PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy
William Lindsay Alexander [1808-1884] · 519,671 words · 561 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 481
,ers. 14-23.- 171e Loi·rl's charge to Moses and Joslw,;,, Moses, in makincr over the leadership to Joshua, was only anticipating a more formal assi<rnmeot of it by God himseli'. He directs the old leader and his successor to repair to the tabernacle,.and there to receive their rcspccti,·e charges. 'l'he Shechinah appea…
852 wordsSECTION 482The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 482
Vers. 24-30.-The Divine testimony deposited in the ark. Moses, being thus com- missioned of God to utter the inspired warning, loses no time in summoning the congregation. But while doing so, he gives precise directions to the Kohathites, who had charge of the ark, to deposit his manuscripts within it. Is anything to b…
583 wordsSECTION 483The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 483
\'ers. I-8.-Putting o.ff the harness. Faith in God anticipates every event ,vithout di~tress. If God's pfan cut across the grain of our own inclination, faith inspires us to 1,ay," His plan is best." By virtue of a living faith, we can face death without anxiety, and advance to meet the last foe. We see in this passage…
851 wordsSECTION 484The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 484
Vere. 9-13, 24-29.-TllB honourappertaining to Goa's Law. As our Lord, in the near prospect of death, employed his thoughts in comforting and instrur,tin" others so Moses, instead of centring his thought upon himself, is only more eager ti provid~ for the people's future obedience. Inasmuch as his days on earth were …
787 wordsSECTION 485The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 485
Vcrs. 14, 15, 23.-7'7,e ojficfrrl i11veslit1m of Josl,ua. It was fitting that a public transfcrC'll('C of authority should be made from Moses to Joshua. 'l'he nobleness of J\foscs comes prominently into view. As John said of Jesus, so substantially Moses Baid of Joshua, "He mnst increase, bnt I must decrease." I. THE …
969 wordsSECTION 486The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 486
OHAPTER XXXIL the whole. Remarkable also is this ode in SONG 011' l\foSES AND ANNOUNCEllENT 011' relation to the later prophetic utterances in HIS DEATH, Israel. "It is the compendious anticipatory sketch and the common watchword of all pro- In accordance with the Divine injunction, phecy, and stands related to it a…
696 wordsSECTION 487The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 487
rain C(lming il(lwn in thin etreaine like hair. following seems the beat oonstruction and Bhowere; heavy rain (u':;i,:;i:,, from :I?), t.o rendering :-A 11crverae and crooked genera- be> mnch (lr mnuy, equal t.o multitude of tion-not hi'B children, [but] their spot-ha& drops). become corrn11t towards him. The subjec…
1,005 wordsSECTION 488The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 488
being his chilclren, but El froward ancl orooked form"), the howlino of the 1r,il,lern,.~~- genomtion." " Israel is fignratively represented ns n mnn Vers. 6, 7.-Insload of grBtofully Rc- without food or water, nnd snrl'ounrled by knowlcdging the Divine beneficence, anrl howling, ferocious beasts, and who must dutiful…
1,019 wordsSECTION 489The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 489
dt1m p1111os moB, Vnl_g-ate. This is the expln- Fat of lambs; lnmbs of tho best, "fut 11 nat.ion uauRlly ~h·eu of the init-iltl c,rrnsc of being a fig11mtivo l'Xpression for tho boat this ..-erse: but its ncrumcy has been ques- (Numb. XYiii. 12). Rama of the breed of t.ionl"d. Fiirst would render the ,·erb by Be.shan; …
1,006 wordsSECTION 490The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 490
God )ind bound Isrnel to himself ns by the anger by their vanilic~, I.heir nothingncss~s, mnmnge bo11d, nncl they by their unfaith- mere vapours and empty exhalations ( □'',_:i_;;; fulness hnd incitotl hirn to jealousy (of. cf. Jer. x. 6; John ii. 8; 1 Cor. viii. 4); ·as oh. xxxi. 16; Exod. xxxiv. 15; Isn. !iv. 5; they…
1,002 wordsSECTION 491The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 491
xx_,-i. 22:. ShRII destroy; liternlly, ~ha17 male him, and so came under the power of tho cl11/rllr,.,. ,linll l,ercnve, viz. the land which is enemy. though! of n, n mothC'r whose children were Vci-. 31.-The heathen had nlso n rook iu dest.ro)·e,I. 'l'hP verb is here ~cnm p1·1rgnanti, ~-hil'l1 tl,ey trusted-their i…
1,043 wordsSECTION 492The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 492
in 1tore wi!11 him, and sealed up among I.is mine enemiet, etc. Lifting np the hnn,1 lo treasures. All that had been done had heaven was o. gesture intenrled to exptcss been noted, 1mcl nil that shonlrl hnppen was that the perRon taking an r.ath appealer! to decroerl, nml should certo.inly como to pass.Gori o.s a witne…
1,008 wordsSECTION 493The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 493
remarks, it is the Divine righteousness by God, and the oommand was again given manifested in the vindiontion of his people to him to ascend Mount Nebo, thence to from thrir enemies that is to be oelebr1tted, eur,•ey the promised land, and there to bo and n0t the people themselves, RB what ge.thercd to his people. The …
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Vere. 6-14.- Ungrateful men interro~·ated. In almost every clause of this paragraph there is some specific allusion, for the elucidation of which the reader will refer to the Exposition. The commentary of Dr. Jameson thereon is very valuable. Our aim is strictly homiletic. The central words around which the preacher's …
795 wordsSECTION 495The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 495
G0rl.'s provirl.ence; he looks onward, and, with tlie seer's eye, he beholds them In the pr0misc<l lanil, tlicir wanilerings over, and their marches hither and thither exchanged fnr a Rcttlcd life in a land of plenty and of delight. There they are prospering nhundantly; and if they only used their prosperity nright the…
1,261 wordsSECTION 496The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 496
Vers. 19-25.-.An unfaitlifiil people provoked to fealou.sy by God. This paragraph is the antithesis of the preceding one. In form the expressions are archaic. 'l'he principles undel'lyiug these ancient forms of expression are for all the ages. In fact, there are few of the Old Testament passages which are more point…
782 wordsSECTION 497The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 497
T crs. 26-28.-The Divine mind influenced by reasons. Moses, in uttering this song, is "borne along" (2 Pet. i. 21) by a power working through him and yet not of him, to make a most remarkable assertion in the Name of Jehovah; viz. that Israel's Deliverer was moved by fear of the wrath of the enemy not to destroy them a…
1,255 wordsSECTION 498The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 498
Vers. 29-35.-The short-sightedness of sinners. "Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" Such is the moan with which this paragraph begins. By" this" is meant ~he conseque~c? which will certainly follow on their departure from God. By "their latter end 1s meant the …
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0 ye nations-hie people." 1 The former assures us that all the various processe~ of jnclgmcnt to which tho seer's eye looks forward are in the hands of God. The seconrl calls upon tho nations to rojoico therein. Between these two, the varied ,letails in the paragr,1ph fall naturally into place. Our Homily will, therefo…
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Y crs. 44-4 7.-Life at stuke 1 This paragraph-concerning which Keil is probably ric:ht in his surmise, that it proceeds from: an editor's hand-sets before us ill a quiet and incidental way, one of the most important transitions Israel had yet experienced. \\" e ha Ye Feen in eh. xxxi. 7, 8, that Moses gave Joshua a …
641 wordsSECTION 501The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 501
2 (Jor, v. 14-21; Rom, v. 8). 3. Buth require, on the ground or Divine love to man, love to the redeemed brotherhood, and good will to a.ll men (1 Cor. xiii.; John iv. 10-10). IV. The commanding force of the gospel message through our Lord Jesus Christ is far greotor than that sent through Moses. True, there was terro…
842 wordsSECTION 502The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 502
10 hi·lknrs, since" life and incorruption" hnve bt'en brought to light by Jesus Christ. 'l'lir h"l,rvN, at dcRth, enters the invisible world. The names for it are "Shcol" nnd "H:1dcs." The former is a Hebrew word, the latter Greek. Doth mean (practically) t.lic ~nrne, though they present the mysterious realm of the …
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Vere, 1-3.-Beneflcial teaching. Moses was directed to inBtruct the people by composing for their use a song (eh, xxxi. 19, 21). A song is: I. Memorable. 2. Easily handed down from mouth to mouth. 3. Of singular power to awaken Rympathetic fcoling (cf. influence of ballarls, of Jacobite songs, of the 'Marseillaise,' …
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of the world is in the soul which looks on it, which sees some conception of its own reflected from the mirror around it; for mind is not only living, but life-giving, and has received from its Maker a portion of his own creative power" (Dr. John Ker), Rock is thns more than rock-its awfulness, grandeur, immovabilit…
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remnrks npply to sinners-despising the gracious overturea which God makes to them with 11.ll tho favours, temporal 11.nd spiritual, he has actually shown them and ce.reerin;0 on to their eterne.l ruin. "0 foolish people and unwise! "-J. O. ' Ver. 8.-Theworld ru7erlfor the benefit of the Ohurch. What this verse asserts…
1,204 wordsSECTION 506The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 506
Vers. 15.-18.-Jeshwun. I. A Goon NAME DELIED. Jeshurun, equivalent to righteous. An honourable name, but sadly falsified by the conduct described. How many Jeshuruns have thus forsaken the God of their early vows! Notice, a good name is of no account without the good character. Balaam praised Israel's righteousness,…
1,261 wordsSECTION 507The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 507
II. Sn, rs THE An~OLUTE UN\TTSDOM, 1. For Oie true end of life it substitutes a fals6 one. The end for which we were made was holiness-the service of God ,vith nll onr powern of soul, body, and spirit. In this consists our life, our happiness, our well-being. Jn pursuit of this end, our nature works harmoniously with i…
1,685 wordsSECTION 508The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 508
(•,·en while be punishes (ver. 36).Re would fain, through judgment, break a way for rncrcy. Illustrntc this use of judgments from Israel in time of the judges, or from caao of l\fanasseb (2 Chron. xxxiii. 11-14). This one use of the present exilo. May we hope that the day of God's "repenting himself" toward Inracl is d…
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dii!eouroe. on this text. 011, XXXII, 1-62.] TIIE DOOK OF IHrnTETION011Y. --··- ----------------------- the children of God, but the mark of eomo other tribe; 1 and so as a Fctll,er he appeal~ to them bccauRe of their ingratitude. Has ho not made them, bou;(ht them, anrl established them, and, in consequence, earned a…
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the ~ourcc of all success, and that the rill may be tracked to some nearer source. HC'ncc new e:ods, novelties of man's imaginntion, or demons from the wRsle, grateful for even a false faith, are worshipped; and the ever-living and true Goel forgotten, Apostasy nnd scepticism, we would repent, are born of luxury and…
805 wordsSECTION 511The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 511
But In the present life there is e. foretaste given of the vengeance which embraces the life to come, which _me.y bo ~ummed up, as given(~ these verses (v~rs. 23-25), in the terms hunger, pestilence, wild beasts, 11nd war. 1 he fn,thle~s nation experienced all these, e.s an earnest of the Divine vengeance which justly …
881 wordsSECTION 512The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 512
Vers. 48-52.-Death a/ud,qment even to the most faithful se,·vants of God. After the solemn nddress to the people, God gives a personal address to Moses. It is about his approaching death. Re is to see the land, but not to enter it, because he sanctified not the Lord at the waters of Meri bah. It raises, therefore, th…
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the swan is s11id to sing swoctly only in the act of dying, so, on the eve of his departure Moses sings his noblest strains. ' I. OnsEI\VE 'l'IlE POET'& AUDITORY. He summons heaven and earth to hear. W c read in_ 11nciont story that when Orpheus made music with his lyre, the wilt] beasts listened, and the trees and ro…
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8electing spt>cial territory for special nations. Amidst all the hurly-burly or war, th11 unseen hand of God bas "divided to the nations their inheritance." Oceans and rivers, mountains and deserts, have been God's walls of partition, 3. All these selec- tions have been subordinate to Israel's welfare. All the lines…
850 wordsSECTION 515The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 515
happens that earthly wealth is an injury instead of a benefit. It detains a man'd faith nnd delight on itself. He exalts his riches into a god. Entering a man's heart, as his professed friends, riches become his secret foes: they sap the foun<lati,ms of his piety; they degrade and stultify the man. 2. The flagrrmr,y of…
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1wnnl ly. w0u ld be t00 severe as the awRrd for their high-handed offences. Every vestige ()f merit h:is ,lisn]'pcnreil. The consensus of all righteous beings requires unreserV1ld con,lcmnntion. Nor cnn the condemned offender himself escape this conclusion. When his cnnscience nwnkcs to 110nder his guilt, he joins in …
810 wordsSECTION 517The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 517
them in tho hour of greatest need. Ah I fortune, ee.y they, isfidle. Very tyrnnnical ond sclf-wilkcl is fate. But our God is a Rock in very deed, He ncYer forsakes his liege disciples. In the dnrkrst hour he is nearest-the "shadow· of a "l'cat rock in a wenry Janel." Their misnamed rock encouragr·s.them to enter the ba…
1,259 wordsSECTION 518The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 518
"Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise ogain; The eternal years of God are hers: But Error, wounded, writhes with pain, And dies amid her worshippers." Most of all, we rejoice in bis mercy. "He will be mercirul to his land and to his people." We are the very persons who need Divine mercy; for lack of that mercy we di…
1,172 wordsSECTION 519The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 519
ncent pr0spPrt!I, nnd then have descended to die. But mountains have orten been ~el<'rl<'<l by God as the scene of grand ernnts. On the summit of a mountMn we are inspir<'<l with a sense or awe. We take in the sense of the Infinite. ,ve are con- ~trained to worship. Thence we arc already hair disposed to mount nnd s…
814 wordsSECTION 520The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 520
dislinguishorl from tho person by whom it µ<T' ahoii: Vnlgate, In rlex/em Pju, jgne"' wo.s insortod in this pince. lex; 'l'argum or Onkelo~, "Writt,·n by his Ver. 2.-And he said. Hore begin tbe right he.n<I, frnm the mirlat of tho flro, 1t law words of Moses. He commcncos by depict- gave he to ns;" Syriac, "With myr…
1,052 wordsSECTION 521The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 521
l.n"· wRs given; cf. Ps. xx., xxi., v,·here might return in triumph, being helped of I lm·id not only speRks ol himself in the the Lord. Let hi1 hand■ be 1uffl.oient for I hir<l person, but iiddr<.'sses such prRyere him; :ra&her, with hi.8 hands he contmdeth rnr himself RB could only be offered by the for it (to wit, h…
1,001 wordsSECTION 522The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 522
xiv. 26). Decause of tl,oir 1.eolous devotion things of heaven above;" and this reading, to tho olaima and service of the Lord, the some critirs of eminence adopt. Probably, dignity of the priesthood hnd been conferred however, this is only a correction, to brina on this tribo; aud to thorn belonged the this pC\ssage i…
1,013 wordsSECTION 523The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 523
xli1. 13. i-ucceas in enterprise, nnd folicity taken by eome, who hy the mechokek under- nl ll(lme. Arc assured to both. "Althou1'h sl Ctn,l Moses ns the lCtwgivcr, an,! his • going out.' ( enterprise, labour) is att.ri- portion !ls the p!Ctcc of his gmvo, which Was hntcd to 7,,,bulun, and• remaining in tents' conce…
1,035 wordsSECTION 524The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 524
the lo.Ucr ex plano.Uon !earns tho ono to ho Ver. 26.-There i8 none like unto the God preforrcd. 1'he preposition )'-? is constantly of Jesh11run. The points rmd accents rlircct usrd ns indico.ting the source whonce o.ny- tlrnt this should be rend, There is 11,,11, Uk-, thing. pr~ccorlH, or the o.gont hy whom God, 0…
1,063 wordsSECTION 525The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 525
Ver. 6.-The blessing of Reuben; or, life impoverished through ancestral 8'm. For a bl~iug, there seems ~omething ~nusually weak in that pronounced on Reuben. Contmuance-a preservation from berng blotted out of existence-is all that the man of God seems to hope or expect from him. The English reader may wonder to see…
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nt large. They lee.d inovHnbly to the e.ssoci£1tion of thought with what is lowest in humnn nntme, re.thcr than with what is highest and best. And, unless renounced, these sins will drag the whole man after them, and make of him a. wreck and a ruin. Hence the terrific we.ruing of our Saviour in Matt. v. 29. Nothing wil…
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requires (.o C'naNe him to fulfil his high an<l. holy destiny; 'let his hands be sufficient fPr him;' and (3) when the enemy would endeavour to overthrO\v him, let thine nlmighly aitl be ne1u; 'be thou n Help to him from his enemies.'" Thnt this prophC'tic hlcssing and prayer i~, in the highest meaning thereof, Mess…
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There nlwnys hns been ancl there will be jealousy and odium towards God's ministers ns "tnking too much upon them." As Moses bad found it out already, he knew by sorn~ experience what it wns likely to bo in the future. Hence: 5. Here is a prnyer which tnkcs its shnpo from a review of tho vnrie<l facts named above (ver.…
807 wordsSECTION 529The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 529
nnd mndc Rctui\l through the dcstrnction of sin by the power of tho Holy Ghost (l John iii. 9). Hence in the perpetuity of this relationship there is matter of constnnt joy (Rom. viii. 38, 38). JI]. IN CONKECTION WITH THIS RELATION THERE IS A CORRESPONDING OARE ON THE l'AIIT OF JEHOVAH. The father carries the child "b…
852 wordsSECTION 530The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 530
English Version the worcls "for" and "tho blessing" are in italics, to show that they are added by the translators. And the fact that there is no "for" in the oricrinal at tho commencoment of this clause seems to show that it is not co-ordinate ;ith the 1roceding ones, and so to mark a new start.ing-point; as if Moses…
1,145 wordsSECTION 531The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 531
Yers. 18, Hl.-T,·ade and commerce subservient to evangelization. There is room for considerable divergence of view with regard to some of the minutim of this passacre on which the reader will consult the Exposition, and may also r&fer with great advanta"a~ to Keil, Jameson, and ·wordsworth, on the blessing of Issach…
589 wordsSECTION 532The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 532
other n11tions, m11ke such traffic n means of propa6ating corruption, lust, and crime ! 3. Commerce mny be" holiness unto the Lorcl," and will never reach its true splendour till such is the case (Zech. xiv. 20). Its stainless purity i.8 of infinitely more moment thau its extent or o.mount. Vera. 2~, 21.-Gad; or, a_pl…
1,159 wordsSECTION 533The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 533
, ers. 22, 23.-T/ie blessing of Dan and Naphtali; the satisjacti()'TI, which accrues from the enfoyment of the Divine favour. The word rendered "favour" in this verse, i~ the same as the one translated "good will" in the blessing of Joseph. (For several instances in which that word is used, see the Homily on that pass…
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ever rnnintained, ( 4) A double joy ls put into the use of earthly oifts. They are receive(! !LB a Father's tokens of love. '!'hoy mean so much more than they can to others. (5) The expectations are satisfied. In God's love they have an enduring troaeury of wealth, .. , , . when all earthly pleasures rail,- (And fa.i…
1,017 wordsSECTION 535The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 535
Vers. 26-2~.-The glory of Is,·aers God, and the blessedness of God's Israel. Ere Mosrs quite throws up his task, he gives us his view of Israel as a whole. He has had a word 0f blessing for tribe by tribe, and now he takes one last look at the whole nation, and viewing it in the light of that eternal world on which …
947 wordsSECTION 536The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 536
Ver. 2.-A fiery Law. The fieriness of the Law, significant: 1. Of the holiness from which the Law emanated. 2. Of the fiery sanctions by which it is guarded. 3. Of the threatening aspect which it wears to sinners. 4. Of the purifying effects which it exerts in the hearts and consciences of believers.-J. 0. Ver. 3.-God…
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no one prl'ten<ls (hat the prerogative of consulting through the oracle belonged to nny otlwr than the high priest. This shows the futility of the argument that in Deuteronomy all Le,·itcs 11111st be held as priests because priestly functions are in eh. x. 8, etc., 11.ttribute<l to the tribe as such. (2) They were to t…
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with that or Naphtali, who "giveth goodly words" (Gen. xlix. 21). Aprlication to ourselves, and duty of consecrating wealth to missionary enterprise. 2. Sacrifices of righteousness are to be offered in: (1) recognition or God's gift; (2) dedication of wealth to God's service; (3) personal surrender of the offerer to Go…
845 wordsSECTION 539The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 539
Yer. 27.-The eternal God a Refuge. I. Tim SUllLIMITY OF TBIB PROMISE, Is there one 'l'<"ho can open his mind snfficie11tly to take in anything like the grandeur of this thought? To 1hink renlir.ingly of God at all is to many a difficulty. It shows how lit.t.le we do think of him; bow habitually our minds are occupied w…
860 wordsSECTION 540The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 540
"'l'hey were etonod, they were eawn neunder," etc. (Heb. xi. 37). Was God therefore not tho "Hefugo" of thoso saints because they were so ill off in this life, or did the" ever- lnsting nrms" not eustain them? Or Wl\8 it not in the midst of these" crreat ficrhts of affiictions" thnt they first realized how true a Re…
1,255 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.