The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 74

"·ns ohs,,r,·C'n at. PC'flr. Dnnl ( Ra 1, Ile'cl, that 1u1il, t·ir,11/,!01t8 8latuie8 and or,linan/Jel 1/rl. Lnrd) WI\S the common nnmo of tho like this whofe 1,ain ,rhich I am giving brfm·e fllJlT<'lllC ,!c-ity among the nortlwm or 1.ho you this day f (comp, eh. xxxiii. l!O; I's. i-cmi t i<'-spcaking people, the Cnnnnnitcs, xxxiv. 17-20; oxlv. 18; 1 Sam, xiv. 36; the PhceniciRns, the Arnmmnns, and the 1 l{ings xviii. 26-2(), 37; Jas, iv. 8), AssYrinns. There were thus mnnv DMls. "True right has ite roots iu God; ancl with Foliowed: ,rnll.wl a(ll'f"; n ('omruon "Diblical the obscuration of tho lmowle,lge of God, expression for religions nrl.hci-eneo nnrl. scr- law nnd right, with their divinely estab- Yi<'c> (<'f. ,kr. Yiii. 2; ix. 14; and with n lished· foundations, nro aleo shaken nnd ,liffPrPnt formula. Numb. xxxii. 12; Deut. i. obscured (cf. Rom. i. 26-32)" (Keil). ::ir.; ,Josh. xiv. S; Jung. ii. .12, etc.). Ye Vcrs. 9-14.-The possession of tho oraeles that did cleave unto Jehovah yourOod. "To of God by Israel wns o. benefit to them only clca 1·c, unto one" is expressive of the closest, most intimate ntta<'hment and communion ns these were kept in mind and reverently (cf. Gen. ii. 24; ISR.. xiv. 1). The phrase is obeyed. Therefore they were to tnke heed freq uen tl )" used of devotion to the service and diligently beware of forgetting the nnd worship of the true God (ef. Dcut. x. 20; circumstances under which the Law had Josh. xxii. 5; xxiii. 8; Acts ii. 23, etc.); been received nt Horeb. God had then here it expresses the contrast between the conduct of those who remained faithful to commanded the people to be galhored to- Jchornh and those who forsook him to wor- gether, so tho.t they stood before the Lord, 6l1ip Baal. Are alive every one of yon thia were in his manifested presence, and were day. "Thus they that keep themselves made to hear his voice spenkiilg to them pure in general defections, are saved from from nmidst the fire e.nd the clouds tho.t the common destruction (Ezck. ix. 4-6; 2 Tim. ii. 19; Rev. xx. 4)" (Ainsworth). covered the mouut. They had thus actual Ycrs. 5, 6.-Thc institutes of Moses were evidence and guarantee that the Law they the commandments of Jehovah, and there- had received was Divine; o.nd this they fore obedience to them was imperative. Dy were to keep in mind as long as they lived, this was conditioned the enjoyment by nnd to communicate to their children in nll Israel of the promised land; and this would coming time, that so they might fear the be their wisdom and llllderstanding in the eight of the n&ti011S ; to themsel vee it would Lord; for on this rested that covennnt be life, nnd to the nations it would convey which God had made with Isracl,.and which an impression of their being the deposit.cries they were to keep as the condition of their of true wisdom nnd knowledge, so that they continuing to enjoy privilege and lif..i. should be constrained to say, Surely a Ver. 9.-Keep thy soul diligently; i.e. Be wise and lllldeIBta.nding people is thia great very careful to preserv«o thy life ( cf. Job ii. 6; nation. "The fruit of the righteous is a Prov. xiii. 3; xvi.17; xix.16; in all which tree of life; and he that is wise winneth passages the same formula is 1I.Sed as here). souls" (Prov. xi. 30). God's statutes make The Hebrew (zi!)J) means primarily breath, wise the simple (Ps. xix. 8; cxiL 98, 99); nnd they who are thus made wise attract then vital principle, natural life (imima), the attention of others by the fame of their tben soul life, the soul or mind (animus,. wisdom. Thus the Queen of Sheba heard The forgetting of the wonders tbey had seen in her distant country of the wisdom of would lead to their forgetting God, and so Solomon, and came io him to commune with to their departing from him, and this would him of all that was in her heart (I Kings x. mar e.nd ultimately destroy their life (cf. 1, etc.); and many throughout the ages who Josh. xxiii.11-IG). The things which thine were seeking after truth among the heathen, eyes have seen (see Exod. xix. 10, etc.), were drawn to Israel by seeing how with Ver. 10.-Specia.Uy the de.y. The word 1hcru was tho true knowledge of God. "specially," introduced by the translators Israel was thus exalted because God was into the Authorized Version, is a needless nigh to them, ready to hear their cry and interpolation. With this verse begins o. to gi .-e them what they needed; which none new sentence, which is continued in vcr. of the gods of the nations were or could be 11 on to the end of ver. 13. Render, On to tbc,ir votaries; and because, in the Law the day [i.e. at the time, the ci• is an ad- "'hich God had gi\'en them, they had such verbial o.cousative] when ye stood before irrntruction and direction as no heathen Jehovah your God i,, Horeb, . . . when ye nation possessed. came near and stood, . . . then Jehovah spalco Yero. 7, 8.-Translate, For what great t,o you, etc. -r,aliou iB there that 1.ath god,, a.at draw ~ar Ver. 11.-The mountain burned with fire tu it,~ Jelio~ah our God wlteneoer we call unto the midst [unto the bee.rt] of hee.ven; upon l,im Y .And what !Jreat nation u thert i.e. up to thll very akiee; a rhetorical dl3-  ,JI. IV. l-2J.) '1'118 DOOK OF Dl◄:uTRilONOMY. G9