An exhortation to obedience in regard to God's mercy and goodness in his dealings with Israel.
1ALL1 the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.
1 Hebr. every commandment, which I, etc. Or, Each commandment.
2And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to 2prove thee, to 3know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
2 Spoken of God after the manner of men. See Gen. 22 on verse 1.
3 That thou thyself and others might know, that is, that it might be made known, etc. Also Deut. 13:3; Judges 3:4; 2 Chron. 32:31.
3And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna,a which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know thatb man doth not live 4by bread only, but by every word that 5proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
a Exod. 16:14, 15.
b Mat. 4:4; Luke 4:4.
4 Hebr. of, through, as we also speak: live by bread, to maintain oneself.
5 Or, cometh forth. Hebr. of, by, or, through all issues from the LORD’S mouth, that is, by all that God is pleased to ordain and bless for that end and purpose, not only in an ordinary way, but also above or beyond the common rule, yea, without means wheresoever it pleased Him.
4Thyc raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot 6swell, these forty years.
c Deut. 29:5; Neh. 9:21.
6 The Hebrew word properly signifies the swelling up, puffing up, rising of dough by means of leaven mixed with it. As if Moses would say, that their feet were neither distressed nor hurt at all by the difficulty and discomfort of all their marching and traveling.
5Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, 7as a man chastenethd his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
7 With such kind of love, in such a manner and unto such an end, as a gracious father chastens his son. See Prov. 3:11, 12; Heb. 12:5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, etc.
d correct by punishing
6Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, 8to walk in his 9ways, and to fear him.
8 Or, walking in his ways and fearing him.
9 See Gen. 18 on verse 19.
7For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that 10spring 11out of valleys and hills;
10 Or, issue forth, spring forth.
11 Hebr. in valley and in hill.
8A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of 12oil olive, and honey;
12 Hebr. olive trees of oil.
9A land wherein thou shalt eat 13bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are 14iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
13 See Gen. 3 on verse 19.
14 That is, where iron is found in or among the stones, or, where the stones are as iron.
1015Whene thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt 16bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
15 Other, When thou shalt eat and be satisfied and, etc.
e Deut. 6:12, 13.
16 Or, praise.
11Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his 17commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
17 See Deut. 5 on verse 31.
12Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; whof brought thee forth water out of the 18rock of flint;
f Exod. 17:6; Num. 20:11; Psalm 78:15, 114:8.
18 Or, the flinty rock, that is, the solid, stony rock.
16Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna,g which thy fathers knew not, 19that he might humble thee, and that he might 20prove thee, to do thee good 21at thy latter end;
g Exod. 16:14, 15.
19 See verses 2 and 3.
20 See verse 2.
21 Hebr. in thine utmost, in thy extremity, hindmost, that is, afterward.
1722And thou say 23in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this 24wealth.
22 This must be joined with the beginning of verses 12 and 14.
23 See Deut. 7:17.
24 See Psalm 73 on verse 12.
18But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19And it shall be, if thou do 25at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall 26surely perish.
25 Hebr. forgetting forget.
26 Hebr. perishing shall perish.
20As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.