10 For the land whither thou goeſt in to poſſeſs it, 7s not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou ſowedlt thy ſeed, and wateredft 5: with thy
foot e as a garden of herbs z e (5. e,) With great painsand labour of thy feet, partly by go- ing up and down to fetch water and diſperſe it, and partly by dig- ging furrows with thy foot, and uſing engines for diſtcibuting the water, which engines they thruſt with their feer. For though the River Nilus did once in a year overflow the grounds,and made them fruitful, yet oft times it filed or ſcanted them,and then they were pur to great pains about their ground ; and when it did overflow {ufficiently, and left its Mud upon the earth, yet thar Mud was 1n 4 lictle time hardned, and needed another watering and much dig- ging and labour both of the hand and feer, eſpecially in places ſomething higher oc more remote from that River ; which incon- venience Canaan was free from. : 1: Bur the land whither ye goto poſleſs it, is a land of hills and valleys f aud drinketh water of che rain of
heaveng :
f And therefore much more healthful than Egypr was,which as it was enriched,ſo it was annoyed, with N:ilus, which overflowed the Jand in ſummer time,and thereby made the Country both unplea- fant,and,which is much worſe, unhealthful. And health being the greateſt of all outward bleſſings, Canaan muſt therefore needs be a more deſireable habitation rhan Egypr,which is the thing here imply- ed. g Which is. more honourable, becauſe this comes not from man's art or induſtry, but immediately from God's power and goodneſs ; more eaſie,being given thee without thy charge or pains; mo.e ſweet and pleaſant,not hindering thy goiug abroad upon thy occaſions,as the overflow of Nitus did, whereby the Egyptians were confined in a great meaſure to their ſeveral houſes ; more ſafe and healthful,being free from that Mud which attends upon the waters of N:lus ; and more certain too,the formerand the latter rain being promiſed tobe given to them in their ſeveral ſeaſons, upon condition of their obe- dience,which condition,though it may ſeem a clog and inconveni- ence,yet indeed was a great benefit,that by their own neceflities and worldly intereſt they ſhould be obliged ro that obesjence, upon which their happineſs depended both for this lifeand for the next.
* Fxod. 14) 27+
_ * the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it from the beginning of the year, even unto the end of the year z. | ,
h To wit,jn a ſpecial manner, watering it immediately as it were by his own hand, without man's help,and giving peculiar bleſſings to it, which Egypt enjoys not. # To give it the rain, and other bleſſings proper to the ſeveral ſeaſons. Bur all theſe mercies, and the fruitfulneſs of the land conſequent upon them, were ſuſpended upon their diſobedience, as it here follows. And therefore it is not at all ſtrange that ſome later Writers decry the land of Canaan as 1n great part a barren ſoil, which is ſo far from affording any ground to queſtion the divine authority of the holy Scriptures, in which its fruitfulneſs is declared, that it doth much more confirm it, this being bur an effeC&t of that threarning that God would turn
a fruitful land into barrenneſs for the wickedueſs of theſe that dwell in it, Pſal. 107. 34.and elſewhere; and the wickedneſs of the 1ſ-2elites in ſucceeding ages being notorious, it is bur ju't and fir that the bar- rennefs of their land ſhould be as evident and infamous.
I3 Andit (hal cometo pals, if ye ſhal hearken dili- gently unto my commandments, which I commanded |
12 A land which the LORD thy God + careth for 6: |/
O NOM YT. Chap. XI you this day, to lovethe LORD your God, and tofſerve | him with all your heart, and with all your foul;
14 That I will givejouthe rain of your land & in his due ſealon,the firſt rain,and the latter rain /, chat thou may- eſt gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
k (3. e. ) Which is needful and ſufficient for your land ; or which is proper toyour land, not common to Egypt, where, as all authors agree, there is little orno rain. / The firſt fell in ſeed-time, to make the corn ſpring, the other a little before harveſt, to ripen it. See Jer. 5. 24. Joel 2. 23. Am 4. 7. Jam.s.7. 15 AndTI will + ſend grals in thy tields for thy catte], that thou mayelt ear and be full.
16 Take heed to yourſelves, that your heart be not deceived m, and yeturn afide, and ferve other gods,and worlbip them.
m By the ſpecious pretences of Idolaters, who will plead the ge- neral conſent of all nations, except yours, in the worthip of c1ca- tures, and that they worſhip the creatures only for God's {ake,and as they are glorious works of God, whom they worſhip in and by them : which, and the like arguments, being commonly alledged by Heathens for their Idolatries,as their own writers declare,mighr poſlibly ſeduce an unwary {/raelite : and therefore they are here cau- tioned againſt ſuch deceit, and withal it is implyed, that if a man's mind be corrupted and deceived, ſo as he believes Idolatry to be lawful, this will not excuſe him in the fight of God.
17 And then the LORD's wrath be kindledagainſt you, and he ſhut up the heaven's, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit,and/eft ye periſh quick- ly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
» Which is compared ſometimesto a bottle, 70b.38.37. which may be either ſtopped or opened:ſometimes to a great ſtore-houſe where-= in God lays up his treaſures of rain, 70b 38.22, Pſal. 33. 7. the doors whereof God 1s ſaid to open when he gives rain, and to ſbut when he with-holds it. See x King. 8.35. 2 Chron. 6, 26. and 7. 13.
18 Therefore * ſhal ye lay uptheſe my words in your heart,and in your ſoul,& *bind them for aſign upon your | aand,thart they may beas frontlets between your eyes. ,
19 And * ye bal teach them your children, ſpeaking + A of them when thou ſitteſt in thine houſe,and when thou & 6. þ walkeſt by the way, when thou lieſt down, and when chou riſelt up. |
20 And thou ſhalt write them upon the door-poſts of thine houſe, and upon thy gates:
21 That your daysmay be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD ſwars unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth o.