The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 222

EXPOSITION. way of obedience. These they were to ANNOUNCEMENT OF PARTICULAR observe all the days of their life upon the LAWS. lo.nd that was to be given them; the land was the Lord's, and there, ns long ns they CHAPTER XII.-CHAPTER XXVI. possessed it, the Law of the Lord was to be paramount. Mosca, having in his :first address cast a Vers. 2, 3.-ln order to this, Isro.el was, glance at the events which hnd transpired as soon as the lo.nd was possessed, to destroy between Sinai and the plains of l\foab, all the objects and means of idolatrous and in his second recapitnlated whl\t had worship in the land. Upon the high moun- happened at Sinai, repeated the Decalogue, tains, and upon the hills, and under every and urgently counselled the peqile to be green tree ( cf. Iso.. 1vii. 7: J er. ii. 20 ; iii. 6; xvii. 2; Hos. iv. 13; 2 Kings xvi. 4: obedient to the Divine commandment, and xvii. 10). The heathen ho.d their places of steadfast in their o.dherence to Jehovah as worship on lofty elevations, probably be- their God and King; proceeds now to set cause they imagined they were thus nearer forth certain laws which it specially be- to the object of their worship; and they hornd them to observe. These are for the sought also the shade of woods or thick- folio.ged trees (Ezek. vi 13), under which most part the same as those already re- to perform their rites, as tending to inspire corded in the previous books; but a few are awe, and as in keeping with the mysterious new, and are to be found only here. No character of their rites. These places of specia.l order or plan of exposition is here heathen worship in Canaan the Israelites observed ; the speaker uses that freedom of were utterly to destroy, along with the images of their deities and other objects of discourse which was :fitting in a popular idolo.trons worship. Burn their groves; their address. One or two historical narratives asherahs, idol-pillArs of wood (cf. eh. vii. 5). o.r~ interpolated; but the address as a whole Vers. 4-6.-The heathen placed their is hortatory, and is designed to direct to altars o.nd offered their worship wherever the proper regulation of the ecclesiastical, they thought :fit, according to their notions of the deity and his service; but Israel we.s social, and domestic life of tbe Israelites not to do so unto Jehovah their God: he when they should be settled in Canaan. himself would choose the places where he was to be worshipped, and there alone CHAPTER XII. might they come with offering and service. As the revealed God-the God whose being PLACES AND MoNCMENTS OF IDOLATRY TO and perfections had been me.de known, not BE DESTROYED; JEHO'l'AH TO BE WOB• by e. vague revelation of him in nature SHIPPED IN THE OSE PLACE WHICH HE merely, but expressly by his putting or SIIALL CHOOSE; USTRcCTIONS AS TO THE recording his Name historically o.nd locally 'CSE OF FLESH FOB FooD; AND CAUTIONS among men (cf. Exod. xx. 24)-so should AGAIS:iT BEING ENSNARED INTO FOLLOW• there be o. definite place chosen and ap- pointed by him where he would come to JNG TIIE liEATllEN IN THElll MANNER OF receive the worship of his people, where he SEil'\'ICE. would record his Name,o.nd where he would Yer. 1.-These are the statutes and judg- be known for a Refuge o.nd e. Helper to all ments (cf. cli. iv. l; vi. 1). Moses, as the who put their trust in him (Ps. xlviii. 3; ser•aut of God, had taught Israel statutes lxxvi.1, etc.; Dan. ix. 18). The Name of 111.Jd rights, as God had commanded him God is God himself as revealed; o.nd he (eh. i.. 5) ; and now he recapitulates the puta his Name on any place where he principal of these for tlieir guidance in the specially manifest. himself e.s present (of. 1 FJ'OID Randolph's selectiams, entitled• Unto the Desired HAven,' p. 119. 011. xn. 1-32.] THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 21G