1 Therefore thou shalt love H157 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and keep H8104 his charge, H4931 and his statutes, H2708 and his judgments, H4941 and his commandments, H4687 alway. H3117
2 And know H3045 ye this day: H3117 for I speak not with your children H1121 which have not known, H3045 and which have not seen H7200 the chastisement H4148 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 his greatness, H1433 his mighty H2389 hand, H3027 and his stretched out H5186 arm, H2220
3 And his miracles, H226 and his acts, H4639 which he did H6213 in the midst H8432 of Egypt H4714 unto Pharaoh H6547 the king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 and unto all his land; H776
4 And what he did H6213 unto the army H2428 of Egypt, H4714 unto their horses, H5483 and to their chariots; H7393 how he made the water H4325 of the Red H5488 sea H3220 to overflow H6687 them H6440 as they pursued H7291 after H310 you, and how the LORD H3068 hath destroyed H6 them unto this day; H3117
5 And what he did H6213 unto you in the wilderness, H4057 until ye came H935 into this place; H4725
6 And what he did H6213 unto Dathan H1885 and Abiram, H48 the sons H1121 of Eliab, H446 the son H1121 of Reuben: H7205 how the earth H776 opened H6475 her mouth, H6310 and swallowed them up, H1104 and their households, H1004 and their tents, H168 and all the substance H3351 that was in their possession, H7272 in the midst H7130 of all Israel: H3478
7 But your eyes H5869 have seen H7200 all the great H1419 acts H4639 of the LORD H3068 which he did. H6213
8 Therefore shall ye keep H8104 all the commandments H4687 which H834 I command H6680 you this day, H3117 that ye may be strong, H2388 and go in H935 and possess H3423 the land, H776 whither ye go H5674 to possess H3423 it;
9 And that ye may prolong H748 your days H3117 in the land, H127 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto your fathers H1 to give H5414 unto them and to their seed, H2233 a land H776 that floweth H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
10 For the land, H776 whither thou goest in H935 to possess H3423 it, is not as the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from whence ye came out, H3318 where thou sowedst H2232 thy seed, H2233 and wateredst H8248 it with thy foot, H7272 as a garden H1588 of herbs: H3419
11 But the land, H776 whither ye go H5674 to possess H3423 it, is a land H776 of hills H2022 and valleys, H1237 and drinketh H8354 water H4325 of the rain H4306 of heaven: H8064
12 A land H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 careth for: H1875 the eyes H5869 of the LORD H3068 thy God H430 are always H8548 upon it, from the beginning H7225 of the year H8141 even unto the end H319 of the year. H8141
13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken H8085 diligently H8085 unto my commandments H4687 which I command H6680 you this day, H3117 to love H157 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 and to serve H5647 him with all your heart H3824 and with all your soul, H5315
14 That I will give H5414 you the rain H4306 of your land H776 in his due season, H6256 the first rain H3138 and the latter rain, H4456 that thou mayest gather H622 in thy corn, H1715 and thy wine, H8492 and thine oil. H3323
15 And I will send H5414 grass H6212 in thy fields H7704 for thy cattle, H929 that thou mayest eat H398 and be full. H7646
16 Take heed H8104 to yourselves, that your heart H3824 be not deceived, H6601 and ye turn aside, H5493 and serve H5647 other H312 gods, H430 and worship H7812 them;
17 And then the LORD'S H3068 wrath H639 be kindled H2734 against you, and he shut up H6113 the heaven, H8064 that there be no rain, H4306 and that the land H127 yield H5414 not her fruit; H2981 and lest ye perish H6 quickly H4120 from off the good H2896 land H776 which the LORD H3068 giveth H5414 you.
18 Therefore shall ye lay up H7760 these my words H1697 in your heart H3824 and in your soul, H5315 and bind H7194 them for a sign H226 upon your hand, H3027 that they may be as frontlets H2903 between your eyes. H5869
19 And ye shall teach H3925 them your children, H1121 speaking H1696 of them when thou sittest H3427 in thine house, H1004 and when thou walkest H3212 by the way, H1870 when thou liest H7901 down, and when thou risest up. H6965
20 And thou shalt write H3789 them upon the door posts H4201 of thine house, H1004 and upon thy gates: H8179
21 That your days H3117 may be multiplied, H7235 and the days H3117 of your children, H1121 in the land H127 which the LORD H3068 sware H7650 unto your fathers H1 to give H5414 them, as the days H3117 of heaven H8064 upon the earth. H776
22 For if ye shall diligently H8104 keep H8104 all these commandments H4687 which I command H6680 you, to do H6213 them, to love H157 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 to walk H3212 in all his ways, H1870 and to cleave H1692 unto him;
23 Then will the LORD H3068 drive out H3423 all these nations H1471 from before H6440 you, and ye shall possess H3423 greater H1419 nations H1471 and mightier H6099 than yourselves.
24 Every place H4725 whereon the soles H3709 of your feet H7272 shall tread H1869 shall be yours: from the wilderness H4057 and Lebanon, H3844 from the river, H5104 the river H5104 Euphrates, H6578 even unto the uttermost H314 sea H3220 shall your coast H1366 be.
25 There shall no man H376 be able to stand H3320 before H6440 you: for the LORD H3068 your God H430 shall lay H5414 the fear H6343 of you and the dread H4172 of you upon H6440 all the land H776 that ye shall tread H1869 upon, as he hath said H1696 unto you.
26 Behold, H7200 I set H5414 before H6440 you this day H3117 a blessing H1293 and a curse; H7045
27 A blessing, H1293 if ye obey H8085 the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 which I command H6680 you this day: H3117
28 And a curse, H7045 if ye will not obey H8085 the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 but turn aside H5493 out of the way H1870 which I command H6680 you this day, H3117 to go H3212 after H310 other H312 gods, H430 which ye have not known. H3045
29 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath brought thee in H935 unto the land H776 whither thou goest H935 to possess H3423 it, that thou shalt put H5414 the blessing H1293 upon mount H2022 Gerizim, H1630 and the curse H7045 upon mount H2022 Ebal. H5858
30 Are they not on the other side H5676 Jordan, H3383 by H310 the way H1870 where the sun H8121 goeth down, H3996 in the land H776 of the Canaanites, H3669 which dwell H3427 in the champaign H6160 over against H4136 Gilgal, H1537 beside H681 the plains H436 of Moreh? H4176
31 For ye shall pass over H5674 Jordan H3383 to go in H935 to possess H3423 the land H776 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 giveth H5414 you, and ye shall possess H3423 it, and dwell H3427 therein.
32 And ye shall observe H8104 to do H6213 all the statutes H2706 and judgments H4941 which I set H5414 before H6440 you this day. H3117
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 11
Commentary on Deuteronomy 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
De 11:1-32. An Exhortation to Obedience.
1. Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge—The reason for the frequent repetition of the same or similar counsels is to be traced to the infantine character and state of the church, which required line upon line and precept upon precept. Besides, the Israelites were a headstrong and perverse people, impatient of control, prone to rebellion, and, from their long stay in Egypt, so violently addicted to idolatry, that they ran imminent risk of being seduced by the religion of the country to which they were going, which, in its characteristic features, bore a strong resemblance to that of the country they had left.
2-9. I speak not with your children which have not known … But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did—Moses is here giving a brief summary of the marvels and miracles of awful judgment which God had wrought in effecting their release from the tyranny of Pharaoh, as well as those which had taken place in the wilderness. He knew that he might dwell upon these, for he was addressing many who had been witnesses of those appalling incidents. For it will be remembered that the divine threatening that they should die in the wilderness, and its execution, extended only to males from twenty years and upward, who were able to go forth to war. No males under twenty years of age, no females, and none of the tribe of Levi, were objects of the denunciation (see Nu 14:28-30; 16:49). There might, therefore, have been many thousands of the Israelites at that time of whom Moses could say, "Your eyes have seen all the great acts which He did"; and with regard to those the historic review of Moses was well calculated to stir up their minds to the duty and advantages of obedience.
10-12. For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out—The physical features of Palestine present a striking contrast to those of the land of bondage. A widely extending plain forms the cultivated portion of Egypt, and on the greater part of this low and level country rain never falls. This natural want is supplied by the annual overflow of the Nile, and by artificial means from the same source when the river has receded within its customary channel. Close by the bank the process of irrigation is very simple. The cultivator opens a small sluice on the edge of the square bed in which seed has been sown, making drill after drill; and when a sufficient quantity of water has poured in, he shuts it up with his foot. Where the bank is high, the water is drawn up by hydraulic engines, of which there are three kinds used, of different power, according to the subsidence of the stream. The water is distributed in small channels or earthen conduits, simple in construction, worked by the foot, and formed with a mattock by the gardener who directs their course, and which are banked up or opened, as occasion may require, by pressing in the soil with the foot. Thus was the land watered in which the Israelites had dwelt so long. Such vigilance and laborious industry would not be needed in the promised land. Instead of being visited with moisture only at one brief season and left during the rest of the year under a withering blight, every season it would enjoy the benign influences of a genial climate. The hills would attract the frequent clouds, and in the refreshing showers the blessing of God would especially rest upon the land.
12. A land which the Lord thy God careth for—that is, watering it, as it were, with His own hands, without human aid or mechanical means.
14. the first rain and the latter rain—The early rain commenced in autumn, that is, chiefly during the months of September and October, while the latter rain fell in the spring of the year, that is, during the months of March and April. It is true that occasional showers fell all the winter; but, at the autumnal and vernal seasons, they were more frequent, copious, and important; for the early rain was necessary, after a hot and protracted summer, to prepare the soil for receiving the seed; and the latter rain, which shortly preceded the harvest, was of the greatest use in invigorating the languishing powers of vegetation (Jer 5:24; Joe 2:23; Am 4:7; Jas 5:7).
15-17. I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle—Undoubtedly the special blessing of the former and the latter rain [De 11:14] was one principal cause of the extraordinary fertility of Canaan in ancient times. That blessing was promised to the Israelites as a temporal reward for their fidelity to the national covenant [De 11:13]. It was threatened to be withdrawn on their disobedience or apostasy; and most signally is the execution of that threatening seen in the present sterility of Palestine. MR. LowthIAN, an English farmer, who was struck during his journey from Joppa to Jerusalem by not seeing a blade of grass, where even in the poorest localities of Britain some wild vegetation is found, directed his attention particularly to the subject, and pursued the inquiry during a month's residence in Jerusalem, where he learned that a miserably small quantity of milk is daily sold to the inhabitants at a dear rate, and that chiefly asses' milk. "Most clearly," says he, "did I perceive that the barrenness of large portions of the country was owing to the cessation of the early and latter rain, and that the absence of grass and flowers made it no longer the land (De 11:9) flowing with milk and honey."
18-25. lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them—(See on De 6:1).
24. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours—not as if the Jews should be lords of the world, but of every place within the promised land. It should be granted to them and possessed by them, on conditions of obedience:
from the wilderness—the Arabah on the south;
Lebanon—the northern limit;
Euphrates—their boundary on the east. Their grant of dominion extended so far, and the right was fulfilled to Solomon.
even unto the uttermost sea—the Mediterranean.
26-32. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse—(See on De 27:11).