IX.
Verſe 1 Verſe 1. HEar, O Iſrael.] He begins a new Exhortation to them; at ſome diſtance of time from the former: but ſtill aiming at the ſame thing, to repreſent to them the danger of Idolatry.
Thou art to paſs over Jordan this day.] That is, ſhortly; not long hence; for it cannot be meant preciſely: all theſe things being ſpoken in the eleventh Month of the laſt Year of their Travels, and they paſſed not over Jordan till the first Month of the next Year. Between which and this time, Moſes died, and they mourned a whole Month for him.
To go in to poſſeſs Nations.] A Country inhabited by Nations: for the People themſelves they were to deſtroy.
Greater and mightier than thy ſelf.] Whom notwithſtanding God would deliver up into their Hands.
Cities great and fenced up to Heaven.] As the Spies had repreſented them, I. 28. and they were indeed very ſtrong Cities, whoſe Walls could not eaſily be ſcaled.
Verſe 2 Ver. 2. A People great and tall.] XIV Numb. 28, 32.
The Children of the Anakims whom thou knowest.] Who ſeem to have been the chief of thoſe Nephilim, or Rephaim (which we ſometimes tranſlate Giants) in thoſe parts, XIII Numb. 22, 28, 33.
Of whom thou haſt heard ſay, who can ſtand before the Children of Anak?] A common Proverb in thoſe days. The Children of Anak being ſo famous, that the whole Nation (as Bochartus thinks) took it's Name from them. For Bene-Anak (i. e. Children of Anak) or Pheneanak is eaſily changed into Phaenicia. Theſe Anakims were vanquiſhed by Joſhua, who drove them out of the Cities where they dwelt, and made them flee to the Philiſtims. Where a Remnant of them ſeem'd to have liv'd till the days of David. For Goliah and his Brethren Lahmi, Sippai and Iſhbibanob (1 Chron. XX. 4, &c.) were Anakims; and ſo was that Man with ſix Toes on each Foot, and ſix Fingers on each Hand, (2 Sam. XXI. 16.) for they were all born at Gath: which was one of the Cities to which the Anakims fled, XI Joſh. 22. Some think that from hence Kings, among the Greeks, were called foreign, becauſe commonly they choſe thoſe to rule over them, who were Perſons of a great Stature, and carried Majeſty in their Faces. But it is not improbable (as I obſerved before) that ſome of the Anakims fled into Greece, and ſettled there, when they were driven out of Canaan.
Ver. 3. Ʋnderſtand therefore this day.] Settle this Verſe 3 therefore in your Minds, before you go over Jordan, as undoubted truth.
That the LORD thy God is he that goeth before thee.] Over Jordan, III Joſh. 3, 4, &c.
As a conſuming fire.] Before whom none can ſtand, IV. 24.
He ſhall destroy them, and he ſhall bring them down before thy face.] See III Joſh. 10, 11. The Hebrews have a conceit, that the Fire which burnt upon the Altar appeared in the Form of a Lion: to ſhow what God would be to their Enemies, if the Iſraelites obeyed him; otherwiſe, what he would be to them.
So ſhalt thou drive them out, and deſtroy them utterly, as the LORD hath ſaid unto thee.] Not the whole ſeven Nations intirely; whom he ſaid God would drive out by little and little, (VII. 22.) but ſo many, as to make a Settlement for themſelves in Canaan, without much difficulty.
Verſe 4 Ver. 4. Speak not in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath caſt them out.] When this is done, do not ſo much as entertain a Thought.
For my righteouſneſs hath the LORD brought me in to poſſeſs this Land.] Nothing is more dangerous than Pride and Self-conceit: And therefore as he taught them before, VIII. 7. to have an humble Opinion of their own Power; ſo now not to arrogate any thing to themſelves, on the account of their own Righteouſneſs.
But for the wickedneſs of theſe Nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.] XVIII Lev. 24, 25, 27, 28.
Verſe 5 Ver. 5. Not for thy righteouſneſs, or the uprightneſs of thine heart, dost thou go to poſſeſs their Land; but for the wickedneſs of theſe Nations, &c. and that he may perform the word which the LORD ſware unto thy Fathers, &c.] It was of great moment (which makes him repeat it again) that they ſhould underſtand the true Cauſes why God expelled theſe Nations, and gave their Land to the Iſraelites; which were theſe two: Firſt, The abominable wickedneſs of the Canaanites; for which they deſerved to be rooted out. Secondly, God's gracious Promiſes to the pious Anceſtors of the Iſraelites, with whom he made a Covenant, and confirmed it with an Oath, to plant them there, in the room of the former Inhabitants.
Ver. 6. Ʋnderſtand therefore that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good Land to poſſeſs it, for thy Verſe 6 righteouſneſs.] He repeats it a third time, that if it were poſſible, he might root out of the Iſraelites the Opinion of their own Deſerts, before he rooted the Canaanites out of their Country.
For thou art a ſtiff-necked People.] So far from being Righteous, that they were very Refractory. Of which God often complained, XXXII Exod. 9. XXXIII. 3, 5. and Moſes acknowledges it in his Prayer to God for them, XXXIV. 9.
Ver. 7. Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst Verſe 7 the LORD thy God to wrath in the Wilderneſs.] In order to deſtroy the Opinion of their own Righteouſneſs, it was neceſſary to call to mind ſome of their moſt notorious Provocations; which he exhorts them carefully to preſerve in their Mind, as a Means to keep them humble.
From the day that thou didst depart out of the Land of Egypt, until you came to this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.] This appears by the many Murmurings we read of in the two firſt Years after they came out of Egypt; and likewiſe in the laſt: of which only we have a particular Account; but their behavour, all the reſt of the time they ſpent in the Wilderneſs, was no better.
Ver. 8. Alſo in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to Verſe 8 wrath.] Or rather, Even in Horeb, (for there is an Emphaſis in this, and he ſpeaks it with ſome Indignation) when they had newly received the Law; and had a viſible Appearance of God in great Glory, upon Mount Sinai; and had entred into Covenant with him; they ſo ſhamefully revolted from him, that he thought to have deſtroyed them, XXXII Exod. 7, 8, &c.
Verſe 9 Ver. 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.] See XXIV Exod. 11.
Then I abode in the Mount forty days, and forty nights, I neither did eat bread, nor drink water.] See XXIV Exod. 18. XXXIV. 28.
Verſe 10 Ver. 10. And the LORD delivered unto me two Tables of Stone, written with the finger of God.] See XXXI. Exod. 18.
According to all the words which the LORD ſpake with you in the Mount.] See XXXIV Exod. 28.
Out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the Aſſembly.] When the whole Body of the People were aſſembled, and heard God ſpeak theſe Ten Words out of the midſt of the Fire. See IV Deut. 10, 11, 12, 13.
Verſe 11 Ver. 11. And it came to paſs, at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the LORD gave me the two Tables of Stone, &c.] That is, having given him the two Tables, as was ſaid before v. 10.
Verſe 12 Ver. 12. The LORD ſaid unto me.] Immediately after he had delivered to him the Tables, XXXI Exod. 18. XXXII. 7.
Ariſe, get thee down quickly from hence, for the People which thou haſt brought forth out of Egypt, have corrupted themſelves, &c.] See XXXII Exod. 7, 8.
Verſe 13 Ver. 13. Furthermore, the LORD ſpake unto me, ſaying, I have ſeen this People, and behold it is a ſtiffnecked People.] Who will not bend to the Yoke of my Laws, XXXII Exod. 9.
Ver. 14. Let me alone.] Do not make any Interceſſion to me for them.
That I may deſtroy them, and blot out their Name from under Heaven; and I will make of thee a Nation Verſe 14 greater and mightier than they.] See XXXII Exod. 10.
Ver. 15. So I turned, and came down from the Mount.] Verſe 15 See XXXII Exod. 15.
And the Mount burnt with fire.] Was all in a flame; in token of God's high diſpleaſure againſt them; and as if he intended preſently to conſume them.
And the two Tables of the Covenant were in my hand.] XXXII Exod. 15.
Ver. 16. And I looked, and behold ye had ſinned against Verſe 16 the LORD your God, and had made you a molten Calf.] About which he found them dancing, XXXII Exod. 19.
Ye had turned aſide quickly out of the way, which the LORD had commanded you.] For a few Weeks before he had commanded them with his own Mouth, not to make to themſelves any graven Image, &c. XX Exod. 4. And immediately after commanded Moſes to repeat this Precept particularly to them, Not to make with him, Gods of Silver or Gold, v. 22, 23.
Ver. 17. And I took the two Tables, and cast them Verſe 17 out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes.] By God's order, no doubt; in token that they had broken his Covenant, and were unworthy to be owned by him for his People, (XXXII Exod. 19.) or that the Covenant was made void, and God no longer engaged to them.
Ver. 18. And I fell down.] To pray God for Pardon; though not preſently: but after he had broken the Calf in pieces, reproved Aaron, and made a Verſe 18 ſlaughter among the People, XXXII Exod. 20, 21, &c.
As at the first.] When he firſt heard of their Sin, XXXII Exod. 11, 12, 13. and the next Morning after he had broken the Calf, and done Execution upon the Offenders, v. 30, 31, 32.
Forty days and forty nights, I did neither eat bread, nor drink water.] XXXIV Exod. 2, 28.
Becauſe of all your ſins which ye ſinned, in doing wickedly in the ſight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.] He ſpent this time, very much, in earneſt Supplication to God, to forgive not only this, but all their other ſins, whereby they had deſerved to be caſt off by him. For they provoked him at Marah, XV Exod. 23. and in the Wilderneſs of Sin, XVI. 2, 3. and at Maſſah, XVII. 2, 3, 4.
Verſe 19 Ver. 19. For I was afraid of the anger and hot diſpleaſure wherewith the LORD was wroth against you, to deſtroy you.] Which God had expreſſed both before he came down from the Mount, and after, XXXII Exod. XXXIII. 3, 5. Inſomuch that the LORD removed out of the Camp; and would not for the preſent, dwell among them, v. 7.
But the LORD hearkned unto me at that time alſo.] See XXXIV Exod. 8, 9, 10. Where the LORD tells him, he expected they ſhould be more faithful hereafter, in obſerving their Covenant with him; particularly this part, of worſhipping no other God. See there v. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
Ver. 20. And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have deſtroyed him, &c.] This ſhows the heinouſneſs of this Sin, which had like to have coſt Aaron his Life: though he meerly complied with the impetuous Verſe 20 Deſire of the People, out of Fear and want of Courage to reſiſt them.
Ver. 21. And I took your ſin.] So Idols are termed Verſe 21 in XXXI Iſa. 7. The Object or Occaſion of Sin, as well as the Puniſhment of it, being called by the Name of Sin.
The Calf which you had made, and burnt it with fire, and ſtamp'd it, and ground it very ſmall, &c.] This he did before he went up the ſecond time into the Mount, XXXII Exod. 20.
And I caſt the dust thereof into the Brook that deſcended out of the Mount.] From the Rock which Moſes ſmote with his Rod, XVII Exod. 6. which conſtantly ſupplied them with Drink: which for the preſent they could not have, but mixed with their Sin; as we read XXXII Exod. 20.
Ver. 22. And at Taberah.] Beſides this great Sin Verſe 22 committed at Horeb, he puts them in mind of ſeveral other; that they might be the more humbled, and have no Opinion of their own Righteouſneſs remaining in them. See concerning this XI Numb. 1, 2, 3.
And at Maſſah.] As the foregoing Sin was committed after the making the Golden Calf; ſo this was before it, XVII Exod. 7.
And at Kibroth hattaavah ye provoked the LORD to wrath.] This Provocation was immediately after that at Taberah, XI Numb. 33, 34. All which three places had their Names from the Sin of the Iſraelites, or from their Puniſhment.
Ver. 23. Likewiſe.] And yet this was not all.
When the LORD ſent you from Kadeſh-Barnea, ſaying, Go up and poſſeſs the Land which I have given you.] Verſe 23 XIII Numb. 1, 2, 3.
Then ye rebelled against the Commandment of the LORD your God; and ye believed him not, nor hearkned to his word, XIV Numb. 1, 2, 3. of which unbelief God there complains, v. 11.
Verſe 24 Ver. 24. Ye have been rebellious against the LORD, from the day that I knew you.] To compriſe all in a few words, You have been a diſobedient People ever ſince I was acquainted with you. So he ſuſpected they would prove, IV Exod. 1. and, upon the firſt diſappointment, found it to be true, V Exod. 24, 25.
Verſe 25 Ver. 25. Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; becauſe the LORD had ſaid he would deſtroy you.] Having interpoſed ſome other Inſtances of their rebellious Diſpoſition, beſides their making the Golden Calf, he returns to what he had begun to ſay concerning his Interceſſion with God for a Pardon; which he could not obtain without long Importunity. For we cannot from theſe words gather, as ſome of the Jews do, that Moſes was three times in the Mount forty days and forty nights: it being plain, that he ſpeaks here of the ſame time, which he mentioned v. 18. And if we ſhould think he intended any other, we might conclude he was four times in the Mount ſo many days and nights; becauſe he mentions it over again in the next Chapter, X. 10.
Becauſe the LORD had ſaid he would deſtroy you.] XXXII. Exod. 10. XXXIII. 5. This wade him ſo earneſt to obtain an Aſſurance from God, that he would continue to be as gracious to them, as he had been: of which he had given him ſome hope before he went up into the Mount. See XXIII Exod. 17. XXXIV. 9, 10.
Ver. 26. I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and ſaid, Verſe 26 O LORD God, deſtroy not thy People, and thine Inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatneſs, &c.] He uſed the ſame Argument, in his Petition for them when he went into the Mount the ſecond time, which he had urged before he came down the firſt time from it, XXXII Exod. 12.
Ver. 27. Remember thy Servants, Abraham, Iſaac Verſe 27 and Jacob.] The very ſame he had ſaid there, v. 13.
And look not unto the ſtubborneſs of this People, nor to their wickedneſs, nor to their ſin.] He prays that the gracious Promiſe of God to their pious Fore-fathers, would move him to over-look the high Provocations of their Poſterity. Which he aggravates in ſeveral words; the more to humble them, and to magnifie God's Mercy in granting them a Pardon. The word Stubborneſs ſeems to relate to their very evil Diſpoſition of Mind; and their Wickedneſs to all their undutiful Murmurings; and their Sin to their Idolatry; which is often called in Scripture peculiarly by the Name of Sin: It being the higheſt Provocation; from whence ſprang all manner of Wickedneſs. Thus Jeroboam is ſaid to have made Iſrael to ſin, by ſetting up the Calves at Dan and Bethel to be worſhipped.
Ver. 28. Leſt the Land whence thou broughtest them Verſe 28 out ſay, Becauſe the LORD was not able to bring them into the Land which he promiſed them, and becauſe he hated them, he hath brought them out to ſlay them in the Wilderneſs. Chapter X.The ſence of this alſo he had before urged, XXXII Exod. 12.
Ver. 29. Yet they are thy People, and thine Inheritance, Verſe 29 which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power, &c.] They were redeemed by him out of the Land of Aegypt, and after a wonderful manner ſeparated from all other People, to be his peculiar, (XIX Exod. 4, 5, 6.) and beſides, having repented of this Sin in making the Golden Calf, God had again owned them to be his, and promiſed his Preſence ſhould go with them, XXXIII Exod. 14. Inſomuch that Moſes there ſaith, before he went into the Mount again, v. 13. Conſider that this Nation is thy People. And ſee v. 15, 16.