The 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 as fundament- Moses composed e.n ode, which he recited in ally as the Decalogue to all hws, and the the hearing of the people, and committed to Lord's Prayer to all prayers. The legblator writing, to reme.in with them a.a a witness has here condensed in a song the prophetic for God e.gainst them, With this end in contents of his last arldress ( eh. xxvii.- view, the ode is directed principally to e. xxviii., u:ix., xxx.), wherewith he lives on in contrasting of the uuc!rnuging faithfulness the memory and mouth of the people. He of the Almighty with the auticipatecl per- here sets before them their whole history to versity nud unfaithfulness of his people. the end of tha days. In this ocle, each age of 'fhe poem may be divided into six parts. Israel has a mirror of its present condition I. An introduction (vers. 1-3), in which and future fate. This mirror prophecy hohfa the iruportanoe of the doctrine to be de- up before its contemporaries" (Delitzsch, livered is announced. 2. The blamelessness ' J esaias,' a. 33). and excellency of Jehovah are placed in con- Ver. 1.-Heaven and earth arc surumonecl trast with the corruptness and perversity of to hearken to h:s worcls, both because of Israel (vers. 4, 5). 3. The folly and in- their importance, and because heaven and gratitude of the rebellious people is dwelt earth were interested, so to speak, as upon (vers. 7-18). 4. The purpose of God witnesses of the manifestation of God's rio-hteonsuess and faithfulness about to be to punish and reject the rebellious genera- celebrated (cf. eh. iv. 26; xxx. 19; xlli 28, tion is declared (vers. 19-23). 5. '.l'ile fulfil- 29 ; Isa. i. 2 ; J er. ii. 12 ; x::xii. 29). ment of this purpose in the juclgments Ver. 2.-My doctrine shall drop as the rain which should come upon the rebels, whilst The Hebrew verb here and in eh. miii.. 1ii.ercy and favour should be showed to those 28 is properly rendered by" drop;" it ex- presses the gentle foiling of a genial shower thiit repented and were humbled under the or the soft distillation of dew. The clause hand of God (vera. 24-34). 6. And finally, is best taken imperatively, as it is by the tho judgment which God would execute on LXX., the Vulgate, and Oukelos: Let my tho enemies of Israel, and the mercy he doctrine drop as the rain, let my speech distil, woulcl show to his servants (vera. 35-43). etc. The point of coruparison here is not the quickening, fructifying, vivifying influence In this ode-" carmine plane clivino" of the rain aill] dew, so much as the effec- (Lowth)-1\Iosea displays the genius of the tive force of these a~cnls ns sent from poet, as in the other parts of this book he has heaven to prodnce res~lts: So mi~ht his showecl the sagaeity of the legislator o.nd the doctrine come with power rnto the mrnds of skill of the orator. Vigour of diction, eleva- his hearers. Doctrine (r,p_~, from rip_"', t,, tion of sentiment, vivacity of r.;presentation, take); that which takes one _(Prov. _vii. 21, beauty and sublimity ofimagery,chuructcrize "fair speech," by which one 1~ captt!ate'.l), or which one takes or receives, viz. m- this ode throughout. Nor is the piety less strnctiou (Prov. iv. 2; Isa. :n:ix. 24). Sma.ll noticeuble than the poetry ; zenl for God, rain; gentle showers, such ns conduce to tl10 earnest desire for his honour, and devout growing of herbs. The Hebrew word( □'':''>'.,") r!lverenoe of his majesty pcrvude 11nd insvire primarily menus hairs, aucl is here used o( Ill>UT!>RONOMV, ~ lt 498 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [err. Xllll, 1-52.