say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it; 23 And that the whole land thereof is brimstone and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, Plike the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 24 Even all nations shall say, 9 Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? 25 Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: 26 For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: 27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: 28 And the LORD "rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day. 29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. CHAPTER XXX. Gracious promises are given to the penitent, 1-6. The Lord will circumcise their ANI ND it shall come to pass, when wall these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind, among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, n Heb. wherewith the LORD hath made it sicko Psa. 107. 34. Jer. 17. 6. Zeph. 2.9-p Gen 19. 24, 25. Jer. 20. 16-q 1 Kings 9. 8, 9. Jer. 22 8, 9.-r Or, who had not given to them any portions Heb. divided-t Dan. 9. 11, 13, 14-u 1 Kings 14. 15. 2 Chron. 7. 20. Paa. 52. 5. Prov. 2. 22-v Lev. 26. 40-w Cb. 28. expression, denoting the utmost indulgence in all sensual gratifications. 2 And shalt y return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice, according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; 3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. 4 If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: 5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. C 6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. 8 And thou shall return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. 9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: e 10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes, which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. f 11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. x Ch. 4. 29. 30. 1 Kings 8. 47, 48-y Neh. 1. 9. Isai. 55. 7. Lam. 3. 40. Joel 2 12, 13-z Psa. 106. 45. & 12. 1, 4. Jer. 29. 14. Lam. 3. 22, 32.—a Ps. 147. 2 Jer. 22. 37. Ezek. 31. 13. & 36. 24.--b Ch. 23. 64. Neh. 1. 9.-e Ch. 10. 16. Jer. 32. 39. Ezek. IL 19. & 36. 26-d Ch. 28. 11. Ch. 28. 6. Jer. 32. 41.-- Isai. 45. 19. importance to them, and have affixed marks to the original, ... Verse 26. Gods-whom he had not given unto them] lanu ulebaneynu, "to us and to our CHILDREN," This is an unhappy translation. Houbigant renders the in order to fix the attention of the Reader on truths which original words span velo chelek lehem, et quibus- affect them individually, and not them only, but the whole cum nulla eis societas: "And with whom they had no of their posterity. society," and falls unmercifully on Le Clerc, because he had translated it, from whom they had received no benefits. I must differ from both these great men, because I think they differ from the text, pn chelek, signifies a portion, lot, inheritance, and God is frequently represented in Scripture as the portion or inheritance of his people. Here, therefore, I think the original should be rendered, And there was no portion to them; that is, the gods they served could neither supply their wants nor save their souls; they were no portion. Verse 29. The secret things belong unto the Lord, &c.] This verse has been variously translated. Houbigant renders it thus: Quæ apud Dominum nostrum abscondita sunt, nobis ea filiisque nostris palam facta sunt ad multas ætates-"The things which were hidden with the Lord our God, are made manifest to us and our children for many generations." I am not satisfied with this interpretation; and find that the passage was not so understood by any of the ancient versons. The simple general meaning seems to be this-"What God has thought proper to reveal, he has revealed: what he has revealed is essential to the well-being of man; and this revelation is intended not for the present time merely, nor for one people, but for all succeeding generations. The things which he has not revealed, concern not man, but God alone; and are therefore not to be inquired after." Thus, then, the things that are hidden, belong unto the Lord; those that are revealed, belong unto us and our children. But possibly the words here refer to the subjects of these chapters, as if he had said, "Apostacy from God and his truth is possible. When a national apostacy among us may take place, is known only to God: but he has revealed himself to us and our children, that we may do all the words of this law, and so prevent the dreadful evils that shall fall on the disobedient." The Jews have always considered these verses as containing subjects of the highest NOTES ON CHAPTER XXX. Verse 1. When all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse] So fully did God foresee the bad use these people would make of their free-agency, in resisting the Holy Ghost, that he speaks of their sin and punishment as certain; yet, at the same time, shows how they might turn to himself and live, even while he was pouring out his indignation upon them because of their trangressions. Verse 3. Gather thee from all the nations] This must refer to a more extensive captivity than that which they suffered in Babylon. Verse 5. Will bring thee into the land] As this promise refers to a return from a captivity in which they had been scattered among all nations, consequently it is not the Babylonish captivity which is intended; and the repossession of their land must be different from that which was consequent on their return from Chaldea. Verse 6. God will circumeise thine heart] This promise remains yet to be fulfilled. Their heart, as a people, has never yet been circumcised; nor have the various promises in this chapter been ever yet fulfilled. There remaineth, therefore, a rest for this people of God. Now, as the Late, properly speaking, made no provision for the circumcision of the heart, which implies the remission of sins, and purification of the soul from all unrighteousness; and as circumcision itself was only a sign of spiritual good, consequently the promise here refers to the days of the Messiah; and to this all the prophets and all the apostles give witness; for circumcision is that of the heart, by the Spirit, and not in the letter, Rom. ii. 29. and the genuine followers of God are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands-by the circumcision of Christ, Coloss. ii. 11, 12. Hence we see, these promises cannot be fulfilled to the Jews, but in their embracing the Gospel of Christ. To 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 15 T See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil: 16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes, and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them: 18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 PI call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. m Rom 10. 6, &e--n Ver. 1, 19. Ch. 11. 25.-0 Ch. 4. 25 & 8. 19-p Ch. 4. 26. & 31. 23 - Ver. 15-8 P. 27. 1. & 66 9 John 11. 25.-t Ch. 4. 40. & 11. 9. & 12. 10-a Exod. 7. Ch. 34. 7.-- Numb. 27. 17. 1 Kings 3. 7.- Nurnb. 20. 12. & 7. 13. look, therefore, for their restoration, is idle and nugatory, while their obstinacy and unbelief remain. Verse 11. This commandment-is not hidden] Not too wonderful or difficult for thee to comprehend or perform, as the word ♫ niphleth, implies,-neither is it far off; the word or doctrine of salvation shall be proclaimed in your own land; for HE is to be born in Bethlehem of Judah, who is to feed and save Israel--and the PROPHET Who is to teach them, is to be raised up from among their brethren. Verse 12. It is not in heaven] Shall not be communicated in that way in which the prophets received the living oracles, but the WORD shall be made flesh, and dwell among you. Verse 13. Neither is it beyond the sea] Ye shall not be obliged to travel for it to distant nations, because salvation is of the JEWS. Verse 14. But the word is very nigh unto thee] The doctrine of salvation preached by the apostles-in thy mouth-the promises of redemption made by the prophets, forming a part of every Jew's creed,-in thy heart-the power to believe with the heart unto righteousness, that the tongue may make confession unto salvation. In this way it is evident St. Paul understood these passages. See Rom. x. 6, &c. Verse 15. Life and good] Present and future blessings. Death and evil] Present and future miseries, termed, ver. 19. Life and death, blessing and cursing. And why were these set before them? 1. That they might comprehend their import. 2. That they might feel their importance. 3. That they might choose life, and the path of believing, loving obedience that led to it. 4. That they and their posterity, thus choosing life, and refusing evil, might be the favourites of God in time and eternity. Were there no such thing as free will in man, who could reconcile these sayings either with sincerity or common sense! God has made the human will free, and there is no power or influence, either in heaven, earth, or hell, on this side the power of God, that can deprive it of its free volitions; of its power to will and nill, to choose and refuse, to act or not act-or force it to sin against God. Hence man is accountable for his actions, because they are hiswere he necessitated by fate, or sovereign constraint, they could not be his. Hence he is rewardable-hence he is punishable. God, in his creation, willed that the human creature should be free, and he formed his soul accordingly; and the Law and Gospel, the promise and precept, the denunciation of wo, and the doctrine of eternal life, are all b CHAPTER XXXI. Moses being one hundred and twenty years old and about to die, calls the people to gether and exhorts them to courage and obedience, 1-6. Delivers a charge to Joshua, 7, 8. Delivers the law which he had written to the priests with a solemn charge that they should read it every seventh year, publicly to all the people, 9--13. The Lord calls Moses and Joshua to the tabernacle, 14. He appears to them, informs Moses of his approaching death, and delivers to him a prophetical and historical song or poem which he is to leave with Tarael, for their instruction and regroot, 15-21. Most writes the song the same day, and teaches it to the Israelites, 22 gives Joshua a charge, 23. finishes writing the book of the law, 24. Commands the Levites to lay it up in the side of the ark, 25, 26. Predicts their rebellions, 27. Orders the elders to be gathered together, and shows them what evil would befall the people in the latter days, 28, 29. and repeats the song to them, 30. AND Moses went and spake these An Exo1 40. words unto all Israel. с Sebal 2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said. h 4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites; and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed. 5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath Ch. 3. 27-d Ch 9 3-e Numb. 27. 21. Ch. 3. 28-f Ch. 3, 21.-g Numb. 21. 24, 33. h Ch. 7. 2-i Josh. 10. 25. 1 Chron. 22. 13.--k Ch. 1. 29. & 7. 18.1 Ch 20. 4.--m Josh. 1.5. Heb. 13. 5.-n Ver. 23. Ch. 1. 38. & 3. 28. Josh. 1. 6. constructed on this ground: that is, they all necessarily suppose the freedom of the human will: nor could it be will if it were not free; because the principle of freedom or liberty is necessarily implied in the idea of volition.See on chap. v. 29. Verse 19. See the note on the preceding verse. Verse 20. That thou mayest love the Lord] Without love there can be no obedience. Obey his voice] Without obedience, love is fruitless and dead. And-eleave unto him] Without close attachment and perseverance, temporary love, however sincere and fervent, temporary obedience, however disinterested, energetic, and pure, while it lasts, will be ultimately ineffectual.-He alone, who endures to the end, shall be saved. Reader, how do matters stand between God and thy soul? He cannot persevere in the grace of God, whose soul is not yet made a partaker of that grace. Many talk strenuously on the impossibility of falling from grace, who have not yet tasted that the Lord is gracious. How absurd to talk and dispute about the infallibility of arriving safely at the end of a way, in which a man has never yet taken one hearty step! It is never among those that have the grace of God, but among those that have it not, that we find an overweening confidence. NOTES ON CHAPTER XXXI. Verse 2. I am an hundred and twenty years old] The life of Moses, the great prophet of God, and lawgiver of the Jews, was exactly the same in length, as the time Noah employed in preaching righteousness to the antediluvian world. These one hundred and twenty years were divided into three remarkable periods. Forty years he lived in Egypt, in Pharaoh's court, acquiring all the learning and wisdom of the Egyptians, see Acts vii. 20. 23. Forty years he sojourned in the land of Midian in a state of preparation for his great and important mission, Acts vii. 29, 30. and forty years he guided, led, and governed the Israelites under the express direction and authority of God. In all, one hundred and twenty years. Verse 3. Joshua he shall go over before thee] See on Numb. xxvii. 17, &c. Verse 6. Be strong] pin chizeku, the same word that is used Exod. iv. 21. ix. 15. for hardening Pharaoh's heart. See the notes there. The Septuagint, in this and the following verse, have avôpičov kai toxve, play the man, and be strong and from this St. Paul seems to have borrowed his ideas, 1 Cor. xiv. 13. 5ŋkete EV TN HISEL' sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. 8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee: he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. r 9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests, the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release," in the feast of tabernacles, 11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing, 12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 2 13 And that their children, y which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, a Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. 15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. o Exod. 13. 21, 22. & 33. 14. Ch. 9. 3-p Josh. 1. 5, 9. 1 Chron. 28. 20.-r Ver. 25. Ch. 17. 18-8 Nurnb. 4. 15. Josh. 3. 3. 1 Chron. 15. 12, 15-1 Ch. 15. 1.-n Lev. 23. 34. Ch. 16. 16.-w Josh. 8. 34, 35. 2 Kings 23. 2. Neh. 8. 1, 2,3, &c.-x Ch. 4. 10. y Ch. 11. 2-1 Psa. 78. 6, 7.-a Numb. 27. 13. Ch. 34. 5-b Ver. 23 Numb. 27. 19. a Exod. 33. 9.-d Heb. lie down. 2 Sam. 7. 12. ανδριζεσθε, κρατιούσθε. Stand firm in the faith; play the man, act like heroes; be vigorous. Verse 8. The Lord-doth go before thee] To prepare thy way, and to direct thee. He will be with thee] Accompany thee in thy journeys; and assist thee in all thy enterprises. He will not fail thee] Thy expectation, however strong and extensive, shall never be disappointed-thou canst not expect too much from him. Neither forsake thee] He knows that without him thou canst do nothing, and therefore he will continue with thee, and in such a manner too, that the excellence of the power shall appear to be of him, and not of man. Verse 9. Moses wrote this law] Not the whole Pentateuch, but either the discourses and precepts mentioned in the preceding chapters; or the book of Deuteronomy, which is most likely. Some of the rabbins have pretended that Moses wrote thirteen copies of the whole Pentateuch; that he gave one to each of the twelve tribes, and the thirteenth was laid up by the ark. This opinion deserves little credit. Some think that he wrote two copies; one of which he gave to the priests and Levites, for general use, according to what is said in this verse; the other to be laid up beside the ark, as a standard copy for reference; and to be a witness against the people, should they break it, or become idolatrous. This second copy is supposed to be intended, ver. 26. As the law was properly a covenant or contract between God and the people, it is natural to suppose that there were two copies of it, that each of the contracting parties might have one; therefore one was laid up beside. the ark; this was the Lord's copy: another was given to the priests and Levites; this was the people's copy. Verse 10 and 11. At the end of every seven years-thou shalt read this law] Every seventh year was a year of release, Deut. xv. 1. at which time the people's minds being under a peculiar degree of solemnity, were better disposed to hear and profit by the words of God. I suppose on this ground also, that the whole book of Deuteronomy is meant, as it alone contains an epitome of the whole Pentateuch. And in this way some of the chief Jewish rabbins understand this place. It is strange that this commandment, relative to a public reading of the law every seven years, should have been rarely attended to. It does not appear that from the time, 16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them; and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. i 17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? m 19 And I will surely hide my face in that day, for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods. 19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. 20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. 21 And it shall come to pass when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware. W 22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel. e Exod. 32 6.- Exod. 34. 15. Judg. 2. 17.—g Ch. 32. 15. Judg. 2. 12 & 10 6, 13 h Judig. 2. 20-i 2 Chron. 15. 2-k Ch. 32. 20. Ps. 104. 29. Isai. & 17. & 64. 7. Ezek. 9. 23.-1 Heb. find them. Neh. 9. 32-m Judg. 6 13-n Numb. 14 2-0 Ver. 17. p Ver. 26.-r Ch. 32 15. Neh. 9. 25, 26. Hos. 13. 6-s Ver 16-1 Ver. 17.—a Het before. Hos. 5. 3. & 13. 5, 6.-w Amos 5. 25, 26-x Hebrew, do. mentioned Joshua viii. 30. at which time this public reading first took place, till the reign of Jchoshaphat, 2 Chron. xvii. 7. there was any public seventh year reading, a period of 530 years. The next seventh year reading was not till the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah, 2 Chron. xxiv. 30. a space of tico hundred and eighty-two years. Nor do we find any other publicly mentioned from this time, till the return from the Babylonish captivity, Neh. viii. 2. Nor is there any other on record from that time to the destruction of Jerusalem.-See Dodd. Verse 16. Behold thou shalt sleep with thy fathers] shoceb, thou shalt lie down, it signifies to rest, take rest in sleep, and metaphorically to die. Much stress cannot be safely laid on this expression, to prove the immortality of the soul, or that the people, in the time of Moses had a distinct notion of its separate existence. It was, however, understood in this sense by Jonathan ben Uzziel, who in his Targum, paraphrases the word thus: "Thou shalt he down in the dust with thy fathers; and thy soul ( nishmatac) shall be laid up in the treasury of the life to come, with thy fathers." Verse 18. I will surely hide my face] Withdraw my approbation and my protection. This is a general meaning of the word in Scripture. Verse 19. Write ye this song] The song which follows in the next chapter. Things which were of great importance and of common concern were, among the ancients, put into verse, as this was found the best method of keeping them in remembrance; especially in those times, when writing was little practised. Even prose was sometimes sung. The history of Herodotus was divided into TEN books, and each inscribed with the name of one of the TEN Muses, because these books were anciently sung. Homer is reported to have sung his poems through different Greek cities. Aristotle observes, that anciently, the people sung their laws. And Cicero observes, that it was a custom among the ancient Romans to sing the praises of their he roes at the public festivals. This was the case among the northern inhabitants of Europe, particularly in Ireland and Scotland; hence the Gaelic poetry of Ossian and others.-See Dodd; and see the note on Exod. xv. 1. where the subject is largely treated. Verse 21. This song shall testify against them] Because in it, their general defection is predicted, but in such a way as to show them how to avoid the evil-and if they did not A. M. 2553. B. C. 1451. CHAP. XXXII. 23 And he gave Joshua, the son of Nun, a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage; for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them; and I will be with thee. 24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, 25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying. 26 Take this book of the law, band put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. Verse 27. While I am yet alive-ye have been rebellious] Such was the disposition of this people to act contrary to moral goodness, that Moses felt himself justified in inferring what would take place from what had already happened. 1. NEVER was a people more fully and faithfully warned; and from this very circumstance we may see, that they were under no fatal constraining necessity to commit sin against God-they might have avoided it, but they would not. God was present to help them, till, by their repeated provocations they forced him to depart: wrath therefore came upon them to the uttermost, because they sinned, when they might have lived to the glory of God. Those who abuse God's grace, shall not only have that grace taken away from them, but shall be punished for the abuse of it, as well as for the transgression. Every sin is double, and must have a twofold punishment:-1. Grace is resisted; and 2. transgression committed: and God will visit for both. 2. How astonishing it is, that with such examples of God's justice before their eyes, the Jews should be so little affected; and that the Gentiles, who have received the Gospel of God, should act as if God would no more punish transgression; or that he must be so partial to them, as to pass by iniquities, for which the hand of his justice still continues heavy upon the descendants of Jacob! Let them take heed, for if God spared not the natural branches, he will not spare them. If they sin after the manner of the Jews, they may expect to be partakers with them in their punishments. What God does to nations, he will do to individuals, who reject his mercy, or trample under foot his grace; the soul that sinneth, and returns not to God by repentance and faith, shall die. This is a decree of God that shall never be reversed; and every day bears witness how strictly he keeps it in view. 3. The ode composed by Moses for this occasion, was, probably, set to some lively and affecting air, and sung by the people. It would be much easier to keep such a song in remembrance, than an equal quantity of prose. The whole would have the additional circumstances of cadence and tune to cause it to be often repeated; and thus ensure its being kept in memory, Poetry, though often, nay generally abused, is, nevertheless, a gift from God, and may be employed with the best effect in his service. A very considerable part of the Old Testament is written in poetry; particularly the whole book of Psalms, great part of the prophet Isaiah, the Lamentations, and much of the minor prophets. Those who speak against poetic compositions in the service of God, speak against what they do not understand. All that a man hath should be consecrated to his Maker, and employed in his service: not only the energy of his heart and mind, the physical the way which I have commanded you; and 30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the con trine, 1-3 The character of God, 4. The corruption of the people, 5, 6. They The prophetical and historical song of Moses, showing first the nature of God's doc force of his body, but also the musical tones and modulations of his voice. NOTES ON CHAPTER XXXII. Verse 1. On the inimitable excellence of this ode, much has been written by commentators, critics, and poets: and it is allowed by the best judges to contain a specimen of almost every species of excellence in composition. It is so thoroughly poetic, that even the dull Jews themselves found they could not write it in the prose form; and hence it is distinguished as poetry in every Hebrew Bible, by being written in its own hemistichs or short half lines, which is the general form of the Hebrew poetry; and were it translated in the same way, it would be more easily understood. The song itself has suffered both by tran scribers and translators the former having mistaken some letters in different places, and made wrong combinations of them in others. As to the translators, most of them have followed their own fancy from good Mr. Ainsworth, who ruined it by the most inanimate rhyming version, to certain later poets, who have cast it unhallowedly into an European mould. See the observations at the end of the chapter. Give ear, O ye heavens] Let angels and men hear; and let this testimony of God be registered both in heaven and earth. Heaven and earth are appealed to as permanent witnesses. Verse 2. My doctrine] mph Likechi, from np lakach, to take, carry away to attract, or gain over the heart by eloquence or persuasive speech. Hence the Septuagint translate the word aroposypa, an apophthegm, a sententious and weighty saying, for the regulation of the moral conduct. Such, properly, are the sayings in this inimitable ode. Shall drop as the rain] It shall come drop by drop as the shower, beginning slowly and distinctly, but increasing more and more, till the plenitude of righteousness is poured down, and the whole canon of Divine Revelation completed. My speech shall distil as the dew] N Imrati, my familiar, friendly, and affectionate speeches, shall descend gently and softly on the ear and the heart, as the dew, moistening and refreshing all around. In hot regions, dew is often a substitute for rain-without it, there could be no fertility in those places, especially where rain seldom falls. And in such places only, can the metaphor here used, be felt in its perfection. Homer uses a similar figure; when speaking of the eloquence of Ulysses, he says, Il. T. ver. 221. Αλλ' ότε δη μ' όπα τε μεγαλην εκ σήθεος ιει, On the manner in which dew is produced, philosophers are f 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for | all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he. 5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation. 6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he P thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? 7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: "ask thy father, e 2 Sam. 22. 3. & 23. 3. Psa. 19. 2, 31, 46. Hab. 1. 12-f 2 Sam. 22 31.-g Dan. 4. 37. Rev. 15. 3-h Jer. 10. 10.-i Job 31. 10. Psa. 92. 15.-k Heb. He hath corrupted to himself -1 Ch. 31. 29-m Or, that they are not his children, that is their blot. n Matt. 17. 17. Luke 9. 41. Phil. 2 15-0 Psa. 116. 12-p Isai, 63, 16.-r Psa. 74. 2. dered the doctrine of the ascent of dew doubtful. Though we know nothing certain as to the manner of its production, yet we know that the thing exists; and that it is essentially useful. So much we know of the sayings of our God, and the blessed effects produced by them: God hath spoken, and the entering in of his words gives light and life. See the notes on Gen. ii. ver. 6. As the small rain] □ywɔ kesêirim, from yʊ sâar, to be rough or tempestuous. Sweeping showers, accompanied with a strong gale of wind. And as the showers] Rebibim, from ¬¬ rabah, to multiply, to increase greatly-shower after shower or rather a continual rain, whose drops are multiplied beyond calculation, upon the earth. Alluding perhaps to the rainy seasons in the East; or to those early and latter rains, so essentially necessary for the vegetation and perfection of the grain. No doubt these various expressions point out that great variety in the Word or Revelation of God, whereby it is suited to every place, occasion, person, and state; being "profitable for doctrine, reproof, and edification in righteousness.' "Hence the apostle says, that Gop, at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets; and in these last times has spoken unto us by his Son: Heb. i. 1, 2. By every prophet, evangelist, and apostle, God speaks a particular language-all is his doctrine, his great system of instruction, for the information and salvation of the souls of menbut some portions are like the sweeping showers, in which the tempest of God's wrath appears against sinners. Others are like the incessant showers of gentle rain, preparing the soil for the germination of the grain: and causing it to take root. And others still are like the dew, mildly and gently insinuating convictions, persuasions, reproofs, and consolations. The preacher of righteousness, who wishes to handle this word profitably, must attend closely to those distinctions, that he may rightly divide the word of truth; and give each of his hearers his portion of the bread of life in due season. Verse 4. He is the Rock] The word tsur, is rendered creator by some eminent critics; and khalyk, is the reading in the Arabic version. Rab. Moses ben Maymon, in his valuable work, Moreh Nebochim, observés, that the word vs tsur, which is ordinarily translated rock, signifies origin, fountain, first cause, &c. and in this way it should be translated here: "He is the first principle, his work is perfect.' As he is the cause of all things, he must be infinitely perfect.; and consequently all his works must be perfect in their respective kinds. As is the cause, so must the effect be. Some think the word rock gives a very good sense for, as in those lands, rocks were the ordinary places of defence and security, God may be metaphorically represented thus, to signify his protection of his followers. I prefer the opinion of Maimonides. and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. 8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he * separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. 10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. 8 Ver. 15. Isai. 27. 11. & 44, 2— Heb generation and generation -u Exod. 13. 14. Psa. 41. 1. & 78. 3, 4-v Zech. 9. 2. Acts 17. 26-w Gen 11. 8-x Exod 15. 16. & 19. 5. 1 Sam. 10. 1. Pea. 78. 71-y Hel cord -2 Ch. 8. 15. Jer. 2. 6. Hos. 13, 5,—a Úr, compassed him about-b Deut. 4. 36-c PR 17. 8. Prov. 7. 2. Zech 28 repeated in our translation, is but once in the original; and the marginal reading is greatly to be preferred.-He hath corrupted to himself, that they are not his children: that is their blot. And because they had the blot of sin on them, because they were spotted with iniquity, and marked idolaters, therefore God renounces them. There may be here an allusion to the marks which the worshippers of particular idols had on different parts of their bodies, especially on their foreheads-and as idolatry is the crime with which they are here charged, the spot or mark mentioned, may refer to the mark or stigma of their idol. The different sects of idolaters in the East, are distinguished by their sectarian marks, the stigma of their respective idols. These sectarian marks, particularly on the forehead, amount to nearly one hundred among the Hindoos, and especially among the two sects, the worshippers of Seera, and the worshippers of Vishnoo. In many cases these marks are renewed daily; for they account it irreligious to perform any sacred rite to their god, without his mark on the forehead; the marks are generally hori zontal and perpendicular lines, crescents, circles, leaves, eyes, &c. in red, black, white, and yellow. This very custom is referred to in Rev. xx. 4. where the beast gives his mark to his followers-and it is very likely that Moses refers to such a custom among the idolatrous of his own day. This removes all the difficulty of the text. God's children have no sinful spots, because Christ saves them from their sins, and their motto or mark is, Holiness to the Lord. Verse 8. When the Most High divided to the nations, &c.] Verses 8 and 9, says Dr. Kennicott, give us express authority for believing, that the earth was early divided in consequence of a divine command; and probably by lot; see Acts xvii. 26. and as Africa is called the land of Ham, Psa. lxxviii. 51. ev. 23, 27. evi. 22. probably that country fell to him and to his descendants, at the same time that Europe fell to Japhet, and Asia to Shem, with a particular reserve of Palestine to be the Lord's portion, for some one peculiar people. And this separation of mankind into three bodies, called the general migration, was commanded to Noah, and by him to his sons-so as to take place in the days of Peleg, about two hundred years afterward. This general migration was prior to the partial dispersion from Babel, by about five hundred years. He set the bounds to the people according to the number of the children of Israel.] The Septuagint transla tion is very curious, es not opta evov kaтa apiðpor ayyedoar Tov Ocov. He established the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God. The meaning of the passage seems to be, that when God divided the earth among mankind, he reserved twelve lots, according to the number of the sons of Jacob, which he was now about to give to their descendants according to his promise. Verse 9. The Lord's portion is his people] What an astonishing saying! As holy souls take GOD for their Verse 5. Their spot is not the spot of his children]| portion, so GOD takes them for his portion. He repreThis verse is variously translated and variously understood. sents himself as happy in his followers; and they are infiThey are corrupted, not his, children of pollution. KEN-nitely happy in, and satisfied with God as their portion. NICOTT. They are corrupt, they are not his children; they This is what is implied in being a saint: he who is seekare blotted. HoUBIGANT. This is according to the Saing for an earthly portion has little commerce with the maritan. The interpretation commonly given to these Most High. words, is as unfounded as it is exceptionable. "God's children have their spots, i. e. their sins; but sin in them is not like sin in others; in others sin is exceedingly sinful but God does not see the sins of his children as he sees the sins of his enemies," &c. Unfortunately for this bad doctrine, there is no foundation for it in the sacred text, which though very obscure, may be thus translated: He [Israel] hath corrupted himself. They (the Israelites) are not his children: They are spotted. Coverdale renders the whole passage thus: "The froward, and overthwart generation, have marred themselves to himward; and are not his children because of their deformity." This is the sense of the verse. Let it be observed, that the word spot, which is Verse 10. He (the Lord) found him] (Jacob, in his descendants) in a desert land (the wilderness) he led him about, forty years in this wilderness, Deut. viii. 2. or yesobebenchu-he compassed him about: . e. God defended them on all hands, and in all places. He instructed him, taught them that astonishing law, through which we have now almost passed, giving them statutes and judgments, which for depth of wisdom, and correct political adaptation to times, places, and circumstances, are so wondrously constructed, as essentially to secure the comfort, peace, and happiness of the individual, and the prosperity and permanency of the moral system. Laws so excellent that they have met with the ap |