3 That then the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will turn H7725 thy captivity, H7622 and have compassion H7355 upon thee, and will return H7725 and gather H6908 thee from all the nations, H5971 whither the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath scattered H6327 thee.
The LORD H3068 doth build up H1129 Jerusalem: H3389 he gathereth together H3664 the outcasts H1760 of Israel. H3478
And I will be found H4672 of you, saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 and I will turn away H7725 your captivity, H7622 H7622 and I will gather H6908 you from all the nations, H1471 and from all the places H4725 whither I have driven H5080 you, saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 and I will bring you again H7725 into the place H4725 whence I caused you to be carried away captive. H1540
As a shepherd H7462 seeketh out H1243 his flock H5739 in the day H3117 that he is among H8432 his sheep H6629 that are scattered; H6567 so will I seek out H1239 my sheep, H6629 and will deliver H5337 them out of all places H4725 where they have been scattered H6327 in the cloudy H6051 and dark H6205 day. H3117 And I will bring them out H3318 from the people, H5971 and gather H6908 them from the countries, H776 and will bring H935 them to their own land, H127 and feed H7462 them upon the mountains H2022 of Israel H3478 by the rivers, H650 and in all the inhabited places H4186 of the country. H776
For I will take H3947 you from among H4480 the heathen, H1471 and gather H6908 you out of all countries, H776 and will bring H935 you into your own land. H127
Now in the first H259 year H8141 of Cyrus H3566 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 that the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 by the mouth H6310 of Jeremiah H3414 might be fulfilled, H3615 the LORD H3068 stirred up H5782 the spirit H7307 of Cyrus H3566 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 that he made a proclamation H5674 H6963 throughout all his kingdom, H4438 and put it also in writing, H4385 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 Cyrus H3566 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 The LORD H3068 God H430 of heaven H8064 hath given H5414 me all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth; H776 and he hath charged H6485 me to build H1129 him an house H1004 at Jerusalem, H3389 which is in Judah. H3063 Who is there among you of all his people? H5971 his God H430 be with him, and let him go up H5927 to Jerusalem, H3389 which is in Judah, H3063 and build H1129 the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 (he is the God,) H430 which is in Jerusalem. H3389 And whosoever remaineth H7604 in any place H4725 where he sojourneth, H1481 let the men H582 of his place H4725 help H5375 him with silver, H3701 and with gold, H2091 and with goods, H7399 and with beasts, H929 beside the freewill offering H5071 for the house H1004 of God H430 that is in Jerusalem. H3389
And he remembered H2142 for them his covenant, H1285 and repented H5162 according to the multitude H7230 of his mercies. H2617 He made H5414 them also to be pitied H7356 of H6440 all those that carried them captives. H7617 Save H3467 us, O LORD H3068 our God, H430 and gather H6908 us from among the heathen, H1471 to give thanks H3034 unto thy holy H6944 name, H8034 and to triumph H7623 in thy praise. H8416
[[A Song H7892 of degrees.]] H4609 When the LORD H3068 turned again H7725 the captivity H7870 of Zion, H6726 we were like them that dream. H2492 Then was our mouth H6310 filled H4390 with laughter, H7814 and our tongue H3956 with singing: H7440 then said H559 they among the heathen, H1471 The LORD H3068 hath done H6213 great things H1431 for them. The LORD H3068 hath done H6213 great things H1431 for us; whereof we are glad. H8056 Turn again H7725 our captivity, H7622 H7622 O LORD, H3068 as the streams H650 in the south. H5045
Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O ye nations, H1471 and declare H5046 it in the isles H339 afar off, H4801 and say, H559 He that scattered H2219 Israel H3478 will gather H6908 him, and keep H8104 him, as a shepherd H7462 doth his flock. H5739
Behold, I will gather them out H6908 of all countries, H776 whither I have driven H5080 them in mine anger, H639 and in my fury, H2534 and in great H1419 wrath; H7110 and I will bring them again H7725 unto this place, H4725 and I will cause them to dwell H3427 safely: H983 And they shall be my people, H5971 and I will be their God: H430 And I will give H5414 them one H259 heart, H3820 and one H259 way, H1870 that they may fear H3372 me for ever, H3117 for the good H2896 of them, and of their children H1121 after H310 them: And I will make H3772 an everlasting H5769 covenant H1285 with them, that I will not turn away H7725 from them, H310 to do them good; H3190 but I will put H5414 my fear H3374 in their hearts, H3824 that they shall not depart H5493 from me. Yea, I will rejoice H7797 over them to do them good, H2895 and I will plant H5193 them in this land H776 assuredly H571 with my whole heart H3820 and with my whole soul. H5315 For thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Like as I have brought H935 all this great H1419 evil H7451 upon this people, H5971 so will I bring H935 upon them all the good H2896 that I have promised H1696 them. And fields H7704 shall be bought H7069 in this land, H776 whereof ye say, H559 It is desolate H8077 without man H120 or beast; H929 it is given H5414 into the hand H3027 of the Chaldeans. H3778 Men shall buy H7069 fields H7704 for money, H3701 and subscribe H3789 evidences, H5612 and seal H2856 them, and take H5749 witnesses H5707 in the land H776 of Benjamin, H1144 and in the places about H5439 Jerusalem, H3389 and in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and in the cities H5892 of the mountains, H2022 and in the cities H5892 of the valley, H8219 and in the cities H5892 of the south: H5045 for I will cause their captivity H7622 to return, H7725 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Behold, I will save H3467 my people H5971 from the east H4217 country, H776 and from the west H3996 H8121 country; H776 And I will bring H935 them, and they shall dwell H7931 in the midst H8432 of Jerusalem: H3389 and they shall be my people, H5971 and I will be their God, H430 in truth H571 and in righteousness. H6666
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 30
Commentary on Deuteronomy 30 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 30
De 30:1-10. Great Mercies Promised unto the Penitent.
1-10. when all these things are come upon thee, … and thou shalt return … then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity—The hopes of the Hebrew people are ardently directed to this promise, and they confidently expect that God, commiserating their forlorn and fallen condition, will yet rescue them from all the evils of their long dispersion. They do not consider the promise as fulfilled by their restoration from the captivity in Babylon, for Israel was not then scattered in the manner here described—"among all the nations," "unto the utmost parts of heaven" (De 30:4). When God recalled them from that bondage, all the Israelites were not brought back. They were not multiplied above their fathers (De 30:5), nor were their hearts and those of their children circumcised to love the Lord (De 30:6). It is not, therefore, of the Babylonish captivity that Moses was speaking in this passage; it must be of the dispersed state to which they have been doomed for eighteen hundred years. This prediction may have been partially accomplished on the return of the Israelites from Babylon; for, according to the structure and design of Scripture prophecy, it may have pointed to several similar eras in their national history; and this view is sanctioned by the prayer of Nehemiah (Ne 1:8, 9). But undoubtedly it will receive its full and complete accomplishment in the conversion of the Jews to the Gospel of Christ. At the restoration from the Babylonish captivity, that people were changed in many respects for the better. They were completely weaned from idolatry; and this outward reformation was a prelude to the higher attainments they are destined to reach in the age of Messiah, "when the Lord God will circumcise their hearts and the hearts of their seed to love the Lord." The course pointed out seems clearly to be this: that the hearts of the Hebrew people shall be circumcised (Col 2:2); in other words, by the combined influences of the Word and spirit of God, their hearts will be touched and purified from all their superstition and unbelief. They will be converted to the faith of Jesus Christ as their Messiah—a spiritual deliverer, and the effect of their conversion will be that they will return and obey the voice (the Gospel, the evangelical law) of the Lord. The words may be interpreted either wholly in a spiritual sense (Joh 11:51, 52), or, as many think, in a literal sense also (Ro 11:1-36). They will be recalled from all places of the dispersion to their own land and enjoy the highest prosperity. The mercies and favors of a bountiful Providence will not then be abused as formerly (De 31:20; 32:15). They will be received in a better spirit and employed to nobler purposes. They will be happy, "for the Lord will again rejoice over them for good, as He rejoiced over their fathers."
De 30:11-14. The Commandment Is Manifest.
11-14. For this commandment … is not hidden … neither is it far off—That law of loving and obeying God, which was the subject of Moses' discourse, was well known to the Israelites. They could not plead ignorance of its existence and requirements. It was not concealed as an impenetrable mystery in heaven, for it had been revealed; nor was it carefully withheld from the people as a dangerous discovery; for the youngest and humblest of them were instructed in those truths, which were subjects of earnest study and research among the wisest and greatest of other nations. They were not under a necessity of undertaking long journeys or distant voyages, as many ancient sages did in quest of knowledge. They enjoyed the peculiar privilege of a familiar acquaintance with it. It was with them a subject of common conversation, engraven on their memories, and frequently explained and inculcated on their hearts. The apostle Paul (Ro 10:6-8) has applied this passage to the Gospel, for the law of Christ is substantially the same as that of Moses, only exhibited more clearly in its spiritual nature and extensive application; and, accompanied with the advantages of Gospel grace, it is practicable and easy.
De 30:15-20. Death and Life Are Set before the Israelites.
15-20. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil—the alternative of a good and happy, or a disobedient and miserable life. Love of God and compliance with His will are the only ways of securing the blessings and avoiding the evils described. The choice was left to them, and in urging upon them the inducements to a wise choice, Moses warmed as he proceeded into a tone of solemn and impressive earnestness similar to that of Paul to the elders of Ephesus (Ac 20:26, 27).