21 And the LORD H3068 shall separate H914 him unto evil H7451 out of all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 according to all the curses H423 of the covenant H1285 that are written H3789 in this book H5612 of the law: H8451
But the children H1121 of Israel H3478 committed H4603 a trespass H4604 in the accursed thing: H2764 for Achan, H5912 the son H1121 of Carmi, H3756 the son H1121 of Zabdi, H2067 the son H1121 of Zerah, H2226 of the tribe H4294 of Judah, H3063 took H3947 of the accursed thing: H2764 and the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And Joshua H3091 sent H7971 men H582 from Jericho H3405 to Ai, H5857 which is beside H5973 Bethaven, H1007 on the east side H6924 of Bethel, H1008 and spake H559 unto them, saying, H559 Go up H5927 and view H7270 the country. H776 And the men H582 went up H5927 and viewed H7270 Ai. H5857 And they returned H7725 to Joshua, H3091 and said H559 unto him, Let not all the people H5971 go up; H5927 but let about two or three H7969 thousand H505 men H376 go up H5927 and smite H5221 Ai; H5857 and make not all the people H5971 to labour H3021 thither; for they are but few. H4592 So there went up H5927 thither of the people H5971 about three H7969 thousand H505 men: H376 and they fled H5127 before H6440 the men H582 of Ai. H5857 And the men H582 of Ai H5857 smote H5221 of them about thirty H7970 and six H8337 men: H376 for they chased H7291 them from before H6440 the gate H8179 even unto Shebarim, H7671 and smote H5221 them in the going down: H4174 wherefore the hearts H3824 of the people H5971 melted, H4549 and became as water. H4325 And Joshua H3091 rent H7167 his clothes, H8071 and fell H5307 to the earth H776 upon his face H6440 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 until the eventide, H6153 he and the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 and put H5927 dust H6083 upon their heads. H7218 And Joshua H3091 said, H559 Alas, O H162 Lord H136 GOD, H3069 wherefore hast thou at all H5674 brought H5674 this people H5971 over H5674 Jordan, H3383 to deliver H5414 us into the hand H3027 of the Amorites, H567 to destroy H6 us? would to God H3863 we had been content, H2974 and dwelt H3427 on the other side H5676 Jordan! H3383 O H994 Lord, H136 what shall I say, H559 when H310 Israel H3478 turneth H2015 their backs H6203 before H6440 their enemies! H341 For the Canaanites H3669 and all the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 shall hear H8085 of it, and shall environ us round, H5437 and cut off H3772 our name H8034 from the earth: H776 and what wilt thou do H6213 unto thy great H1419 name? H8034 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Get thee up; H6965 wherefore liest H5307 thou thus upon thy face? H6440 Israel H3478 hath sinned, H2398 and they have also transgressed H5674 my covenant H1285 which I commanded H6680 them: for they have even taken H3947 of the accursed thing, H2764 and have also stolen, H1589 and dissembled H3584 also, and they have put H7760 it even among their own stuff. H3627 Therefore the children H1121 of Israel H3478 could H3201 not stand H6965 before H6440 their enemies, H341 but turned H6437 their backs H6203 before H6440 their enemies, H341 because they were accursed: H2764 neither will I be with you any more, H3254 except H3808 ye destroy H8045 the accursed H2764 from among H7130 you. Up, H6965 sanctify H6942 the people, H5971 and say, H559 Sanctify H6942 yourselves against to morrow: H4279 for thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 There is an accursed thing H2764 in the midst H7130 of thee, O Israel: H3478 thou canst H3201 not stand H6965 before H6440 thine enemies, H341 until ye take away H5493 the accursed thing H2764 from among H7130 you. In the morning H1242 therefore ye shall be brought H7126 according to your tribes: H7626 and it shall be, that the tribe H7626 which the LORD H3068 taketh H3920 shall come H7126 according to the families H4940 thereof; and the family H4940 which the LORD H3068 shall take H3920 shall come H7126 by households; H1004 and the household H1004 which the LORD H3068 shall take H3920 shall come H7126 man H1397 by man. H1397 And it shall be, that he that is taken H3920 with the accursed thing H2764 shall be burnt H8313 with fire, H784 he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed H5674 the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 and because he hath wrought H6213 folly H5039 in Israel. H3478 So Joshua H3091 rose up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and brought H7126 Israel H3478 by their tribes; H7626 and the tribe H7626 of Judah H3063 was taken: H3920 And he brought H7126 the family H4940 of Judah; H3063 and he took H3920 the family H4940 of the Zarhites: H2227 and he brought H7126 the family H4940 of the Zarhites H2227 man H1397 by man; H1397 and Zabdi H2067 was taken: H3920 And he brought H7126 his household H1004 man H1397 by man; H1397 and Achan, H5912 the son H1121 of Carmi, H3756 the son H1121 of Zabdi, H2067 the son H1121 of Zerah, H2226 of the tribe H4294 of Judah, H3063 was taken. H3920 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto Achan, H5912 My son, H1121 give, H7760 I pray thee, glory H3519 to the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 and make H5414 confession H8426 unto him; and tell H5046 me now what thou hast done; H6213 hide H3582 it not from me. And Achan H5912 answered H6030 Joshua, H3091 and said, H559 Indeed H546 I have sinned H2398 against the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 and thus and thus have I done: H6213 When I saw H7200 among the spoils H7998 a H259 goodly H2896 Babylonish H8152 garment, H155 and two hundred H3967 shekels H8255 of silver, H3701 and a H259 wedge H3956 of gold H2091 of fifty H2572 shekels H8255 weight, H4948 then I coveted H2530 them, and took H3947 them; and, behold, they are hid H2934 in the earth H776 in the midst H8432 of my tent, H168 and the silver H3701 under it. So Joshua H3091 sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and they ran H7323 unto the tent; H168 and, behold, it was hid H2934 in his tent, H168 and the silver H3701 under it. And they took H3947 them out of the midst H8432 of the tent, H168 and brought H935 them unto Joshua, H3091 and unto all the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and laid them out H3332 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 And Joshua, H3091 and all Israel H3478 with him, took H3947 Achan H5912 the son H1121 of Zerah, H2226 and the silver, H3701 and the garment, H155 and the wedge H3956 of gold, H2091 and his sons, H1121 and his daughters, H1323 and his oxen, H7794 and his asses, H2543 and his sheep, H6629 and his tent, H168 and all that he had: and they brought H5927 them unto the valley H6010 of Achor. H5911 And Joshua H3091 said, H559 Why H4100 hast thou troubled H5916 us? the LORD H3068 shall trouble H5916 thee this day. H3117 And all Israel H3478 stoned H7275 him with stones, H68 and burned H8313 them with fire, H784 after they had stoned H5619 them with stones. H68 And they raised H6965 over him a great H1419 heap H1530 of stones H68 unto this day. H3117 So the LORD H3068 turned H7725 from the fierceness H2740 of his anger. H639 Wherefore the name H8034 of that place H4725 was called, H7121 The valley H6010 of Achor, H5911 unto this day. H3117
And mine hand H3027 shall be upon the prophets H5030 that see H2374 vanity, H7723 and that divine H7080 lies: H3577 they shall not be in the assembly H5475 of my people, H5971 neither shall they be written H3789 in the writing H3791 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 neither shall they enter H935 into the land H127 of Israel; H3478 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
And G2532 shall cut G1371 him G846 asunder, G1371 and G2532 appoint G5087 him his G846 portion G3313 with G3326 the hypocrites: G5273 there G1563 shall be G2071 weeping G2805 and G2532 gnashing G1030 of teeth. G3599
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 29
Commentary on Deuteronomy 29 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 29
De 29:1-29. An Exhortation to Obedience.
1. These are the words of the covenant—The discourse of Moses is continued, and the subject of that discourse was Israel's covenant with God, the privileges it conferred, and the obligations it imposed.
beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb—It was substantially the same; but it was renewed now, in different circumstances. They had violated its conditions. Moses rehearses these, that they might have a better knowledge of its conditions and be more disposed to comply with them.
2. Moses called unto all Israel, … Ye have seen all that the Lord did, &c.—This appeal to the experience of the people, though made generally, was applicable only to that portion of them who had been very young at the period of the Exodus, and who remembered the marvellous transactions that preceded and followed that era. Yet, alas! those wonderful events made no good impression upon them (De 29:4). They were strangers to that grace of wisdom which is liberally given to all who ask it; and their insensibility was all the more inexcusable that so many miracles had been performed which might have led to a certain conviction of the presence and the power of God with them. The preservation of their clothes and shoes, the supply of daily food and fresh water—these continued without interruption or diminution during so many years' sojourn in the desert. They were miracles which unmistakably proclaimed the immediate hand of God and were performed for the express purpose of training them to a practical knowledge of, and habitual confidence in, Him. Their experience of this extraordinary goodness and care, together with their remembrance of the brilliant successes by which, with little exertion or loss on their part, God enabled them to acquire the valuable territory on which they stood, is mentioned again to enforce a faithful adherence to the covenant, as the direct and sure means of obtaining its promised blessings.
10-29. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God—The whole congregation of Israel, of all ages and conditions, all—young as well as old; menials as well as masters; native Israelites as well as naturalized strangers—all were assembled before the tabernacle to renew the Sinaitic covenant. None of them were allowed to consider themselves as exempt from the terms of that national compact, lest any lapsing into idolatry might prove a root of bitterness, spreading its noxious seed and corrupt influence all around (compare Heb 12:15). It was of the greatest consequence thus to reach the heart and conscience of everyone, for some might delude themselves with the vain idea that by taking the oath (De 29:12) by which they engaged themselves in covenant with God, they would surely secure its blessings. Then, even though they would not rigidly adhere to His worship and commands, but would follow the devices and inclinations of their own hearts, yet they would think that He would wink at such liberties and not punish them. It was of the greatest consequence to impress all with the strong and abiding conviction, that while the covenant of grace had special blessings belonging to it, it at the same time had curses in reserve for transgressors, the infliction of which would be as certain, as lasting and severe. This was the advantage contemplated in the law being rehearsed a second time. The picture of a once rich and flourishing region, blasted and doomed in consequence of the sins of its inhabitants, is very striking, and calculated to awaken awe in every reflecting mind. Such is, and long has been, the desolate state of Palestine; and, in looking at its ruined cities, its blasted coast, its naked mountains, its sterile and parched soil—all the sad and unmistakable evidences of a land lying under a curse—numbers of travellers from Europe, America, and the Indies ("strangers from a far country," De 29:22) in the present day see that the Lord has executed His threatening. Who can resist the conclusion that it has been inflicted "because the inhabitants had forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers. … and the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book"?
29. The secret things belong unto the Lord—This verse has no apparent connection with the thread of discourse. It is thought to have been said in answer to the looks of astonishment or the words of inquiry as to whether they would be ever so wicked as to deserve such punishments. The recorded history of God's providential dealings towards Israel presents a wonderful combination of "goodness and severity." There is much of it involved in mystery too profound for our limited capacities to fathom; but, from the comprehensive wisdom displayed in those parts which have been made known to us, we are prepared to enter into the full spirit of the apostle's exclamation, "How unsearchable are his judgments" (Ro 11:33).