The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 88

EXPOSITION. Vere. 25-31.-Moses enforces the wo.m- of number, I.e. that may be countecl; few as ir,g ngoiust iclolotry, by predicting the evil compared with the heathen among whom tho.t should come upon the no.tion through they should be dispersed (Gen. xxxiv. 30). Shall lead you. The verb here (;;:i,, Piel of the a.posto.cy of those who should in after i::,?) is frequently used in the sense of con- times tum from Jehovo.h to strange gods. ducting gently and kindly (Isa.. xlix. 10; When they should have begotten children !xiii. 14; Ps. xlviii. H; lxxviii. 52); but o.ncl children's children, o.nd had been long it also means to drive, to carry off, to convey in the lo.ncl, 1·.e. when in after years a gene- forcibly (Exod. xiv. 25; Gen. xxxi. 26 ; ration should Arise thot had not known the Exod. x. J 3; Ps. lxxviii. 26); the connec- things they had seen, or had forgotten them tion shows that it is in the latter sense it is to be to.ken here. Dispersed among the (ver. 9), and the nation should then become heathen, they, who ha.cl dishonoured God wanton ancl col'l'upt, and fall into idolatry by making o.n image to represent him, (cf. eh. vi.10, etc.; viii. 7, etc.; xxxi. 20, 21; should lie compelled to do service to mere xxxii. Hi, etc.; Hos. xiii. 6); then should dead idols, the work of men's hands, which they utterly perish from off the lo.ncl of not only could not hear or see, as Goel cau, which they were now about to take pos- but also could not perform eveu such animal functions ns eating and smelling (Ps. cxv. session. 4-7; Jer. x. 3-9). These idols a.re co.lied Ver. 25.-Have remained long in the land; "gods" by Moses, because they were so literally, have become old, o.n ancient nation, counted by those who worshipped them; etc. To provoke him to anger; i.e. so as that elsewhe1·e he stigmatizes them as "abomi- he should be displeased and grieved, and nations," things to be loathed and abhorred roused to punish. (□•1:ipci, eh. xxvii. 15; xxix.17). As had been Ver. 26.-I call heaven and earth to their sin, so should be their punishment; witness. Moses speaks in the no.me of the as they had dishonoured Goel, so should they Lord of nil, and so co.lls to witness the be themselves dishonoured ; a.s they hacl whole created universe to attest his words; worshipped by a.n image him who is spirit the heavens and earth a.re witnesses for Goel, and without form, they should be mnde to ancl when evil comes on those who transgress sink down to an utterlymo.terio.lized worship, his Law, they cleclo.re his righteousness (Ps. that of mere idols, the work of men's hands; 1. 4, 6), in that what has befallen the sinner as they had apostatized from the one holy is only what was announced beforehand as nnd true God, they should be degraded to the penalty of transgression. Soon; hastily become the servo.nts of o.bomino.tions, objects (1'.]7? ), without delay ( cf. eh. vii. 4, 22 [" o.t of loo.thing and o.bhorrence (Jer. xvi. 13; once," Authorized Vers.J; ix. S ["quickly"], Acts vii. 42). Goel, however, 'l'l'ould not 12, 16). Prolong days; usually equal to have utterly cast them off: if, in their misery and 11 long life (cf. eh. v. 16; vi. 2; xi. 9; degradation, they should repent and turn xvii. 20, etc.); here it means" continue long again to him and seek him sincerely and to occupy." Only as they continued fo.ith- earnestly, they should find him; for he ful to Jehovah could they continue o.s a is a merciful God, and mindful of the P?ople to possess the '.land ; severed from covenant which he swe.re unto their fathe:rs him, they lost their title to occupy Co.no.an, ( cf. Lev. xxvi. 39, etc.). o.ncl ceased to be his special people ; o.s I\ Ver. 29.-With all thy heart and with all nCLtion they would be destroyed by being thy soul. As true religion consists in loving scattered among other nBtions. From Lev. the Lord with all the heart and soul, the xxvi. 33, etc., nnd oh. xxviii. 64, it is whole inner nature (eh. vi. 5; x. 12), so true evident that the nutho1· hnd in vie,,. "o.11 repentance consists in o. turoing from sin the dispersions which would come upon the nnd o.11 ungodliness to God, in a coming rebellious no.tion in future times, even down from a state of enmity to him, or of indiffer- to the dispersion under the RomBns, which ence to his claims, to honour, reverence, contiuues still; so that Moses contempll\ted nnd serve him intelligeutly and sincerely, tho punishment in its fullest extent" (Keil). thinking of him 1l.l'ight, adoring his per- Ver. 27.-Few in number; littJrnlly, men fections, delighting in him aa the alone  THE DOOR OF DEUTEUONOMY, [en. IV, 25-4D.