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Deuteronomy 4:1-49 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 Now therefore hearken, H8085 O Israel, H3478 unto the statutes H2706 and unto the judgments, H4941 which I teach H3925 you, for to do H6213 them, that ye may live, H2421 and go in H935 and possess H3423 the land H776 which the LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers H1 giveth H5414 you.

2 Ye shall not add H3254 unto the word H1697 which I command H6680 you, neither shall ye diminish H1639 ought from it, that ye may keep H8104 the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 your God H430 which I command H6680 you.

3 Your eyes H5869 have seen H7200 what the LORD H3068 did H6213 because of Baalpeor: H1187 for all the men H376 that followed H310 H1980 Baalpeor, H1187 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath destroyed H8045 them from among H7130 you.

4 But ye that did cleave H1695 unto the LORD H3068 your God H430 are alive H2416 every one of you this day. H3117

5 Behold, H7200 I have taught H3925 you statutes H2706 and judgments, H4941 even as H834 the LORD H3068 my God H430 commanded H6680 me, that ye should do H6213 so in H7130 the land H776 whither ye go H935 to possess H3423 it.

6 Keep H8104 therefore and do H6213 them; for this is your wisdom H2451 and your understanding H998 in the sight H5869 of the nations, H5971 which shall hear H8085 all these statutes, H2706 and say, H559 Surely this great H1419 nation H1471 is a wise H2450 and understanding H995 people. H5971

7 For what nation H1471 is there so great, H1419 who hath God H430 so nigh H7138 unto them, as the LORD H3068 our God H430 is in all things that we call H7121 upon him for?

8 And what nation H1471 is there so great, H1419 that hath statutes H2706 and judgments H4941 so righteous H6662 as all this law, H8451 which I set H5414 before H6440 you this day? H3117

9 Only take heed H8104 to thyself, and keep H8104 thy soul H5315 diligently, H3966 lest thou forget H7911 the things H1697 which thine eyes H5869 have seen, H7200 and lest they depart H5493 from thy heart H3824 all the days H3117 of thy life: H2416 but teach H3045 them thy sons, H1121 and thy sons' H1121 sons; H1121

10 Specially the day H3117 that thou stoodest H5975 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 in Horeb, H2722 when the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Gather H6950 me the people H5971 together, H6950 and I will make them hear H8085 my words, H1697 that they may learn H3925 to fear H3372 me all the days H3117 that they shall live H2416 upon the earth, H127 and that they may teach H3925 their children. H1121

11 And ye came near H7126 and stood H5975 under the mountain; H2022 and the mountain H2022 burned H1197 with fire H784 unto the midst H3820 of heaven, H8064 with darkness, H6205 clouds, H6051 and thick darkness. H2822

12 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto you out of the midst H8432 of the fire: H784 ye heard H8085 the voice H6963 of the words, H1697 but saw H7200 no similitude; H8544 only H2108 ye heard a voice. H6963

13 And he declared H5046 unto you his covenant, H1285 which he commanded H6680 you to perform, H6213 even ten H6235 commandments; H1697 and he wrote H3789 them upon two H8147 tables H3871 of stone. H68

14 And the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 me at that time H6256 to teach H3925 you statutes H2706 and judgments, H4941 that ye might do H6213 them in the land H776 whither ye go over H5674 to possess H3423 it.

15 Take ye therefore good H3966 heed H8104 unto yourselves; H5315 for ye saw H7200 no manner of similitude H8544 on the day H3117 that the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto you in Horeb H2722 out of the midst H8432 of the fire: H784

16 Lest ye corrupt H7843 yourselves, and make H6213 you a graven image, H6459 the similitude H8544 of any figure, H5566 the likeness H8403 of male H2145 or female, H5347

17 The likeness H8403 of any beast H929 that is on the earth, H776 the likeness H8403 of any winged H3671 fowl H6833 that flieth H5774 in the air, H8064

18 The likeness H8403 of any thing that creepeth H7430 on the ground, H127 the likeness H8403 of any fish H1710 that is in the waters H4325 beneath H8478 the earth: H776

19 And lest thou lift up H5375 thine eyes H5869 unto heaven, H8064 and when thou seest H7200 the sun, H8121 and the moon, H3394 and the stars, H3556 even all the host H6635 of heaven, H8064 shouldest be driven H5080 to worship H7812 them, and serve H5647 them, which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath divided H2505 unto all nations H5971 under the whole heaven. H8064

20 But the LORD H3068 hath taken H3947 you, and brought you forth H3318 out of the iron H1270 furnace, H3564 even out of Egypt, H4714 to be unto him a people H5971 of inheritance, H5159 as ye are this day. H3117

21 Furthermore the LORD H3068 was angry H599 with me for your sakes, H1697 and sware H7650 that I should not go over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and that I should not go H935 in unto that good H2896 land, H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee for an inheritance: H5159

22 But I must die H4191 in this land, H776 I must not go over H5674 Jordan: H3383 but ye shall go over, H5674 and possess H3423 that good H2896 land. H776

23 Take heed H8104 unto yourselves, lest ye forget H7911 the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 which he made H3772 with you, and make H6213 you a graven image, H6459 or the likeness H8544 of any H3605 thing, which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath forbidden H6680 thee.

24 For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 is a consuming H398 fire, H784 even a jealous H7067 God. H410

25 When thou shalt beget H3205 children, H1121 and children's H1121 children, H1121 and ye shall have remained long H3462 in the land, H776 and shall corrupt H7843 yourselves, and make H6213 a graven image, H6459 or the likeness H8544 of any thing, and shall do H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to provoke him to anger: H3707

26 I call H5749 heaven H8064 and earth H776 to witness H5749 against you this day, H3117 that ye shall soon H4118 utterly H6 perish H6 from off the land H776 whereunto ye go over H5674 Jordan H3383 to possess H3423 it; ye shall not prolong H748 your days H3117 upon it, but shall utterly H8045 be destroyed. H8045

27 And the LORD H3068 shall scatter H6327 you among the nations, H5971 and ye shall be left H7604 few H4962 in number H4557 among the heathen, H1471 whither the LORD H3068 shall lead H5090 you.

28 And there ye shall serve H5647 gods, H430 the work H4639 of men's H120 hands, H3027 wood H6086 and stone, H68 which neither see, H7200 nor hear, H8085 nor eat, H398 nor smell. H7306

29 But if from thence thou shalt seek H1245 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 thou shalt find H4672 him, if thou seek H1875 him with all thy heart H3824 and with all thy soul. H5315

30 When thou art in tribulation, H6862 and all these things H1697 are come H4672 upon thee, even in the latter H319 days, H3117 if thou turn H7725 to the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and shalt be obedient H8085 unto his voice; H6963

31 (For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 is a merciful H7349 God;) H410 he will not forsake H7503 thee, neither destroy H7843 thee, nor forget H7911 the covenant H1285 of thy fathers H1 which he sware H7650 unto them.

32 For ask H7592 now of the days H3117 that are past, H7223 which were H1961 before H6440 thee, since the day H3117 that God H430 created H1254 man H120 upon the earth, H776 and ask from the one side H7097 of heaven H8064 unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great H1419 thing H1697 is, or hath been heard H8085 like it?

33 Did ever people H5971 hear H8085 the voice H6963 of God H430 speaking out H1696 of the midst H8432 of the fire, H784 as thou hast heard, H8085 and live? H2421

34 Or hath God H430 assayed H5254 to go H935 and take H3947 him a nation H1471 from the midst H7130 of another nation, H1471 by temptations, H4531 by signs, H226 and by wonders, H4159 and by war, H4421 and by a mighty H2389 hand, H3027 and by a stretched out H5186 arm, H2220 and by great H1419 terrors, H4172 according to all that the LORD H3068 your God H430 did H6213 for you in Egypt H4714 before your eyes? H5869

35 Unto thee it was shewed, H7200 that thou mightest know H3045 that the LORD H3068 he is God; H430 there is none else H5750 beside him. H905

36 Out of heaven H8064 he made thee to hear H8085 his voice, H6963 that he might instruct H3256 thee: and upon earth H776 he shewed H7200 thee his great H1419 fire; H784 and thou heardest H8085 his words H1697 out of the midst H8432 of the fire. H784

37 And because he loved H157 thy fathers, H1 therefore he chose H977 their seed H2233 after H310 them, and brought thee out H3318 in his sight H6440 with his mighty H1419 power H3581 out of Egypt; H4714

38 To drive out H3423 nations H1471 from before H6440 thee greater H1419 and mightier H6099 than thou art, to bring H935 thee in, to give H5414 thee their land H776 for an inheritance, H5159 as it is this day. H3117

39 Know H3045 therefore this day, H3117 and consider H7725 it in thine heart, H3824 that the LORD H3068 he is God H430 in heaven H8064 above, H4605 and upon the earth H776 beneath: there is none else.

40 Thou shalt keep H8104 therefore his statutes, H2706 and his commandments, H4687 which I command H6680 thee this day, H3117 that it may go well H3190 with thee, and with thy children H1121 after H310 thee, and that thou mayest prolong H748 thy days H3117 upon the earth, H127 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee, for ever.

41 Then Moses H4872 severed H914 three H7969 cities H5892 on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 toward the sunrising; H8121 H4217

42 That the slayer H7523 might flee H5127 thither, which should kill H7523 his neighbour H7453 unawares, H1097 H1847 and hated H8130 him not in times H8543 past; H8032 and that fleeing H5127 unto one H259 of these H411 cities H5892 he might live: H2425

43 Namely, Bezer H1221 in the wilderness, H4057 in the plain H4334 country, H776 of the Reubenites; H7206 and Ramoth H7216 in Gilead, H1568 of the Gadites; H1425 and Golan H1474 in Bashan, H1316 of the Manassites. H4520

44 And this is the law H8451 which Moses H4872 set H7760 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel: H3478

45 These are the testimonies, H5713 and the statutes, H2706 and the judgments, H4941 which Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 after they came forth H3318 out of Egypt, H4714

46 On this side H5676 Jordan, H3383 in the valley H1516 over against H4136 Bethpeor, H1047 in the land H776 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 who dwelt H3427 at Heshbon, H2809 whom Moses H4872 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 smote, H5221 after they were come forth H3318 out of Egypt: H4714

47 And they possessed H3423 his land, H776 and the land H776 of Og H5747 king H4428 of Bashan, H1316 two H8147 kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which were on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 toward the sunrising; H4217 H8121

48 From Aroer, H6177 which is by the bank H8193 of the river H5158 Arnon, H769 even unto mount H2022 Sion, H7865 which is Hermon, H2768

49 And all the plain H6160 on this side H5676 Jordan H3383 eastward, H4217 even unto the sea H3220 of the plain, H6160 under the springs H794 of Pisgah. H6449

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 4

Commentary on Deuteronomy 4 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 4

In this chapter we have,

  • I. A most earnest and pathetic exhortation to obedience, both in general, and in some particular instances, backed with a great variety of very pressing arguments, repeated again and again, and set before them in the most moving and affectionate manner imaginable (v. 1-40).
  • II. The appointing of the cities of refuge on that side Jordan (v. 41-43).
  • III. The particular description of the place where Moses delivered the following repetition of the law (v. 44, etc.).

Deu 4:1-40

This most lively and excellent discourse is so entire, and the particulars of it are so often repeated, that we must take it altogether in the exposition of it, and endeavour to digest it into proper heads, for we cannot divide it into paragraphs.

  • I. In general, it is the use and application of the foregoing history; it comes in by way of inference from it: Now therefore harken, O Israel, v. 1. This use we should make of the review of God's providences concerning us, we should by them be quickened and engaged to duty and obedience. The histories of the years of ancient times should in like manner be improved by us.
  • II. The scope and drift of his discourse is to persuade them to keep close to God and to his service, and not to forsake him for any other god, nor in any instance to decline from their duty to him. Now observe what he says to them, with a great deal of divine rhetoric, both by way of exhortation and direction, and also by way of motive and argument to enforce his exhortations.
    • 1. See here how he charges and commands them, and shows them what is good, and what the Lord requires of them.
      • (1.) He demands their diligent attention to the word of God, and to the statutes and judgments that were taught them: Hearken, O Israel. He means, not only that they must now give him the hearing, but that whenever the book of the law was read to them, or read by them, they should be attentive to it. "Hearken to the statutes, as containing the great commands of God and the great concerns of your own souls, and therefore challenging your utmost attention.' At Horeb God had made them hear his words (v. 10), hear them with a witness; the attention which was then constrained by the circumstances of the delivery ought ever after to be engaged by the excellency of the things themselves. What God so spoke once, we should hear twice, hear often.
      • (2.) He charges them to preserve the divine law pure and entire among them, v. 2. Keep it pure, and do not add to it; keep it entire, and do not diminish from it. Not in practice, so some: "You shall not add by committing the evil which the law forbids, nor diminish by omitting the good which the law requires.' Not in opinion, so others: "You shall not add your own inventions, as if the divine institutions were defective, nor introduce, much less impose, any rites of religious worship other than what God has appointed; nor shall you diminish, or set aside, any thing that is appointed, as needless or superfluous.' God's work is perfect, nothing can be put to it, nor taken from it, without making it the worse. See Eccl. 3:14. The Jews understand it as prohibiting the alteration of the text or letter of the law, even in the least jot or tittle; and to their great care and exactness herein we are very much indebted, under God, for the purity and integrity of the Hebrew code. We find a fence like this made about the New Testament in the close of it, Rev. 22:18, 19.
      • (3.) He charges them to keep God's commandments (v. 2), to do them (v. 5, 14), to keep and do them (v. 6), to perform the covenant, v. 13. Hearing must be in order to doing, knowledge in order to practice. God's commandments were the way they must keep in, the rule they must keep to; they must govern themselves by the moral precepts, perform their devotion according to the divine ritual, and administer justice according to the judicial law. He concludes his discourse (v. 40) with this repeated charge: Thou shalt keep his statutes and his commandments which I command thee. What are laws made for but to be observed and obeyed?
      • (4.) He charges them to be very strict and careful in their observance of the law (v. 9): Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently; and (v. 15), Take you therefore good heed unto yourselves; and again (v. 23), Take heed to yourselves. Those that would be religious must be very cautious, and walk circumspectly. Considering how many temptations we are compassed about with, and what corrupt inclinations we have in our own bosoms, we have great need to look about us and to keep our hearts with all diligence. Those cannot walk aright that walk carelessly and at all adventures.
      • (5.) He charges them particularly to take heed of the sin of idolatry, that sin which of all others they would be most tempted to by the customs of the nations, which they were most addicted to by the corruption of their hearts, and which would be most provoking to God and of the most pernicious consequences to themselves: Take good heed, lest in this matter you corrupt yourselves, v. 15, 16. Two sorts of idolatry he cautions them against:-
        • [1.] The worship of images, however by them they might intend to worship the true God, as they had done in the golden calf, so changing the truth of God into a lie and his glory into shame. The second commandment is expressly directed against this, and is here enlarged upon, v. 15-18. "Take heed lest you corrupt yourselves,' that is, "lest you debauch yourselves;' for those that think to make images of God form in their minds such notions of him as must needs be an inlet to all impieties; and it is intimated that it is a spiritual adultery. "And take heed lest you destroy yourselves. If any thing ruin you, this will be it. Whatever you do, make no similitude of God, either in a human shape, male of female, or in the shape of any beast or fowl, serpent or fish;' for the heathen worshipped their gods by images of all these kinds, being either not able to form, or not willing to admit, that plain demonstration which we find, Hos. 8:6: The workman made it, therefore it is not God. To represent an infinite Spirit by an image, and the great Creator by the image of a creature, is the greatest affront we can put upon God and the greatest cheat we can put upon ourselves. As an argument against their making images of God, he urges it very much upon them that when God made himself known to them at Horeb he did it by a voice of words which sounded in their ears, to teach them that faith comes by hearing, and God in the word is nigh us; but no image was presented to their eye, for to see God as he is is reserved for our happiness in the other world, and to see him as he is not will do us hurt and no good in this world. You saw no similitude (v. 12), no manner of similitude, v. 15. Probably they expected to have seen some similitude, for they were ready to break through unto the Lord to gaze, Ex. 19:21. But all they saw was light and fire, and nothing that they could make an image of, God an infinite wisdom so ordering his manifestation of himself because of the peril of idolatry. It is said indeed of Moses that he beheld the similitude of the Lord (Num. 12:8), God allowing him that favour because he was above the temptation of idolatry; but for the people who had lately come from admiring the idols of Egypt, they must see no resemblance of God, lest they should have pretended to copy it, and so should have received the second commandment in vain; "for' (says bishop Patrick) "they would have thought that this forbade them only to make any representation of God besides that wherein he showed himself to them, in which they would have concluded it lawful to represent him.' Let this be a caution to us to take heed of making images of God in our fancy and imagination when we are worshipping him, lest thereby we corrupt ourselves. There may be idols in the heart, where there are none in the sanctuary.
        • [2.] The worship of the sun, moon, and stars, is another sort of idolatry which they were cautioned against, v. 19. This was the most ancient species of idolatry and the most plausible, drawing the adoration to those creatures that not only are in a situation above us, but are most sensibly glorious in themselves and most generally serviceable to the world. And the plausibleness of it made it the more dangerous. It is intimated here,
          • First, How strong the temptation is to sense; for the caution is, Lest thou shouldest be driven to worship them by the strong impulse of a vain imagination and the impetuous torrent of the customs of the nations. The heart is supposed to walk after the eye, which, in our corrupt and degenerate state, it is very apt to do. "When thou seest the sun, moon, and stars, thou wilt so admire their height and brightness, their regular motion and powerful influence, that thou wilt be strongly tempted to give that glory to them which is due to him that made them, and made them what they are to us-gave them their beings, and made them blessings to the world.' It seems there was need of a great deal of resolution to arm them against this temptation, so weak was their faith in an invisible God and an invisible world.
          • Secondly, Yet he shows how weak the temptation would be to those that would use their reason; for these pretended deities, the sun, moon, and stars, were only blessings which the Lord their God, whom they were obliged to worship, had imparted to all nations. It is absurd to worship them, for they are man's servants, were made and ordained to give light on earth; and shall we serve those that were made to serve us? The sun, in Hebrew is called shemesh, which signifies a servant, for it is the minister-general of this visible world, and holds the candle to all mankind; let it not then be worshipped as a lord. Moreover, they are God's gifts; he has imparted them; whatever benefit we have by them, we owe it to him; it is therefore highly injurious to him to give that honour and praise to them which is due to him only.
      • (6.) He charges them to teach their children to observe the laws of God: Teach them to thy sons, and thy sons' sons (v. 9), that they may teach their children, v. 10.
        • [1.] Care must be taken in general to preserve the entail of religion among them, and to transmit the knowledge and worship of God to posterity; for the kingdom of God in Israel was designed to be perpetual, if they did not forfeit the privilege of it.
        • [2.] Parents must, in order hereunto, particularly take care to teach their own children the fear of God, and to train them up in an observance of all his commandments.
      • (7.) He charges them never to forget their duty: Take heed lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, v. 23. Though God is ever mindful of the covenant, we are apt to forget it; and this is at the bottom of all our departures from God. We have need therefore to watch against all those things which would put the covenant out of our minds, and to watch over our own hearts, lest at any time we let it slip; and so we must take heed lest at any time we forget our religion, lest we lose it or leave it off. Care and caution, and holy watchfulness, are the best helps against a bad memory. These are the directions and commands he gives them.
    • 2. Let us see now what are the motives or arguments with which he backs these exhortations. How does he order the cause before them, and fill his mouth with arguments! He has a great deal to say on God's behalf. Some of his topics are indeed peculiar to that people, yet applicable to us. But, upon the whole, it is evident that religion has reason on its side, the powerful charms of which all that are irreligious wilfully stop their ears against.
      • (1.) He urges the greatness, glory, and goodness, of God. Did we consider what a God he is with whom we have to do, we should surely make conscience of our duty to him and not dare to sin against him. He reminds them here,
        • [1.] That the Lord Jehovah is the one and only living and true God. This they must know and consider, v. 39. There are many things which we know, but are not the better for, because we do not consider them, we do not apply them to ourselves, nor draw proper inferences from them. This is a truth so evident that it cannot but be known, and so influential that, if it were duly considered, it would effectually reform the world, That the Lord Jehovah he is God, an infinite and eternal Being, self-existent and self-sufficient, and the fountain of all being, power, and motion-that he is God in heaven above, clothed with all the glory and Lord of all the hosts of the upper world, and that he is God upon earth beneath, which, though distant from the throne of his glory, is not out of the reach of his sight or power, and though despicable and mean is not below his care and cognizance. And there is none else, no true and living God but himself. All the deities of the heathen were counterfeits and usurpers; nor did any of them so much as pretend to be universal monarchs in heaven and earth, but only local deities. The Israelites, who worshipped no other than the supreme Numen-Divinity, were for ever inexcusable if they either changed their God or neglected him.
        • [2.] That he is a consuming fire, a jealous God, v. 24. Take heed of offending him, for,
          • First, He has a jealous eye to discern an affront; he must have your entire affection and adoration, and will by no means endure a rival. God's jealousy over us is a good reason for our godly jealousy over ourselves.
          • Secondly, He has a heavy hand to punish an affront, especially in his worship, for therein he is in a special manner jealous. He is a consuming fire; his wrath against sinners is so; it is dreadful and destroying, it is a fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries, Heb. 10:27. Fire consumes that only which is fuel for it, so the wrath of God fastens upon those only who, by their own sin, have fitted themselves for destruction, 1 Cor. 3:13; Isa. 27:4. Even in the New Testament we find the same argument urged upon us as a reason why we should serve God with reverence (Heb. 12:28, 29), because though he is our God, and a rejoicing light to those that serve him faithfully, yet he is a consuming fire to those that trifle with him.
          • Thirdly, That yet he is a merciful God, v. 31. It comes in here as an encouragement to repentance, but might serve as an inducement to obedience, and a consideration proper to prevent their apostasy. Shall we forsake a merciful God, who will never forsake us, as it follows here, if we be faithful unto him? Whither can we go to better ourselves? Shall we forget the covenant of our God, who will not forget the covenant of our fathers? Let us be held to our duty by the bonds of love, and prevailed with by the mercies of God to cleave to him.
      • (2.) He urges their relation to this God, his authority over them and their obligations to him. "The commandments you are to keep and do are not mine,' says Moses, "not my inventions, not my injunctions, but they are the commandments of the Lord, framed by infinite wisdom, enacted by sovereign power. He is the Lord God of your fathers (v. 1), so that you are his by inheritance: your fathers were his, and you were born in his house. He is the Lord your God (v. 2), so that you are his by your own consent. He is the Lord my God (v. 5), so that I treat with you as his agent and ambassador;' and in his name Moses delivered unto them all that, and that only, which he had received from the Lord.
      • (3.) He urges the wisdom of being religious: For this is your wisdom in the sight of the nations, v. 6. In keeping God's commandments,
        • [1.] They would act wisely for themselves; This is your wisdom. It is not only agreeable to right reason, but highly conducive to our true interest; this is one of the first and most ancient maxims of divine revelation. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, Job 28:28.
        • [2.] They would answer the expectations of their neighbours, who, upon reading or hearing the precepts of the law that was given them, would conclude that certainly the people that were governed by this law were a wise and understanding people. Great things may justly be looked for from those who are guided by divine revelation, and unto whom are committed the oracles of God. They must needs be wiser and better than other people; and so they are if they are ruled by the rules that are given them; and if they are not, though reproach may for their sakes be cast upon the religion they profess, yet it will in the end certainly return upon themselves to their eternal confusion. Those that enjoy the benefit of divine light and laws ought to conduct themselves so as to support their own reputation for wisdom and honour (see Eccl. 10:1), that God may be glorified thereby.
      • (4.) He urges the singular advantages which they enjoyed by virtue of the happy establishment they were under, v. 7, 8. Our communion with God (which is the highest honour and happiness we are capable of in this world) is kept up by the word and prayer; in both these Israel were happy above any people under heaven.
        • [1.] Never were any people so privileged in speaking to God, v. 7. He was nigh unto them in all that they called upon him for, ready to answer their enquiries and resolve them by his oracle, ready to answer their requests and to grant them by a particular providence. When they had cried unto God for bread, for water, for healing, they had found him near them, to succour and relieve them, a very present help, and in the midst of them (Ps. 46:1, 5), his ear open to their prayers. Observe,
          • First, It is the character of God's Israel that on all occasions they call upon him, in every thing they make their requests known to God. They do nothing but what they consult him in, they desire nothing but what they come to him for.
          • Secondly, Those that call upon God shall certainly find him within call, and ready to give an answer of peace to every prayer of faith; see Isa. 58:9, "Thou shalt cry, as the child for a nurse, and he shall say, Here I am, what does my dear child cry for?'
          • Thirdly, This is a privilege which makes the Israel of God truly great and honourable. What can go further than this to magnify a people or a person? Is any name more illustrious than that of Israel, a prince with God? What nation is there so great? Other nations might boast of greater numbers, larger territories, and more ancient incorporations; but none could boast of such an interest in heaven as Israel had. They had their gods, but not so nigh to them as Israel's God was; they could not help them in a time of need, as 1 Ki. 18:27.
        • [2.] Never were any people so privileged in hearing from God, by the statutes and judgments which were set before them, v. 8. This also was the grandeur of Israel above any people. What nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous? Observe,
          • First, That all these statutes and judgments of the divine law are infinitely just and righteous, above the statutes and judgments of any of the nations. The law of God is far more excellent that the law of nations. No law so consonant to natural equity and the unprejudiced dictates of right reason, so consistent with itself in all the parts of it, and so conducive to the welfare and interest of mankind, as the scripture-law is, Ps. 119:128.
          • Secondly, The having of these statutes and judgments set before them is the true and transcendent greatness of any nation or people. See Ps. 147:19, 20. It is an honour to us that we have the Bible in reputation and power among us. It is an evidence of a people's being high in the favour of God, and a means of making them high among the nations. Those that magnify the law shall be magnified by it.
      • (5.) He urges God's glorious appearances to them at Mount Sinai, when he gave them this law. This he insists much upon. Take heed lest thou forget the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, v. 10. Some of them were now alive that could remember it, though they were then under twenty years of age, and the rest of them might be said to stand there in the loins of their fathers, who received the law and entered into covenant there, not for themselves only, but for their children, to whom God had an eye particularly in giving the law, that they might teach it to their children. Two things they must remember, and, one would think, they could never forget them:-
        • [1.] What they saw at Mount Sinai, v. 11. They saw a strange composition of fire and darkness, both dreadful and very awful; and they must needs be a striking foil to each other; the darkness made the fire in the midst of it look the more dreadful. Fires in the night are the most frightful, and the fire made the darkness that surrounded it look the more awful; for it must needs be a strong darkness which such a fire did not disperse. In allusion to this appearance upon Mount Sinai, God is said to show himself for his people, and against his and their enemies, in fire and darkness together, Ps. 18:8, 9. He tells them again (v. 36) what they saw, for he would have them never forget it: He showed thee his great fire. One flash of lightning, that fire from heaven, strikes an awe upon us; and some have observed that most creatures naturally turn their faces towards the lightning, as ready to receive the impressions of it; but how dreadful then must a constant fire from heaven be! It gave an earnest of the day of judgment, in which the Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire. As he reminds them of what they saw, so he tells them what they saw not; no manner of similitude, from which they might form either an idea of God in their fancies or an image of God in their high places. By what we see of God sufficient ground is given us to believe him to be a Being of infinite power and perfection, but no occasion given us to suspect him to have a body such as we have.
        • [2.] What they heard at Mount Sinai (v. 12): "The Lord spoke unto you with an intelligible voice, in your own language, and you heard it.' This he enlarges upon towards the close of his discourse, v. 32, 33, 36.
          • First, They heard the voice of God, speaking out of heaven. God manifests himself to all the world in the works of creation, without speech or language, and yet their voice is heard (Ps. 19:1-3); but to Israel he made himself known by speech and language, condescending to the weakness of the church's infant state. Here was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, to prepare the way of the Lord.
          • Secondly, They heard it out of the midst of the fire, which showed that it was God himself that spoke to them, for who else could dwell with devouring fire? God spoke to Job out of the whirlwind, which was terrible; but to Israel out of the fire, which was more terrible. We have reason to be thankful that he does not thus speak to us, but by men like ourselves, whose terror shall not make us afraid, Job 33:6, 7.
          • Thirdly, They heard it and yet lived, v. 33. It was a wonder of mercy that the fire did not devour them, or that they did not die for fear, when Moses himself trembled.
          • Fourthly, Never any people heard the like. He bids them enquire of former days and distant places, and they would find this favour of God to Israel without precedent or parallel, v. 32. This singular honour done them called for singular obedience from them. It might justly be expected that they should do more for God than other people, since God had done so much more for them.
      • (6.) He urges God's gracious appearances for them, in bringing them out of Egypt, from the iron furnace, where they laboured in the fire, forming them into a people, and then taking them to be his own people, a people of inheritance (v. 20); this he mentions again, v. 34, 37, 38. Never did God do such a thing for any people; the rise of this nation was quite different from that of all other nations.
        • [1.] They were thus dignified and distinguished, not for any thing in them that was deserving or inviting, but because God had a kindness for their fathers: he chose them. See the reasons of free grace; we are not beloved for our own sakes, but for his sake who is the great trustee of the covenant.
        • [2.] They were delivered out of Egypt by miracles and signs, in mercy to them and in judgment upon the Egyptians, against whom God stretched out his arm, which was signified by Moses's stretching out his hand in summoning the plagues.
        • [3.] They were designed for a happy settlement in Canaan, v. 38. Nations must be driven out from before them, to make room for them, to show how much dearer they were to God than any other people were. Egyptians and Canaanites must both be sacrificed to Israel's honour and interest. Those that stand in Israel's light, in Israel's way, shall find it is at their peril.
      • (7.) He urges God's righteous appearance against them sometimes for their sins. He specifies particularly the matter of Peor, v. 3, 4. This had happened very lately: their eyes had seen but the other day the sudden destruction of those that joined themselves to Baal-peor and the preservation of those that clave to the Lord, from which they might easily infer the danger of apostasy from God and the benefit of adherence to him. He also takes notice again of God's displeasure against himself: The Lord was angry with me for your sakes, v. 21, 22. He mentions this to try their ingenuousness, whether they would really be troubled for the great prejudice which they had occasioned to their faithful friend and leader. Others' sufferings for our sakes should grieve us more than our own.
      • (8.) He urges the certain advantage of obedience. This argument he begins with (v. 1): That you may live, and go in and possess the land; and this he concludes with (v. 40): That it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee. He reminds them that they were upon their good behaviour, that their prosperity would depend upon their piety. If they kept God's precepts, he would undoubtedly fulfil his promises.
      • (9.) He urges the fatal consequences of their apostasy from God, that it would undoubtedly be the ruin of their nation. This he enlarges upon, v. 25-31. Here,
        • [1.] He foresees their revolt from God to idols, that in process of time, when they had remained long in the land and were settled upon their lees, they would corrupt themselves, and make a graven image; this was the sin that would most easily beset them, v. 25.
        • [2.] He foretels the judgments of God upon them for this: You shall utterly be destroyed (v. 26), scattered among the nations, v. 27. And their sin should be made their punishment (v. 28): "There shall you serve gods, the work of men's hands, be compelled to serve them, whether you will or no, or, through your own sottishness and stupidity, you will find no better succours to apply yourselves in your captivity.' Those that cast off the duties of religion in their prosperity cannot expect the comforts of it when they come to be in distress. Justly are they then sent to the gods whom they have served, Jdg. 10:14.
        • [3.] Yet he encourages them to hope that God would reserve mercy for them in the latter days, that he would by his judgments upon them bring them to repentance, and take them again into covenant with himself, v. 29-31. Here observe,
          • First, That whatever place we are in we may thence seek the Lord our God, though ever so remote from our own land or from his holy temple. There is no part of this earth that has a gulf fixed between it and heaven.
          • Secondly, Those, and those only, shall find God to their comfort, who seek him with all their heart, that is, who are entirely devoted to him, earnestly desirous of his favour and solicitous to obtain it.
          • Thirdly, Afflictions are sent to engage and quicken us to see God, and, by the grace of God working with them, many are thus reduced to their right mind, "When these things shall come upon thee, it is to be hoped that thou wilt turn to the Lord they God, for thou seest what comes of turning from him;' see Dan. 9:11, 12.
          • Fourthly, God's faithfulness to his covenant encourages us to hope that he will not reject us, though we be driven to him by affliction. If we at length remember the covenant, we shall find that he has not forgotten it.

Now let all these arguments be laid together, and then say whether religion has not reason on its side. None cast off the government of their God but those that have first abandoned the understanding of a man.

Deu 4:41-49

Here is,

  • 1. The nomination of the cities of refuge on that side Jordan where Israel now lay encamped. Three cities were appointed for that purpose, one in the lot of Reuben, another in that of Gad, and another in that of the half tribe of Manasseh, v. 41-43. What Moses could do for that people while he was yet with them he did, to give example to the rulers who were settled that they might observe them the better when he was gone.
  • 2. The introduction to another sermon that Moses preached to Israel, which we have in the following chapters. Probably it was preached the next sabbath day after, when the congregation attended to receive instruction. He had in general exhorted them to obedience in the former chapter; here he comes to repeat the law which they were to observe, for he demands a universal but not an implicit obedience. How can we do our duty if we do not know it? Here therefore he sets the law before them as the rule they were to work by, the way they were to walk in, sets it before them as the glass in which they were to see their natural face, that, looking into this perfect law of liberty, they might continue therein. These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments, the moral, ceremonial, and judicial laws, which had been enacted before, when Israel had newly come out of Egypt, and were now repeated, on this side Jordan, v. 44-46. The place where Moses gave them these laws in charge is here particularly described.
    • (1.) It was over-against Beth-peor, an idol-temple of the Moabites, which perhaps Moses sometimes looked towards, with a particular caution to them against the infection of that and other such like dangerous places.
    • (2.) It was upon their new conquests, in the very land which they had got out of the hands of Sihon and Og, and were now actually in possession of, v. 47. Their present triumphs herein were a powerful argument for obedience.