Worthy.Bible » Parallel » Deuteronomy » Chapter 8

Deuteronomy 8:1-20 King James Version (KJV)

1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;

8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;

9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.

10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;

16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.


Deuteronomy 8:1-20 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 All the commandments H4687 which I command H6680 thee this day H3117 shall ye observe H8104 to do, H6213 that ye may live, H2421 and multiply, H7235 and go in H935 and possess H3423 the land H776 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto your fathers. H1

2 And thou shalt remember H2142 all the way H1870 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 led H3212 thee these forty H705 years H8141 in the wilderness, H4057 to humble H6031 thee, and to prove H5254 thee, to know H3045 what was in thine heart, H3824 whether thou wouldest keep H8104 his commandments, H4687 or no.

3 And he humbled H6031 thee, and suffered thee to hunger, H7456 and fed H398 thee with manna, H4478 which thou knewest H3045 not, neither did thy fathers H1 know; H3045 that he might make thee know H3045 that man H120 doth not live H2421 by bread H3899 only, H905 but by every word that proceedeth H4161 out of the mouth H6310 of the LORD H3068 doth man H120 live. H2421

4 Thy raiment H8071 waxed not old H1086 upon thee, neither did thy foot H7272 swell, H1216 these forty H705 years. H8141

5 Thou shalt also consider H3045 in H5973 thine heart, H3824 that, as a man H376 chasteneth H3256 his son, H1121 so the LORD H3068 thy God H430 chasteneth H3256 thee.

6 Therefore thou shalt keep H8104 the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to walk H3212 in his ways, H1870 and to fear H3372 him.

7 For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 bringeth H935 thee into a good H2896 land, H776 a land H776 of brooks H5158 of water, H4325 of fountains H5869 and depths H8415 that spring out H3318 of valleys H1237 and hills; H2022

8 A land H776 of wheat, H2406 and barley, H8184 and vines, H1612 and fig trees, H8384 and pomegranates; H7416 a land H776 of oil H8081 olive, H2132 and honey; H1706

9 A land H776 wherein H834 thou shalt eat H398 bread H3899 without H3808 scarceness, H4544 thou shalt not lack H2637 any thing in it; a land H776 whose stones H68 are iron, H1270 and out of whose hills H2042 thou mayest dig H2672 brass. H5178

10 When thou hast eaten H398 and art full, H7646 then thou shalt bless H1288 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 for the good H2896 land H776 which he hath given H5414 thee.

11 Beware H8104 that thou forget H7911 not the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 in not keeping H8104 his commandments, H4687 and his judgments, H4941 and his statutes, H2708 which I command H6680 thee this day: H3117

12 Lest when thou hast eaten H398 and art full, H7646 and hast built H1129 goodly H2896 houses, H1004 and dwelt H3427 therein;

13 And when thy herds H1241 and thy flocks H6629 multiply, H7235 and thy silver H3701 and thy gold H2091 is multiplied, H7235 and all that thou hast is multiplied; H7235

14 Then thine heart H3824 be lifted up, H7311 and thou forget H7911 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which brought thee forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the house H1004 of bondage; H5650

15 Who led H3212 thee through that great H1419 and terrible H3372 wilderness, H4057 wherein were fiery H8314 serpents, H5175 and scorpions, H6137 and drought, H6774 where there was no water; H4325 who brought thee forth H3318 water H4325 out of the rock H6697 of flint; H2496

16 Who fed H398 thee in the wilderness H4057 with manna, H4478 which thy fathers H1 knew H3045 not, that he might humble H6031 thee, and that he might prove H5254 thee, to do thee good H3190 at thy latter end; H319

17 And thou say H559 in thine heart, H3824 My power H3581 and the might H6108 of mine hand H3027 hath gotten H6213 me this wealth. H2428

18 But thou shalt remember H2142 the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 for it is he that giveth H5414 thee power H3581 to get H6213 wealth, H2428 that he may establish H6965 his covenant H1285 which he sware H7650 unto thy fathers, H1 as it is this day. H3117

19 And it shall be, if thou do at all H7911 forget H7911 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and walk H1980 after H310 other H312 gods, H430 and serve H5647 them, and worship H7812 them, I testify H5749 against you this day H3117 that ye shall surely H6 perish. H6

20 As the nations H1471 which the LORD H3068 destroyeth H6 before your face, H6440 so shall ye perish; H6 because H6118 ye would not be obedient H8085 unto the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 your God. H430


Deuteronomy 8:1-20 American Standard (ASV)

1 All the commandment which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Jehovah sware unto your fathers.

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or not.

3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live.

4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

5 And thou shalt consider in thy heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so Jehovah thy God chasteneth thee.

6 And thou shalt keep the commandments of Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

7 For Jehovah thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills;

8 a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey;

9 a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig copper.

10 And thou shalt eat and be full, and thou shalt bless Jehovah thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

11 Beware lest thou forget Jehovah thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12 lest, when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 then thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget Jehovah thy God, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;

15 who led thee through the great and terrible wilderness, `wherein were' fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;

16 who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not; that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end:

17 and `lest' thou say in thy heart, My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth.

18 But thou shalt remember Jehovah thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as at this day.

19 And it shall be, if thou shalt forget Jehovah thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

20 As the nations that Jehovah maketh to perish before you, so shall ye perish; because ye would not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah your God.


Deuteronomy 8:1-20 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 `All the command which I am commanding thee to-day ye observe to do, so that ye live, and have multiplied, and gone in, and possessed the land which Jehovah hath sworn to your fathers;

2 and thou hast remembered all the way which Jehovah thy God hath caused thee to go these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble thee to try thee, to know that which `is' in thy heart, whether thou dost keep His commands or not.

3 `And He doth humble thee, and cause thee to hunger and doth cause thee to eat the manna (which thou hast not known, even thy fathers have not known), in order to cause thee to know that not by bread alone doth man live, but by every produce of the mouth of Jehovah man doth live.

4 `Thy raiment hath not worn out from off thee, and thy foot hath not swelled these forty years,

5 and thou hast known, with thy heart, that as a man chastiseth his son Jehovah thy God is chastising thee,

6 and thou hast kept the commands of Jehovah thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him.

7 `For Jehovah thy God is bringing thee in unto a good land, a land of brooks of waters, of fountains, and of depths coming out in valley and in mountain:

8 a land of wheat, and barley, and vine, and fig, and pomegranate; a land of oil olive and honey;

9 a land in which without scarcity thou dost eat bread, thou dost not lack anything in it; a land whose stones `are' iron, and out of its mountains thou dost dig brass;

10 and thou hast eaten, and been satisfied, and hast blessed Jehovah thy God, on the good land which he hath given to thee.

11 `Take heed to thyself, lest thou forget Jehovah thy God so as not to keep His commands, and His judgments, and His statutes which I am commanding thee to-day;

12 lest thou eat, and hast been satisfied, and good houses dost build, and hast inhabited;

13 and thy herd and thy flock be multiplied, and silver and gold be multiplied to thee; and all that is thine be multiplied:

14 `And thy heart hath been high, and thou hast forgotten Jehovah thy God (who is bringing thee out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of servants;

15 who is causing thee to go in the great and the terrible wilderness -- burning serpent, and scorpion, and thirst -- where there is no water; who is bringing out to thee waters from the flinty rock;

16 who is causing thee to eat manna in the wilderness, which thy fathers have not known, in order to humble thee, and in order to try thee, to do thee good in thy latter end),

17 and thou hast said in thy heart, My power, and the might of my hand, hath made for me this wealth:

18 `And thou hast remembered Jehovah thy God, for He it `is' who is giving to thee power to make wealth, in order to establish His covenant which He hath sworn to thy fathers as `at' this day.

19 `And it hath been -- if thou really forget Jehovah thy God, and hast gone after other gods, and served them, and bowed thyself to them, I have testified against you to-day that ye do utterly perish;

20 as the nations whom Jehovah is destroying from your presence, so ye perish; because ye hearken not to the voice of Jehovah your God.


Deuteronomy 8:1-20 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 Every commandment which I command thee this day shall ye take heed to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and enter in and possess the land which Jehovah swore unto your fathers.

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or not.

3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with the manna, which thou hadst not known, and which thy fathers knew not; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread alone, but by everything that goeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live.

4 Thy clothing grew not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

5 And know in thy heart that, as a man chasteneth his son, so Jehovah thy God chasteneth thee;

6 and thou shalt keep the commandments of Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

7 For Jehovah thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of water-brooks, of springs, and of deep waters, that gush forth in the valleys and hills;

8 a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig-trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey;

9 a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, where thou shalt lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose mountains thou wilt dig copper.

10 And thou shalt eat and be filled, and shalt bless Jehovah thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

11 Beware that thou forget not Jehovah thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command thee this day;

12 lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built and inhabited fine houses,

13 and thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied,

14 then thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget Jehovah thy God, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;

15 who led thee through the great and terrible wilderness, [a wilderness of] fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there is no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;

16 who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

17 -- and thou say in thy heart, My power and the might of my hand has procured me this wealth.

18 But thou shalt remember Jehovah thy God, that it is he who giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget Jehovah thy God, and go after other gods, and serve them, and bow down to them, I testify against you this day that ye shall utterly perish.

20 As the nations which Jehovah is causing to perish before you, so shall ye perish; because ye would not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah your God.


Deuteronomy 8:1-20 World English Bible (WEB)

1 All the commandment which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers.

2 You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not.

3 He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you didn't know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh does man live.

4 Your clothing didn't grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years.

5 You shall consider in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so Yahweh your God chastens you.

6 You shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

7 For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills;

8 a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey;

9 a land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper.

10 You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Yahweh your God for the good land which he has given you.

11 Beware lest you forget Yahweh your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command you this day:

12 lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and lived therein;

13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;

14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;

15 who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, [in which were] fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint;

16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers didn't know; that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end:

17 and [lest] you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth.

18 But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as at this day.

19 It shall be, if you shall forget Yahweh your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.

20 As the nations that Yahweh makes to perish before you, so shall you perish; because you wouldn't listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.


Deuteronomy 8:1-20 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Take care to keep all the orders which I give you today, so that you may have life and be increased and go in and take as a heritage the land which the Lord, by his oath to your fathers, undertook to give you.

2 And keep in mind the way by which the Lord your God has taken you through the waste land these forty years, so that he might make low your pride and put you to the test, to see what was in your heart and if you would keep his orders or not.

3 And he made low your pride and let you be without food and gave you manna for your food, a thing new to you, which your fathers never saw; so that he might make it clear to you that bread is not man's only need, but his life is in every word which comes out of the mouth of the Lord.

4 Through all these forty years your clothing did not get old or your feet become tired.

5 Keep in mind this thought, that as a son is trained by his father, so you have been trained by the Lord your God.

6 Then keep the orders of the Lord your God, fearing him and walking in his ways.

7 For the Lord your God is guiding you into a good land, a land of water-springs, of fountains, and deep streams flowing out from the valleys and the hills;

8 A land of grain and vines and fig-trees and fair fruits; a land of oil-giving olive-trees and honey;

9 Where there will be bread for you in full measure and you will be in need of nothing; a land where the very stones are iron and from whose hills you may get copper.

10 And you will have food enough and be full, praising the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

11 Then take care that you are not turned away from the Lord your God and from keeping his orders and decisions and laws which I give you this day:

12 And when you have taken food and are full, and have made fair houses for yourselves and are living in them;

13 And when your herds and your flocks are increased, and your stores of silver and gold, and you have wealth of every sort;

14 Take care that your hearts are not lifted up in pride, giving no thought to the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the prison-house;

15 Who was your guide through that great and cruel waste, where there were poison-snakes and scorpions and a dry land without water; who made water come out of the hard rock for you;

16 Who gave you manna for your food in the waste land, a food which your fathers had never seen; so that your pride might be broken and your hearts tested for your good in the end;

17 Say not then, in your hearts, My power and the strength of my hands have got me this wealth.

18 But keep in mind the Lord your God: for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth, so that he may give effect to the agreement which he made by his oath with your fathers, as at this day.

19 And it is certain that if at any time you are turned away from the Lord your God, and go after other gods, to be their servants and to give them worship, destruction will overtake you.

20 Like the nations which the Lord is cutting off before you, so you will be cut off; because you would not give ear to the voice of the Lord your God.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 8

Commentary on Deuteronomy 8 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 8

Moses had charged parents in teaching their children to whet the word of God upon them (ch. 6:7) by frequent repetition of the same things over and over again; and here he himself takes the same method of instructing the Israelites as his children, frequently inculcating the same precepts and cautions, with the same motives or arguments to enforce them, that what they heard so often might abide with them. In this chapter Moses gives them,

  • I. General exhortations to obedience (v. 1, 6).
  • II. A review of the great things God had done for them in the wilderness, as a good argument for obedience (v. 2-5, 15, 16).
  • III. A prospect of the good land into which God would now bring them (v. 7-9).
  • IV. A necessary caution against the temptations of a prosperous condition (v. 10-14, and 17, 18).
  • V. A fair warning of the fatal consequences of apostasy from God (v. 19, 20).

Deu 8:1-9

The charge here given them is the same as before, to keep and do all God's commandments. Their obedience must be,

  • 1. Careful: Observe to do.
  • 2. Universal: To do all the commandments, v. 1. And,
  • 3. From a good principle, with a regard to God as the Lord, and their God, and particularly with a holy fear of him (v. 6), from a reverence of his majesty, a submission to his authority, and a dread of his wrath. To engage them to this obedience, besides the great advantages of it, which he sets before them (that they should live and multiply, and all should be well with them, v. 1), he directs them,
    • I. To look back upon the wilderness through which God had now brought them: Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, v. 2. Now that they had come of age, and were entering upon their inheritance, they must be reminded of the discipline they had been under during their minority and the method God had taken to train them up for himself. The wilderness was the school in which they had been for forty years boarded and taught, under tutors and governors; and this was a time to bring it all to remembrance. The occurrences of these last forty years were very memorable and well worthy to be remembered, very useful and profitable to be remembered, as yielding a complication of arguments for obedience; and they were recorded on purpose that they might be remembered. As the feast of the passover was a memorial of their deliverance out of Egypt, so was the feast of tabernacles of their passage through the wilderness. Note, It is very good for us to remember all the ways both of God's providence and grace, by which he has led us hitherto through this wilderness, that we may be prevailed with cheerfully to serve him and trust in him. Here let us set up our Ebenezer.
      • 1. They must remember the straits they were sometimes brought into,
        • (1.) For the mortifying of their pride; it was to humble them, that they might not be exalted above measure with the abundance of miracles that were wrought in their favor, and that they might not be secure, and confident of being in Canaan immediately.
        • (2.) For the manifesting of their perverseness: to prove them, that they and others might know (for God himself perfectly knew it before) all that was in their heart, and might see that God chose them not for any thing in them that might recommend them to his favour, for their whole carriage was untoward and provoking. Many commandments God gave them which there would have been no occasion for if they had not been led through the wilderness, as those relating to the manna (Ex. 16:28); and God thereby tried them, as our first parents were tried by the trees of the garden, whether they would keep God's commandments or not. Or God thereby proved them whether they would trust his promises, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations, and, in dependence on his promises, obey his precepts.
      • 2. They must remember the supplies which were always granted them.
        • (1.) God himself took particular care of their food, raiment, and health; and what would they have more?
          • [1.] They had manna for food (v. 3): God suffered them to hunger, and the fed them with manna, that the extremity of their want might make the supply the more acceptable, and God's goodness to them therein the more remarkable. God often brings his people low, that he may have the honour of helping them. And thus the manna of heavenly comforts is given to those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, Mt. 5:6. To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. It is said of the manna that it was a sort of food which neither they nor their fathers knew. And again, v. 16. If they knew there was such a thing that fell sometimes with the dew in those countries, as some think they did, yet it was never known to fall in such vast quantities, so constantly, and at all seasons of the year, so long, and only about a certain place. These things were altogether miraculous, and without precedent; the Lord created a new thing for their supply. And hereby he taught them the man liveth not by bread alone. Though God has appointed bread for the strengthening of man's heart, and that is ordinarily made the staff of life, yet God can, when he pleases, command support and nourishment without it, and make something else, very unlikely, to answer the intention as well. We might live upon air if it were sanctified for that use by the word of God; for the means God ordinarily uses he is not tied to, but can perform his kind purposes to his people without them. Our Saviour quotes this scripture in answer to that temptation of Satan, Command that these stones be made bread. "What need of that?' says Christ; "my heavenly Father can keep me alive without bread,' Mt. 4:3, 4. Let none of God's children distrust their Father, nor take any sinful indirect course for the supply of their own necessities; some way or other, God will provide for them in the way of duty and honest diligence, and verily they shall be fed. It may be applied spiritually; the word of God, as it is the revelation of God's will and grace duly received and entertained by faith, is the food of the soul, the life which is supported by that is the life of the man, and not only that life which is supported by bread. The manna typified Christ, the bread of life. He is the Word of God; by him we live. The Lord evermore give us that bread which endures to eternal life, and let us not be put off with the meat that perisheth!
          • [2.] The same clothes served them from Egypt to Canaan, at least the generality of them. Though they had no change of raiment, yet it was always new, and waxed not old upon them, v. 4. This was a standing miracle, and the greater if, as the Jews say, they grew with them, so as to be always fit for them. But it is plain that they brought out of Egypt bundles of clothes on their shoulders (Ex. 12:34), which they might barter with each other as there was occasion; and these, with what they wore, sufficed till they came into a country where they could furnish themselves with new clothes.
        • (2.) By the method God took of providing food and raiment for them
          • [1.] He humbled them. It was a mortification to them to be tied for forty years together to the same meat, without any varieties, and to the same clothes, in the same fashion. Thus he taught them that the good things he designed for them were figures of better things, and that the happiness of man consists not in being clothed in purple or fine linen, and in faring sumptuously every day, but in being taken into covenant and communion with God, and in learning his righteous judgements. God's law, which was given to Israel in the wilderness, must be to them instead of food and raiment.
          • [2.] He proved them, whether they could trust him to provide for them when means and second causes failed. Thus he taught them to live in a dependence upon Providence, and not to perplex themselves with care what they should eat and drink, and wherewithal they should be clothed. Christ would have his disciples learn the same lesson (Mt. 6:25), and took a like method to teach it to them, when he sent them out without purse or scrip, and yet took care that they lacked nothing, Lu. 22:35.
          • [3.] God took care of their health and ease. Though they travelled on foot in a dry country, the way rough and untrodden, yet their feet swelled not. God preserved them from taking hurt by the inconveniences of their journey; and mercies of this kind we ought to acknowledge. Note, Those that follow God's conduct are not only safe but easy. Our feet swell not while we keep in the way of duty; it is the way of transgression that is hard, Prov. 13:15. God had promised to keep the feet of his saints, 1 Sa. 2:9.
      • 3. They must also remember the rebukes they had been under, v. 5. During these years of their education they had been kept under a strict discipline, and not without need. As a man chasteneth his son, for his good, and because he loves him, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. God is a loving tender Father to all his children, yet when there is occasion they shall feel the smart of the rod. Israel did so: they were chastened that they might not be condemned, chastened with the rod of men. Not as a man wounds and slays his enemies whose destruction he aims at, but as a man chastens his son whose happiness and welfare he designs: so did their God chasten them; he chastened and taught them, Ps. 94:12. This they must consider in their heart, that is, they must own it from their own experience that God had corrected them with a fatherly love, for which they must return to him a filial reverence and compliance. Because God has chastened thee as a father, therefore (v. 6) thou shalt keep his commandments. This use we should make of all our afflictions; by them let us be engaged and quickened to our duty. Thus they are directed to look back upon the wilderness.
    • II. He directs them to look forward to Canaan, into which God was now bringing them. Look which way we will, both our reviews and our prospects will furnish us with arguments for obedience. Observe,
      • 1. The land which they were now going to take possession of is here described to be a very good land, having every thing in it that was desirable, v. 7-9.
        • (1.) It was well-watered, like Eden, the garden of the Lord. It was a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, which contributed to the fruitfulness of the soil. Perhaps there was a greater plenty of water there now than in Abraham's time, the Canaanites having found and digged wells; so that Israel reaped the fruit of their industry as well as of God's bounty.
        • (2.) The ground produced great plenty of all good things, not only for the necessary support, but for the convenience and comfort of human life. In their fathers' land they had bread enough; it was corn land, a land of wheat and barley, where, with the common care and labour of the husbandman, they might eat bread without scarceness. It was a fruitful land, that was never turned into barrenness but for the iniquity of those that dwelt therein. They had not only water enough to quench their thirst, but vines, the fruit whereof was ordained to make glad the heart. And, if they were desirous of dainties, they needed not to send to far countries for them, when their own was so well stocked with fig-trees, and pomegranates, olives of the best kind, and honey, or date-trees, as some think it should be read.
        • (3.) Even the bowels of its earth were very rich, though it should seem that silver and gold they had none; of these the princes of Sheba should bring presents (Ps. 72:10, 15); yet they had plenty of those more serviceable metals, iron and brass. Iron-stone and mines of brass were found in their hills. See Job 28:2.
      • 2. These things are mentioned,
        • (1.) To show the great difference between that wilderness through which God had led them and the good land into which he was bringing them. Note, Those that bear the inconveniences of an afflicted state with patience and submission, are humbled by them and prove well under them, are best prepared for better circumstances.
        • (2.) To show what obligations they lay under to keep God's commandments, both in gratitude for his favours to them and from a regard to their own interest, that the favours might be continued. The only way to keep possession of this good land would be to keep in the way of their duty.
        • (3.) To show what a figure it was of good things to come. Whatever others saw, it is probable that Moses in it saw a type of the better country: The gospel church is the New-Testament Canaan, watered with the Spirit in his gifts and graces, planted with the trees of righteousness, bearing the fruits of righteousness. Heaven is the good land, in which there is nothing wanting, and where there is a fulness of joy.

Deu 8:10-20

Moses, having mentioned the great plenty they would find in the land of Canaan, finds it necessary to caution them against the abuse of that plenty, which was a sin they would be the more prone to new that they came into the vineyard of the Lord, immediately out of a barren desert.

  • I. He directs them to the duty of a prosperous condition, v. 10. They are allowed to eat even to fulness, not to surfeiting no excess; but let them always remember their benefactor, the founder of their feast, and never fail to give thanks after meat: Then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God.
    • 1. They must take heed of eating or drinking so much as to indispose themselves for this duty of blessing God, rather aiming to serve God therein with so much the more cheerfulness and enlargement.
    • 2. They must not have any fellowship with those that, when they had eaten and were full, blessed false gods, as the Israelites themselves had done in their worship of the golden calf, Ex. 32:6.
    • 3. Whatever they had the comfort of God must have the glory of. As our Saviour has taught us to bless before we eat (Mt. 14:19, 20), so we are here taught to bless after meat. That is our Hosannah-God bless; this is our Hallelujah-Blessed be God. In every thing we must give thanks. From this law the religious Jews took up a laudable usage of blessing God, not only at their solemn meals, but upon other occasions; if they drank a cup of wine they lifted up their hands and said, Blessed be he that created the fruit of the vine to make glad the heart. If they did but smell at a flower, they said, Blessed be he that made this flower sweet.
    • 4. When they gave thanks for the fruits of the land they must give thanks for the fruits of the land itself, which was given them by promise From all our comfortable enjoyments we must take occasion to thank God for our comfortable settlements; and I know not but we of this nation have as much reason as they had to give thanks for a good land.
  • II. He arms them against the temptations of a prosperous condition, and charges them to stand upon their guard against them: "When thou art settled in goodly houses of thy own building,' v. 12 (for though God gave them houses which they builded not, ch. 6:10, these would not serve them, they must have larger and finer),-"and when thou hast grown rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold (v. 13), as Abraham (Gen. 13:2),-when all thou hast is multiplied,'
    • 1. "Then take heed of pride. Beware lest then thy heart be lifted up,' v. 14. When the estate rises, the mind is apt to rise with it, in self-conceit, self-complacency, and self-confidence. Let us therefore strive to keep the spirit low in a high condition; humility is both the ease and the ornament of prosperity. Take heed of saying, so much as in thy heart, that proud word, My power, even the might of my hand, hath gotten me this wealth, v. 17. Note, We must never take the praise of our prosperity to ourselves, nor attribute it to our ingenuity or industry; for bread is not always to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, Eccl. 9:11. It is spiritual idolatry thus to sacrifice to our own net, Hab. 1:16.
    • 2. "Then take heed of forgetting God.' This follows upon the lifting up on the heart; for it is through the pride of the countenance that the wicked seek not after God, Ps. 10:4. Those that admire themselves despise God.
      • (1.) "Forget not thy duty to God.' v. 11. We forget God if we keep not his commandments; we forget his authority over us, and our obligations to him and expectations from him, if we are not obedient to his laws. When men grow rich they are tempted to think religion a needless thing. They are happy without it, think it a thing below them and too hard upon them. Their dignity forbids them to stoop, and their liberty forbids them to serve. But we are basely ungrateful if the better God is to us the worse we are to him.
      • (2.) "Forget not God's former dealings with thee. Thy deliverance out of Egypt, v. 14. The provision he made for thee in the wilderness, that great and terrible wilderness.' They must never forget the impressions which the horror of that wilderness made upon them; see Jer. 2:6, where it is called the very shadow of death. There God preserved them from being destroyed by the fiery serpents and scorpions, though sometimes he made use of them for their correction: there he kept them from perishing for want of water, following them with water out of a rock of flint (v. 15), out of which (says bishop Patrick) one would rather have expected fire than water. There he fed them with manna, of which before (v. 3), taking care to keep them alive, that he might do them good at their latter end, v. 16. Note, God reserves the best till the last for his Israel. However he may seem to deal hardly with them by the way, he will not fail to do them good at their latter end.
      • (3.) "Forget not God's hand in thy present prosperity, v. 18. Remember it is he that giveth thee wealth; for he giveth thee power to get wealth.' See here how God's giving and our getting are reconciled, and apply it to spiritual wealth. It is our duty to get wisdom, and above all our gettings to get understanding; and yet it is God's grace that gives wisdom, and when we have got it we must not say, It was the might of our hand that got it, but must own it was God that gave us power to get it, and therefore to him we must give the praise and consecrate the use of it. The blessing of the Lord on the hand of the diligent makes rich both for this world and for the other. He giveth thee power to get wealth, not so much to gratify thee, and make thee easy, as that he may establish his covenant. All God's gifts are in pursuance of his promises.
  • III. He repeats the fair warning he had often given them of the fatal consequences of their apostasy from God, v. 19, 20. Observe,
    • 1. How he describes the sin; it is forgetting God, and then worshipping other gods. What wickedness will not those fall into that keep thoughts of God out of their minds? And, when once the affections are displaced from God, they will soon be misplaced upon lying vanities.
    • 2. How he denounces wrath and ruin against them for it: "If you do so, you shall surely perish, and the power and might of your hands, which you are so proud of, cannot help you. Nay, you shall perish as the nations that are driven out before you. God will make no more account of you, notwithstanding his covenant with you and your relation to him, than he does of them, if you will not be obedient and faithful to him.' Those that follow others in sin will certainly follow them to destruction. If we do as sinners do, we must expect to fare as sinners fare.