19 and ye have taught them to your sons, by speaking of them in thy sitting in thy house, and in thy going in the way, and in thy lying down, and in thy rising up,
`Only, take heed to thyself, and watch thy soul exceedingly, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they turn aside from thy heart, all days of thy life; and thou hast made them known to thy sons, and to thy sons' sons. `The day when thou hast stood before Jehovah thy God in Horeb -- in Jehovah's saying unto me, Assemble to Me the people, and I cause them to hear My words, so that they learn to fear Me all the days that they are alive on the ground, and their sons they teach; --
And He raiseth up a testimony in Jacob, And a law hath placed in Israel, That He commanded our fathers, To make them known to their sons. So that a later generation doth know, Sons who are born, do rise and recount to their sons,
Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding. For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not. For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother. And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee. The first thing `is' wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her. She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely. Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life `are' multiplied to thee. In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness. In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not. Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she `is' thy life. Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers. Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on. For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not `some' to stumble. For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink. And the path of the righteous `is' as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established, The way of the wicked `is' as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble. My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear, Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart. For life they `are' to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing. Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it `are' the outgoings of life. Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee, Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways `are' established. Incline not `to' the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 11
Commentary on Deuteronomy 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
With this chapter Moses concludes his preface to the repetition of the statutes and judgments which they must observe to do. He repeats the general charge (v. 1), and, having in the close of the foregoing chapter begun to mention the great things God had done among them, in this,
Deu 11:1-7
Because God has made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude (so the preceding chapter concludes), therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God (so this begins). Those whom God has built up into families, whose beginning was small, but whose latter end greatly increases, should use that as an argument with themselves why they should serve God. Thou shalt keep his charge, that is, the oracles of his word and ordinances of his worship, with which they were entrusted and for which they were accountable. It is a phrase often used concerning the office of the priests and Levites, for all Israel was a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. Observe the connection of these two: Thou shalt love the Lord and keep his charge, since love will work in obedience, and that only is acceptable obedience which flows from a principle of love. 1 Jn. 5:3.
Mention is made of the great and terrible works of God which their eyes had seen, v. 7. This part of his discourse Moses addresses to the seniors among the people, the elders in age; and probably the elders in office were so, and were now his immediate auditors: there were some among them that could remember their deliverance out of Egypt, all above fifty, and to them he speaks this, not to the children, who knew it by hearsay only, v. 2. Note, God's mercies to us when we were young we should remember and retain the impressions of when we are old; what our eyes have seen, especially in our early days, has affected us, and should be improved by us long after. They had seen what terrible judgments God had executed upon the enemies of Israel's peace,
Deu 11:8-17
Still Moses urges the same subject, as loth to conclude till he had gained his point. "If thou wilt enter into life, if thou wilt enter into Canaan, a type of that life, and find it a good land indeed to thee, keep the commandments: Keep all the commandments which I command you this day; love God, and serve him with all your heart.'
Deu 11:18-25
Here,
Deu 11:26-32
Here Moses concludes his general exhortations to obedience; and his management is very affecting, and such as, one would think, should have engaged them for ever to God, and should have left impressions upon them never to be worn out.