Deuteronomy Capitolo 32

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本章包含以下內容：一、摩西奉神之命傳給以色列人的歌，作為對他們長存的警戒，叫他們謹防離棄神。這歌佔了本章大部分，其中包含：1. 引言（申三十二1–2）。2. 對神崇高的描寫，與之相對，則是對以色列人卑劣的描寫（申三十二3–6）。3. 重述神為他們所行的大事，與之相對，則是論他們對神的不良態度（申三十二7–18）。4. 預言神要因他們的罪降下毀滅荒涼的審判——其中神因他們不敬虔的種種加重情節而得着稱義（申三十二19–33）。5. 應許終必毀滅他們的仇敵和欺壓者，並使以色列中的餘民得着榮耀的拯救（申三十二36–43）。二、摩西將這歌傳給他們時所作的勸勉（申三十二44–47）。三、神吩咐摩西上尼波山並在那裏去世的命令（申三十二48–52等）。

Originale inglese

In this chapter we have, I. The song which Moses, by the appointment of God, delivered to the children of Israel, for a standing admonition to them, to take heed of forsaking God. This takes up most of the chapter, in which we have, 1. The preface, De 32:1,2. 2. A high character of God, and, in opposition to that, a bad character of the people of Israel, De 32:3-6. 3. A rehearsal of the great things God had done for them, and in opposition to that an account of their ill carriage towards him, De 32:7-18. 4. A prediction of the wasting destroying judgments which God would bring upon them for their sins, in which God is here justified by the many aggravations of their impieties, De 32:19-33. 5. A promise of the destruction of their enemies and oppressors at last, and the glorious deliverance of a remnant of Israel, De 32:36-43. II. The exhortation with which Moses delivered this song to them, De 32:41-47. III. The orders God gives to Moses to go up to Mount Nebo and die, De 32:48-52, etc.

1-52

The Song of Moses (1451 BC)

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摩西的歌（主前1451年）

¹ 諸天哪，側耳！我要說話；願地也聽我口中的言語。 ² 我的教訓要淋漓如雨；我的言語要滴落如露，如同細雨落在嫩草上，如同甘霖降在菜蔬中。 ³ 我要宣告耶和華的名；你們要將大德歸與我們的神。 ⁴ 他是磐石，他的作為完全，他所行的盡都公平；他是誠實無偽的神，又公義、又正直。 ⁵ 這百姓向自己敗壞了；他們不是他的兒女，他們有了瑕疵；這是彎曲乖僻的一代。 ⁶ 愚昧無知的民哪，你們這樣報答耶和華嗎？他豈不是你的父、將你買來的嗎？他豈不是造你、建立你的嗎？

此處記的是：一、摩西這歌的命令式序言或引言（申 32:1–2）。他以兩件事開始：1. 鄭重地呼天喚地，為他將要說的話的真實和重要性作證，並為神對悖逆背道之百姓所行的公義作證——因為他曾說過（申 31:28），他要在這歌中呼天喚地作見證責備他們。天地比這悖逆而無知識的百姓更肯聽；因為天地並未違背對造物主的順服，反倒今日仍按他的法度、作他的僕人（詩 119:89–91），所以要在審判中起來定悖逆以色列的罪。天地要作見證控告罪人——見證警戒已經賜下，而他們拒絕了這警戒（伯 20:27）：天要顯明他的罪孽，地要興起攻擊他。 或者此處的天地是代表兩者的居民——天使和人；二者都要同意在神對以色列所行的事上稱神為義，並宣告他的公義（詩 50:6）。參啟 19:1–2。2. 他鄭重地把他將要說的話應用到百姓身上（申 32:2）：我的教訓要淋漓如雨。「對悖逆的人，它要成為橫掃的暴雨」——一位亞蘭文意譯者如此解第一句。雨水有時是為審判降下的，如淹沒世界之洪水所見證的；照樣神的話，對某些人是甦醒和舒暢——作了活的香氣叫人活——對別人卻是令人恐懼和致死的——作了死的香氣叫人死。對那些正確預備好領受的人，它要成為甘甜舒適的甘露。當注意：（1）這歌的主題是教訓；他從前已給他們一首讚美和感恩的歌（出 15:1–21），但這是一首教導的歌，因為在詩篇、頌詞、靈歌之中，我們不但要將榮耀歸給神，更要彼此教導、互相勸戒（西 3:16）。所以大衛許多詩篇的標題是訓誨詩——為要給人教訓。（2）這教訓恰當地被比作從上而來的雨水和陣雨，使地結實纍纍，成就他所打發的（賽 55:10–11），又不隨人的智慧或意志而定（彌 5:7）。得著這雨常常降在我們身上，乃是恩惠；當喝下這雨，乃是我們的本分（來 6:7）。（3）他應許他的教訓要如露和小雨滴落——安靜無聲地降下。所傳的道若溫和地來到、甜蜜地潛入聽眾的心和情感中，便容易使人得益。（4）他要求他們接納並款待它，使之在他們看來如雨對乾渴之地那樣甘甜、美好、受歡迎（詩 72:6）。神的話這樣蒙悅納之時，便可能對我們有益。（5）博學的畢卓克主教將此理解為一項禱告：求他那從天上差來的言語能滲入他們心中，使他們柔軟——如雨使地柔軟一般——以致他們在順服上結實纍纍。

二、一項可畏的宣告，論到神的偉大和公義（申 32:3–4）。

他以此開始，並以此為第一原則：（1）為保守神的尊榮，使他的名不因他百姓以色列的惡而被褻瀆；無論那些稱為他名下的人何等邪惡敗壞，他仍是公義正直、一切良善的，並不因他們的壞而被看輕。（2）為加重以色列的罪——他們認識並敬拜如此聖潔的神，自己卻如此不聖潔。（3）為稱神在他們身上所行的為義；我們必須堅守這原則：神是公義的，即使他的判斷如同深淵（耶 12:1，詩 36:6）。
摩西在此立志要宣告耶和華的名（申 32:3），使以色列知道他們所承認歸自己的神是何等的一位神，便永不至愚昧到用假神——糞堆之神——來交換他。所以他呼籲他們將偉大歸給他。為防止犯罪、保守我們在本分之路上，常常對神存高貴可敬的思想，並把握一切機會表達這些思想，乃是極有用的：要將大德歸與我們的神。 我們不能加添他的偉大，因為它是無限的；但我們當承認它，並因它將榮耀歸給他。如今摩西要展示神的偉大之時，他不是藉著解釋神的永遠和無所不在，或描述他在上界的榮耀之光，而是藉著顯明他話語的信實、他作為的完全、和他一切治理行政的智慧和公正；因為在這些事上他的榮耀最清楚地向我們照耀，這些也是關乎他的啟示，是屬於我們和我們子孫的（申 29:29 [譯註：原文 De 32:4 乃筆誤]）。（1）他是磐石。 他在本章中六次被如此稱呼，七十士譯本通譯作Theos——神。博學的布勞頓先生推算，舊約中神被稱為磐石共十八次（除本章之外），雖然在某些地方我們譯作力量；所以當羅馬天主教人士把彼得當作教會建造其上的磐石時，他們其實是把彼得當作神。神是磐石，因為他自己是不能改變、不能搖動的；對一切尋求他、投奔他的人，他是不能穿透的避難所；對一切信靠他的人，他是永遠的根基。（2）他的作為完全。 他創造之工如此——都甚好；他護理之工也如此——或在適當時候將要如此；當神的奧秘成全之時，他作為的完全必向全世界顯明。神所作的，沒有一樣可以改良（傳 3:14）。神如今正在為他百姓以色列成全他所應許、所起頭的工；他們當從這工的完全中，因他一切作為的完全而將榮耀歸給他。人所作的最好的工也不完全，有瑕疵和缺陷，常未完成；但至於神，他的作為完全；他既起頭，必成結局。（3）他所行的盡都公平。 他所行的結局都是公義的，他在選擇達到那些結局的手段上也是智慧的。公平一詞既指審慎，也指公義。耶和華的道路是正直的（何 14:9）。（4）他是誠實無偽的神——他的話我們可以信靠，因為那對一切應許信實的不能說謊，他的警戒也不至落空。（5）他是無偽的——從未欺騙過信靠他的，從未虧負過投告他公義的，也從未苛刻過投靠他憐憫的。（6）又公義、又正直。 他既不會因刑罰人過於他們所當受的而虧負任何人，也不會不報賞一切事奉他或為他受苦的人。他誠然公義正直；因為他必有效地照管，使無人因他而有損失。看申 32:4 給我們對所敬拜之神的觀念是何等光明而可親；我們既有此認識，便有何等理由去愛他、敬畏他、過一種以他為樂、倚靠他、獻身於他的生活！他是我們的磐石，在他毫無不義（詩 92:15）；也不可能有不義。

三、一項對以色列人所提起的重大控告——他們的品格在各方面都與以色列的神相反（申 32:5）。1. 這百姓向自己敗壞了。 或作它敗壞了自己——這百姓全體如此：頭腦盡都患病，全心發昏（賽 1:5–6 [譯註：直譯之意]）。並不是神敗壞了他們，因為他所行的盡都公平；他們乃是自己罪惡和滅亡的唯一作者；這兩者都包含在這字之內。他們放縱自己；因為各人受試探，乃是被自己的私慾牽引誘惑的。又他們毀滅了自己（何 13:9）。你若褻慢，必獨自擔當罪責與憂傷（箴 9:12）。2. 他們不是他的兒女，他們有了瑕疵。 神的兒女在這不完全的狀態中也有瑕疵；因為我們若說自己無罪、無瑕疵，便是自欺。但以色列的罪並不屬於這一類——那不是他們努力對抗、警醒禱告抵抗的軟弱，而是他們的心滿了要行的惡。因為 3. 他們是彎曲乖僻的一代——受一種悖逆之靈所驅使，所以禁的偏要行，把自己的脾氣和幻想與神的旨意對抗，不能忍受責備，恨惡改正，在他們心中頑自行事。亞蘭文意譯者如此讀申 32:5：他們分散或改變了自己，卻不是他——就是那事奉偶像的兒女，這一代使自己的行為敗壞，使自己與他疏遠。 拜偶像的人不能傷害神，不能損害他的作為，也不能使他對這世界成為陌生人（伯 35:6）。不，他們所傷害的，全是他們自己和自己的作為。博學的畢卓克主教另有一譯：他豈曾對他行過甚麼損害嗎？ 即「以色列所遭遇的災禍，磐石神能被責怪嗎？不能；他的兒女是他們的污點」——即「臨到他們的一切災禍，都是他們兒女邪惡的果子；因為他們這整代都是彎曲悖逆的。」凡滅亡的人都滅亡自己；他們死，因為他們要死。

四、對這悖逆之百姓忘恩的痛切詰問（申 32:6）：你們這樣報答耶和華嗎？ 你們今後對他必不至如此卑鄙、如此不誠實地行事罷。1. 他提醒他們，神已加給他們事奉他、緊貼他的義務。神作過他們的父，生了他們，養育他們，懷搋他們，乳養他們，又容忍他們的頂撞；他們竟要踢開慈父的心腸嗎？他曾買贖他們——曾以極大神蹟的代價領他們出埃及，曾使列邦人代替他們，使列國人代替他們的性命（賽 43:4）。他豈不是你的父，你的主人（有人如此譯）——對你有無可爭辯的主權？牛認識主人（賽 1:3）。他造了你，使你存在；建立你，使你繼續存在——他豈沒有這樣行嗎？ 你們豈能否認你們對他所負的責任——因他為你們所行、所謀的大事？我們既為受洗的基督徒，對造我們的創造主、贖我們的救贖主、堅固我們的成聖者，所負的責任豈不一樣重大嗎？2. 由此他推論出離棄他、背叛他的邪惡。因為：（1）這是卑鄙的忘恩：你們這樣報答耶和華嗎？ 這就是你們對他一切恩惠的回報嗎？你們從他所得的能力，要用來反對他嗎？參彌 6:3，約 10:32。這是舉世都要喊羞的怪物般的惡行：你稱一個人為忘恩，便不能再稱他更壞的了。（2）這是驚人的狂妄：愚昧無知的民哪！ 愚昧人，雙重的愚昧人！誰又迷惑了你們呢？（加 3:1）。「實在愚昧——竟得罪你們如此必要倚靠的那一位！竟為虛謊的虛無離棄自己的福氣！」注意，一切故意犯罪的人——特別是以色列中的罪人——是世上最不智慧、最忘恩的百姓。

⁷ 你當追想上古之日，思念歷代之年；問你的父親，他必指示你；問你的長者，他必告訴你。 ⁸ 至高者將地業賜給列邦、將世人分開的時候，就照以色列人的數目，定立萬民的疆界。 ⁹ 耶和華的分、本是他的百姓；他的產業、本是雅各。 ¹⁰ 耶和華遇見他在曠野、荒野野獸吼叫之地；就環繞他、看顧他、保護他，如同保護眼中的瞳人。 ¹¹ 又如鷹攪動巢窩，在雛鷹之上兩翅搧展，接取雛鷹，背在兩翼之上。 ¹² 這樣，耶和華獨自引導他，並無外邦神與他同在。 ¹³ 耶和華使他乘駕地的高處，得吃田間的土產；又使他從磐石中咂蜜，從堅石中吸油； ¹⁴ 也吃牛的奶油、羊的奶、羊羔的脂油、巴珊所出的公綿羊和山羊，與上好的麥子；你也喝葡萄汁釀的純酒。

摩西既已總括地向他們展示神為他們的大恩主——他們在感恩上有責任記念並順服他——便在這幾節中具體列舉神向他們所施的恩慈和眷顧的實例。1. 有些是古遠的，為證實它們，他訴諸於記錄（申 32:7）：你當追想上古之日；即「當記念那些日子的歷史，以及神在古時世界、並在你們祖宗亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各身上奇妙的護理；你們必發現一連串的憐憫隨著他們，並看見事情早已為如今所成就之事工作多久了。」注意，古代的真實歷史大有用途，特別是教會在嬰孩期的歷史——無論舊約或新約教會。2. 別的較為近代，為證實它們，他訴諸於他們如今還活著、與他們同在的父老和長者。父母當殷勤教訓兒女——不僅神的話、他的律法（申 6:7），和他典禮的意義（出 12:26–27），更是他的作為、和他護理的法則。參詩 78:3–4、6–7。兒女也當渴慕認識這些事，因它們能激發他們盡本分，並在他們盡本分上引導他們。

此處論到神向他百姓以色列所施恩慈的三件事，作為強有力的理由，使他們永不離棄他：

一、早早將迦南地定為他們的產業；因為在這件事上它是天上產業的預表和影像——那產業是從亙古在神旨意中命定和預備的（申 32:8）。當注意：

當地在洪水之後、法勒的日子分給人類的兒子之時——每個家族得著一分，在其中定居，漸漸成為一國——那時神心裏已想到以色列，眼目已看顧他們；因為他既設計這塊美地——他們如今將要進去得為業的——在適當時候作他們的產業，便安排迦南的後裔（而不是當時存在的別的家族）先行在那裏栽植，可以說是代為佔據，直到以色列預備好得著它；因為那些家族在挪亞的咒詛之下，已被定為奴僕、定為滅亡（創 9:25），所以當以色列得地的時候滿足之時，他們被拔出，便更為公義、更為體面、更為容易、更為有效。這樣他照著所設計的以色列人數，為那百姓定立疆界，使他們得著正好足夠的分。又有人觀察到，迦南自己和他的十一個兒子（創 10:15–18 等），正好合成以色列十二支派的數目。注意：（1）神的智慧已經劃定人居住的疆界，並定準我們在世上活著的地點和時間（徒 17:26）。當他將地賜給世人之時（詩 115:16），不是任憑各人盡力搶奪；不，他將地業賜給列國，並要人人都認識自己的分，不可侵犯別人的權利。（2）無限的智慧有極廣遠的視野，預先設計很久以後才成就的事。創世以來，神一切的工作都為神所知道（徒 15:18），但對我們卻非如此（傳 3:11）。（3）偉大的神在治理世界、安排國家和國度的事務之時，特別顧念他的教會和百姓，在一切事上為他們的好處著想。參代下 16:9，賽 45:4。迦南人以為自己對那地的所有權，與鄰舍對他們地的所有權一樣穩妥美好；但神的旨意是他們不過作租戶，等到以色列——他們的地主——來到。這樣，神藉著那些不認識他、也不愛他的人——他們的意思並不是這樣，他們的心也不這樣想（賽 10:7，彌 4:12）——成就他對百姓施恩的旨意。
神對這百姓——他們在世界還未出生或被想到（可以說）之前——如此特別看顧的理由，更大大彰顯了這恩慈，使之成為無可言喻的責任（申 32:9）：耶和華的分、本是他的百姓。 全世界都是他的。他是天地的主人和擁有者，但他的教會以特別的方式屬於他。那是他的地業、他的葡萄園、他關閉的園子。他對它有特別的喜悅：那是他靈魂所愛的，他在其中行走，住在其中，那是他永遠的安息。他對它有特別的關懷，保護它如眼中的瞳人。他對它有特別的期望，如人對自己產業的期望——他從那分別出來的餘民所得的尊榮、榮耀和敬拜的「租金」，遠超從全世界其餘的人所得的。神作他百姓的產業，這容易解釋，因為他乃是他們的喜樂和福分；但他們怎能作他的產業——他既不缺少他們，又不能從他們得益——這必須歸因於白白恩典奇妙的俯就。父阿，是的，因為你的美意如此——這樣呼召他們、把他們算為他的產業。

二、將他們塑造成一個百姓，使他們合格在父所定的時候，如成年的嗣子一般承受這產業。在這件事上，迦南也是天上產業的預表；因為正如它從亙古為一切神屬靈的以色列所設計、所定意，照樣他們也在時間之內（這乃是時間的工作）得著裝備，得以合格承受（西 1:12）。神藉著毀滅壓迫者、拯救以色列脫離為奴，這事既有許多感官可察覺的神蹟相隨，又已多次被論及，無需在這歌中再提；但神在他們身上所施的恩典作為，不如他為他們所施的榮耀作為那樣為人所注意，所以他寧可著重於前者。為塑造這百姓、將他們塑造成某種樣式、使他們合格承受在應許之地為他們所設計的大事，作了許多工作；此處以最優美的筆觸加以描述。

耶和華遇見他在曠野（申 32:10）。這無疑是指神領他們到迦南所經過的曠野，在其中他如此費心照管他們；這被稱為曠野中的教會（徒 7:38）。在那裏它出生、被乳養、受教育，使一切都顯為屬乎神、來自天上，因為他們在那裏無論為食物或學問，都與這地上的任何部分沒有來往。但因為說他在那裏遇見他們，看來也是為表明當神初次為他們顯現之時，這百姓的境況和性格都不佳。（1）他們的處境悽慘。埃及對他們乃是曠野、荒野野獸吼叫之地，因為他們在其中是奴僕，因受欺壓而哀呼，完全迷失、不知所措尋求解救；在那裏神遇見他們，又從那裏把他們帶出來。（2）他們的性情也不可樂。他們大多數人對屬神的事如此無知、遲鈍、不能受感動，又如此易怒乖僻、頑固好爭，更迷於埃及的偶像，所以可以說他們是在曠野被遇見的；因為人若能合理地盼望從荒涼的曠野得著莊稼的收成，也照樣可盼望從這樣性格的百姓得著事奉神的任何美果。那些蒙恩更新、成聖的人，當常常記念自己按本性是怎樣的人。
耶和華環繞他、看顧他。 神在曠野中得著他們之後，並非直接領他們到迦南，而是使他們繞了遠路，藉此教訓他們；即：（1）藉此他爭取時間教訓他們，照他們所能領受的程度，把誡命賜給他們。那受託教導別人的人，不可期望這事一蹴可幾；學習的人必須有時間學習。（2）藉此他試驗他們的信、忍耐和對神的倚靠，又使他們習慣曠野的艱難，這樣就教訓他們。每一站都有教訓的成分；即使當他責罰他們之時，也藉此用律法教訓他們。經上說（詩 107:7）他領他們走直路；然而此處說他繞道而行；因為神總是領百姓走正路，無論在我們看來多麼迂迴：所以最遠的繞道，若非最近的路，也是回迦南最好的路。至於神怎樣教訓他們，很久以後如此解釋（尼 9:13）：你也賜給他們正直的典章、真實的律法、美好的條例與誡命；特別是（尼 9:20）又賜下你良善的靈教訓他們；他的教訓是有效的。我們可以想像，那百姓若不先經過曠野的訓練，對迦南將是何等不合宜。
保護他如同保護眼中的瞳人——盡一切細心和溫柔，使他們免受露天天空和空氣的有害影響，以及荒涼之地的一切危險。雲柱火柱既是他們的引導，也是他們的護衛。
他為他們所作的，正如母鷹為其一窩雛鷹所作的（申 32:11–12）。這比喻出 19:4 已觸及：我……如鷹將你們背在翅膀上；此處加以擴充。觀察母鷹對雛鷹有極強的愛心，並且表現出來——不但如別的受造之物那樣保護它們、為它們預備食物，更教育它們、教它們飛。為此目的，它把在窩中打盹的雛鷹攪動起來，在它們之上搧翅，給它們看當如何使用翅膀，然後讓它們習慣在它的翅膀上飛行，直到它們學會自己飛行。順帶一提，這是父母當訓練兒女作事、不可放縱他們閒懶好逸的榜樣。神對以色列正是如此；當他們戀慕為奴、不肯離開之時，神藉摩西激發他們渴慕自由的心，又屢次阻止他們回到為奴之家。他把他们領出埃及、引進曠野，如今終於領他們經過了曠野。耶和華獨自引導他——他不需要任何幫助，也不帶任何同伴分享這項成就；這正是他們理當單單事奉耶和華、不事奉別神——甚至不可與他合夥事奉別神，更不可與他爭競——的好理由。在他拯救以色列的事上並無外邦神有分，所以在以色列的敬拜和尊崇上也當無別神有分（詩 81:9）。

三、使他們定居在美地上。這事已部分成就——兩個半支派已快樂地被栽植，作為即將迅速確實為其餘支派所成之事的憑據。1. 他們蒙福，勝過仇敵得著榮耀的勝利（申 32:13）：耶和華使他乘駕地的高處——即他帶著他們征服而歸、帶著他們凱旋而回。他騎過那抵擋他的高處或堅壘，舒適尊榮地坐在迦南肥美的山岡上。在埃及他們看來卑微，也實在卑微——貧窮而受辱；但在迦南他們看來偉大，也實在偉大——被高升、被富足；他們威風而行，如為萬王之王所喜悅尊榮的百姓。2. 又蒙福，得著各樣美物豐盛有餘。不但有田間普通的出產，更有不尋常的——從磐石中咂蜜，從堅石中吸油——這或指：（1）他們在曠野從磐石得著奇妙的新鮮水的供應，這被稱為蜜和油，因為他們所處的窘境使它如別時的蜜和油那樣甘甜而可悅。或（2）他們將在迦南得著豐盛的蜜和油，甚至在最不肥美的部分也有。迦南的磐石要比別國的田野和草場出產更好。迦南別的出產記在申 32:14。如此豐盛、如此多樣的健康食物（樣樣都是同類中最佳的），使每一餐都可成為筵席——若他們願意：用最好的穀所作的優良餅，此處稱為上好的麥子（因為一粒麥子並非不像一個腎），豐盛的奶油和奶，餵得肥美的牲畜的肉，而他們所喝的，也不次於葡萄汁釀的純酒；神對他們是如此體貼的父，如此恩慈的恩主。安斯渥把迦南美物的豐盛視為基督國度豐盛、以及他的道和靈屬天安慰的影像：為他國度的兒女，他有奶油和奶——純淨的靈奶；又為長大成人的有乾糧，並那能使心中喜樂的酒。

¹⁵ 但耶書崙漸漸肥胖、粗壯、光潤，便踢跳，背棄造他的神，輕看救他的磐石。 ¹⁶ 他們以別神惹他嫉恨，以可憎的事惹他發怒。 ¹⁷ 他們祭祀鬼魔，並非真神；是他們素來不認識的神，是近來新出的神，是你們列祖所不畏懼的。 ¹⁸ 你輕忽了生你的磐石，忘記了造就你的神。

我們在此看見對以色列不久將要發生的、並且他們如今已經傾向的背道之描述。人本以為一個在責任、感恩、利益上對神負有如此多義務的百姓，永不會偏離他；但唉！他們快快偏離了。 此處記他們邪惡的兩個大實例，每一項都構成對神的背道：

一、安逸和放縱、驕傲和蠻橫，以及豐足和繁盛所常見的別種濫用（申 32:15）。這百姓被稱為耶書崙——正直的百姓（有人如此譯）；看見的百姓——別人如此譯。但他們很快就失去了知識和正直兩方面的名聲；因為他們吃得飽足，1. 就漸漸肥胖、粗壯——即放縱自己於各樣奢侈和食慾的滿足，好像除了為肉體安排、放縱私慾之外別無可作。他們肥胖——即變得臃腫笨重，不務正業，也不勝其任；遲鈍愚昧，漫不經心，毫無知覺；這乃是他們豐足的結果。這樣，愚頑人安逸必害己命（箴 1:32）。然而這還不是最壞的。2. 他們踢跳——變得驕傲蠻橫，舉蹄甚至反對神自己。神若責備他們——或藉先知，或藉護理——他們便踢那刺，如未馴的母牛犢，如不慣負軛的牛犢；又在怒中逼迫先知，公然反抗護理本身。這樣他背棄了造他的神（不向造他的主盡當盡的敬意，也不達成受造的目的），並對救他的磐石加以不可容忍的輕蔑——好像他並不因過去的恩惠而欠他甚麼，將來也不倚靠他。那些在驕傲和放縱中以自己為神、以肚腹為神的人，聽見別人論及此事便不能忍受，這樣行無疑是背棄神，並顯出他們何等輕看他。

二、拜偶像乃是他們背道的大實例，也是前者所引致的，因為前者使他們厭棄自己的信仰、自恃任性、喜愛變遷。當注意：

當他們背棄那造他們的神之時，他們所揀選並獻祭的神明是怎樣的（申 32:16–17）。這加重了他們的罪——他們本當獻給真神的那些事奉，竟獻給：（1）別神——它們不能自稱對他們施過甚麼恩，或使他們負任何義務，他們對之一無所知，也不能期望從中得益，因為它們是陌生人。或被稱為別神，是因為它們不同於那獨一又真又活的神——他們已與之訂婚、理當對之忠誠的那一位。（2）新出的神——是新近纔有的；因為即使在宗教上——其古遠性本是它的尊榮之一——虛浮的心竟也奇特地愛好新奇，並在輕視亙古常在者的同時，喜愛新神。一位新神！能有比這更怪誕的荒謬嗎？我們要尋找得安息的正路，必須求問古道（耶 6:16）。誠然他們的祖宗曾事奉別神（書 24:2），兒女若回歸那些神，或許還稍有可推諉之處；但事奉他們列祖所不畏懼的新神，並因新而更喜愛它們，便是為無盡的偶像崇拜敞開大門。（3）它們根本不是神，不過是假冒和冒充者；它們的名是人幻想的發明，它們的像是人手所作的工。不但如此，（4）它們是鬼魔。它們遠非人類的父和恩主，其實是毀滅者（原文之意）——以行惡為目的的。若有任何靈或不可見的能力佔據他們偶像的廟宇和形像，那些都是邪靈和惡意的權勢——但他們並不需要因怕它們害人而敬拜它們，如傳說印度人所作的；因為那些忠心事奉神的人，已在魔鬼的勢力範圍之外：不，魔鬼只能毀滅那些向它獻祭的人。拜偶像的人何等狂妄，竟背棄拯救的磐石，去撞上毀滅的磐石！
這對他們的神耶和華是何等大的冒犯。（1）這被公正地解讀為忘記他（申 32:18）：你輕忽了生你的磐石。 記念神能防止犯罪，但當世界被事奉、肉體被放縱之時，神就被忘記；忘記那作我們生命之源、我們賴以存活、我們在他裏面生活動作存留的神，還有甚麼比這更卑鄙、更不配的呢？又要看其結果（賽 17:10–11）：因你忘記拯救你的神，不記念你能力的磐石——所以雖然你栽上美好的枝子，作為佳美的栽種，到了收成之日必在憂傷痛苦的日子成為一堆。忘記神毫無所得。（2）這被公正地視為不可推諉的過犯而懷恨：他們以別神惹他嫉恨，以可憎的事惹他發怒（申 32:16），因為他們的偶像在神眼中是可憎之物。看神對偶像的不悅——無論是設立在心中，還是設立在聖所裏。〔一〕他嫉妒它們，視它們為與他爭奪心中寶座的對手。〔二〕他恨惡它們，視它們為他的冠冕和國度的仇敵。〔三〕他必對一切對它們有所尊重或愛慕的人大發烈怒。那些激怒神的人並不知道自己所作的是甚麼；因為誰曉得你怒氣的權勢呢？

¹⁹ 耶和華看見了，就因他兒子女兒的可憎惡的事厭棄他們； ²⁰ 說：我要向他們掩面，看他們結局如何；他們本是極乖僻的一代，毫無信實的兒女。 ²¹ 他們以那不是神的激動我的嫉妒，以虛無的事惹動我的怒氣；我也要以那不成子民的激動他們的嫉妒，以愚頑的國民惹動他們的怒氣。 ²² 因為在我怒中有火燒起，直燒到極深的陰間，把地和地的出產盡都焚燒，山的根基也燒著了。 ²³ 我要將禍患堆在他們身上，把我的箭向他們射盡。 ²⁴ 他們必因飢餓枯瘦，被炎熱毒瘡吞吃；我所差遣的野獸必用牙齒咬他們，土中爬行的毒蛇也必用毒氣害他們。 ²⁵ 外頭有刀劍，內中有驚恐，使人喪亡，使少男童女、吃奶的和白髮的，盡都滅絕。

這歌的次序與前一章預言的次序相同，所以論到以色列背棄神（申 32:15–16 所描述的）之後，緊接著就是神的公義對他們所定的旨意；我們若以為神會被愚昧無信實、對他反覆無常的百姓如此戲弄，便是自欺。

一、他從前喜悅他們，如今卻要以憎惡和輕視棄絕他們（申 32:19）。當耶和華看見他們的詭詐、愚昧和卑鄙的忘恩，他便厭棄他們——有人譯作輕看他們。罪使我們在聖潔的神眼中成為可憎；而在一切罪人中，最可憎於他的，乃是那些他曾稱為、也自稱為他的兒女的人，卻又是惹他發怒的。注意，人在認信上越近於神，若在罪惡的道路上被玷污，在神眼中便越可憎（詩 106:39–40）。

二、他從前賜他們同在和恩寵的記號；如今卻要退去，向他們掩面（申 32:20）。他的掩面表明他極大的不悅；他們既已背著神，神如今也要背著他們（參耶 18:17，2:27）；但此處也表明神在審判的路上對他們行事遲緩。他們的背道始於疏忽善事，繼而進到犯下惡事。照樣，神也要先停止他的恩惠，讓他們看看其結局如何——當他們激怒神離去之時，他們所失去的是何等的一位朋友——並試驗這是否能促使他們悔改。這樣我們看見神似乎隱藏自己，等待結果（賽 57:17）。為稱自己在他們離棄之事上為義，他指出他們是無法對付的：1. 他們頑梗，是不能被討好的百姓，是在罪中剛硬、不能被說服和挽回的。2. 他們無信，是不能被信託的百姓。當他拯救他們、與他們立約之時，他說：他們…是不說謊的兒女（賽 63:8 [譯註：直譯之意]）；但當他們證明並非如此——毫無信實的兒女——他們便該被撇棄，真理的神也當不再與他們相干。

三、他從前盡力使他們安舒、討他們喜悅，如今卻要行那最令他們煩惱的事攻擊他們。此處的刑罰與罪相稱（申 32:21）。1. 他們以可鄙的神明——根本不是神的、而是虛無的、是他們自己想像的產物、不能自稱配得或報答敬拜者的敬意——激動神的嫉妒；他們所追求的神明越是虛妄卑鄙，對那偉大而良善、他們卻與之對抗競爭的神的冒犯便越大。這在他們的偶像崇拜中放入了兩個大惡（耶 2:13）。2. 所以神要用可鄙的仇敵懲罰他們——那些無價值、軟弱、不足輕重、不配有國民之名的——這對他們是極大的屈辱，並加重他們所受的壓迫。欺壓他們的百姓越是卑鄙，他們便越是蠻橫（沒有人比騎在馬上的乞丐更驕橫）；此外，這對以色列也是恥辱——他們既屢次勝過強大可畏的列國，如今竟被軟弱愚頑的人踐踏，並落在迦南的咒詛之下——他要作奴僕的奴僕。但神能使最軟弱的器皿成為最強硬之罪人的鞭子；那些因罪侮辱全能創造主的人，公義地被自己同類中最卑微的人所侮辱。這在士師時代顯著應驗了——那時他們有時竟被他們曾征服的迦南人欺壓（士 4:2）。但使徒把這事應用於外邦人的歸主——他們本是不在神的約中、在屬神的事上愚昧的人，卻被帶入教會，使猶太人大大憂愁；猶太人屢屢對此大表憤慨，這既是他們的罪，也是他們的刑罰——正如嫉妒常是（羅 10:19）。

四、他從前把他們栽在美地上，以各樣美物充滿他們；如今卻要剝奪他們一切安慰，使他們歸於毀滅。所警戒的審判極其可怕（申 32:22–25）。1. 神怒氣的火要吞滅他們（申 32:22）。他們若因豐足而驕傲，這火要燒盡地的出產。他們若因力量而自恃，這火要毀壞山的根基：當神的審判帶著授權來行毀壞之時，沒有甚麼能抵擋。這火要燒到極深的陰間——即它要使他們在今世落到極深的痛苦中；然而這不過是罪人在另一個世界完全而無盡痛苦的微弱影像。地獄的刑罰（我們救主如此稱之）乃是神怒氣的火，緊抓住罪人的良心，使之受無可言喻、永遠的折磨（賽 30:33）。2. 神審判的箭要射盡，直到他的箭袋完全空竭（申 32:23）。神的審判如箭，飛行迅速（詩 64:7），能達到那些自以為可以逃脫、與之相距甚遠的人（詩 21:8、12）。它們從看不見的手而來，卻致命地創傷，因為神從不誤中目標（王上 22:34）。此處所警戒特別的審判是：（1）饑荒：他們必因飢餓枯瘦。（2）瘟疫和別的疾病，此處稱為炎熱毒瘡和苦難。（3）下等受造之物的侵襲：野獸的牙齒和土中蛇的毒氣（申 32:24）。（4）戰爭及其致命的後果（申 32:25）。〔一〕持續不斷的驚恐。當外頭有刀劍之時，內中不能不有驚恐。林後 7:5：外有爭戰，內有懼怕。 那些丟棄對神敬畏的人，公義地被暴露於對仇敵的恐懼之下。〔二〕普遍的死亡。主的刀劍當奉差行毀壞之時，將不分彼此地殺滅；少男的力量、童女的美貌、嬰孩的無辜、白髮者的尊嚴或衰弱，都不能在刀劍吞滅此人如彼人之時成為他們的保障。戰爭所造成的毀壞就是如此——特別是當戰爭被如野獸般貪婪、如毒蛇般惡毒的人推進之時（申 32:24）。看罪所作的破壞，並視那些以罪為戲耍的人為愚妄人。

²⁶ 我說：我必將他們分散遠方，使他們的記念從人間息滅； ²⁷ 惟恐仇敵惹動我，恐怕他們的仇敵行事錯謬；恐怕他們說：我們的手已高舉，並非耶和華行了這一切。 ²⁸ 因為他們是毫無計謀的國民，心中毫無聰明。 ²⁹ 惟願他們有智慧，能明白這事，肯思念他們的結局！ ³⁰ 若不是他們的磐石賣了他們，耶和華交出他們，一人焉能追趕他們千人，二人焉能使萬人逃跑呢？ ³¹ 即便我們的仇敵自己作判斷，他們的磐石也不像我們的磐石。 ³² 他們的葡萄樹是所多瑪的葡萄樹，是蛾摩拉田間所生的；他們的葡萄是毒葡萄，全掛都是苦的。 ³³ 他們的酒是虺蛇的毒氣，是惡蛇可怕的毒液。 ³⁴ 這不就是與我一同封存在我府庫中嗎？ ³⁵ 伸冤在我，我必報應；他們的腳在適當的時候必滑跌；因為他們遭難的日子近了，那臨到他們的事必速速成就。 ³⁶ 耶和華既審判他的百姓，就必為他的僕人後悔；當看見他們的能力消失、無人留存之時。 ³⁷ 他必說：他們的神、他們所投靠的磐石在哪裏呢？ ³⁸ 就是向那些吃他們祭牲的脂油、喝他們奠祭之酒的神；願那些神興起幫助你們，作你們的保護罷！

在許多可怕的、當得的烈怒和報復的警戒之後，此處有出乎意料的憐憫的暗示——不配得的憐憫，這憐憫勝過審判——藉此顯明神不喜悅罪人死亡，寧可他們轉回而活。

一、為自己名的緣故，他不會使他們全然滅絕（申 32:26–28）。1. 不能否認，他們當受全然毀滅，他們的記念當從人間息滅，使以色列的名不再為人所知，只見於歷史；因為他們是毫無計謀的國民（申 32:28）——世上最愚昧、最不思想的百姓——雖然看見神的榮耀卻不肯信，雖然嘗過他的慈愛、靠它活著，卻不明白。對於那些能為虛妄和糞堆之神丟棄如此的神、如此的律法、如此的約的人，實在可以真實地說：他們毫無聰明。2. 毀滅他們、塗抹他們的記念，在神是易如反掌的事；當他們大多數被刀劍剪除之後，只要把餘民分散到地上偏遠晦暗的角落，使他們永不再為人所聞，事便成了。參結 5:12。神能毀滅那防衛最嚴密的，分散那聯合最緊密的，把那最負盛名的名字埋葬於永遠的遺忘之中。3. 公義要求如此：我說我必將他們分散。 那些從自己神面前被剪除的，理當從地上被剪除；為何不照他們所當得的對待他們呢？4. 智慧考慮到仇敵的驕傲和蠻橫——他們會因一個從前為神所寶貴、神又為之行了大事的百姓的毀滅，而找機會褻瀆神，並想像自己既勝了以色列，便是勝了以色列的神：仇敵必說：我們的手已高舉——實在高舉，因為甚至高過了神親自為之爭戰的對象；他們又不肯思想是耶和華行了這一切，反倒以為是自己不顧神而行的，好像以色列的神也如別國假神一樣軟弱無能、容易被推翻。5. 顧念到這一點，憐憫便為存留餘民、拯救那不配的百姓免於全然毀滅而得勝：我惟恐仇敵惹動我。 這是按人作風的表達；神確實不怕任何人的怒氣，但他在此事上卻行得好像怕了它。以色列中少數那些關心神名尊榮的敬虔人，在這一點上惟恐仇敵惹動，比在任何別的事上更甚，如約書亞（書 7:9），又如大衛屢次所行的；因為他們怕，所以神自己就被說成怕。他不需要摩西以此向他懇求，反而自己提醒自己：埃及人要怎樣說呢？ 願一切為神的約櫃和神的以色列而心中戰兢的人，從這話得安慰：神必為自己的名行事，不容它被褻瀆玷污；無論我們多麼配受羞辱，神總不羞辱他榮耀的寶座。

二、關心他們的福祉，他熱切盼望他們的回轉；為此，也盼望他們認真思考自己的結局（申 32:29）。當注意：1. 雖然神已宣告他們是愚昧無知的百姓，他卻願望他們有智慧，如申 5:29 所說：惟願他們有這樣的心！ 又如詩 94:8：你們愚頑人哪，你們幾時才有智慧呢？ 神不喜悅看見罪人毀滅自己，倒願望他們自救；他們若肯，他已預備好幫助他們。2. 認真思考將來的結局、思考將來的狀態，乃是一大智慧，並大大有助於罪人歸向神。此處特指神藉摩西所預言這百姓在末後日子的事；但可更普遍地應用。我們當明白並思考：（1）今生的結局，以及靈魂將來的狀態。當把死看作我們從感官的世界遷到屬靈的世界，是我們受試驗和考驗狀態的終結，是我們進入不能改變的報應和報答狀態的開始。（2）罪的結局，以及那些活在罪中、死在罪中之人的將來狀態。惟願人肯思考他們將失去的福樂，以及他們若仍在罪中前行將必使自己陷入的悲慘——這事的結局將會如何（耶 5:31）。耶路撒冷忘記了這事，所以何等敗落（哀 1:9）。

三、他記念從前為他們所行的大事，作為他不當全然棄絕他們的理由。這看來是申 32:30–31 的意思：「一個以色列人怎能勝過一千個迦南人——如他們多次所行的——若不是那比一切神更大的神為他們爭戰呢？」這正與賽 63:10–11 相合：當他轉過來作他們的仇敵——如此處所記——又攻擊他們為他們的罪之時，那時他追念上古之日，說：那從海中帶領他們上來的是誰呢？ 照樣此處，他的膀臂開始如古時因仇敵的怒氣而醒起（詩 138:7）。從前以色列的仇敵被他們自己的磐石——他們自己的偶像神明——所賣，那些神明不能幫助他們，反倒出賣他們，因為耶和華以色列的神把他們如宰殺之羊一般交了出來。因為連仇敵自己也得承認，他們的神明遠不能與以色列的神相比。因為他們的葡萄樹是所多瑪的葡萄樹（申 32:32–33）。這必是指以色列的仇敵——他們因為已經熟透、罪惡滿盈，所以在以色列的刀劍之下如此容易傾覆。然而這幾節也可理解為論到以色列的仇敵勝過他們的奇事——當神用他們作為他怒氣的棍之時（賽 10:5–6）。「一個迦南人怎能追趕一千個以色列人呢」（正如警戒那些倚靠埃及幫助之人所言，賽 30:17：一人斥責，必有千人逃跑）「除非以色列的磐石離棄了他們、把他們交出去了呢？」因為若不然，無論他們怎樣把能力歸於他們的神（哈 1:11）——如非利士人把得勝歸於大袞——可以確知仇敵的磐石決不能勝過以色列的磐石；神本可速速制服他們的仇敵（詩 81:14），只是以色列的邪惡把他們交在他們手中罷了。因為他們——以色列——的葡萄樹，是所多瑪的葡萄樹（申 32:32–33）。他們被栽為上等的葡萄樹，完全是正統的種子，卻因罪成了異邦葡萄樹的壞枝子（耶 2:21），不但效法所多瑪的罪孽，更超過了它（結 16:48）。神稱他們為他的葡萄園、他所喜悅的栽子（賽 5:7）。但他們的果子：1. 對神極其冒犯、不蒙喜悅，苦如茵蔯。2. 對彼此非常惡毒、有害，如虺蛇的惡毒。有人把這理解為他們的刑罰；他們的罪後來成為苦楚（撒下 2:26），要如蛇咬他們、如毒蛇刺他們（伯 20:14，箴 23:32）。

四、他定意至終毀滅那些曾逼迫欺壓他們的人。當令人戰兢的杯輪流傳遞之時，巴比倫王終必喝它（耶 25:26）；參賽 51:22–23。那日將到——那從神的家起首的審判，終必臨到罪人和不敬虔之人（彼前 4:17–18）。神必在適當時候降卑教會的仇敵。

因不喜悅他們的邪惡——這邪惡他注意並記錄在案（申 32:34–35）。「他們對以色列這般不能平息的烈怒，豈不是與我一同封存在我府庫中嗎？等候日後算帳，那時將顯明伸冤在我。」有人理解為以色列的罪，特別是他們逼迫先知的罪——這罪從義人亞伯的血起便與他們一同封存（太 23:35）。無論如何，這教導我們：惡人的邪惡全都與神一同封存在庫。（1）他察看（詩 90:8）。他既知道葡萄樹是怎樣，也知道葡萄是怎樣；既知道人心的脾氣，也知道生活的行為。（2）他記錄在案——既在他自己的無所不知中，也在罪人的良心中；這封存在他的府庫中，表示既安全又隱秘：這些案卷不會失散，也不會被打開，直到大日。參何 13:12。（3）他常常長久遲延刑罰罪惡；它被封存起來，直到滿盈之時，神忍耐的日子屆滿。參伯 21:28–30。（4）算帳之日將到，那時一切罪咎和烈怒的寶庫必被打開，罪人的罪必追上他們。〔一〕這事本身必定成就，因為主乃是屬乎報應的神，所以他必報應（賽 59:18）。使徒引用此話以表明神對那些背棄基督信仰之人的烈怒的嚴厲（來 10:30）。〔二〕這必在適當時候成就——在最好的時候；不，這必在短期之內成就。他們遭難的日子近了；雖然似乎遲延，卻不耽延，不打盹，而是速速成就。一時之間，巴比倫的審判就要來到。
他要因憐憫自己的百姓而行這事——他們雖然大肆惹他發怒，卻仍與他有關係，他們的苦情向他的憐憫呼求（申 32:36）：耶和華既審判他的百姓——即為他們審判他們的仇敵，為他們伸冤，折斷他們久所呻吟的壓迫之軛——為他的僕人後悔；不是改變心意，而是改變方法，為他們爭戰，正如他曾與他們爭戰一樣——當看見他們的能力消失之時。這明顯指向神藉士師拯救以色列脫離他們因罪而被交在其中的仇敵之手（參士 2:11–18），並記載他的心因以色列的苦難而擔憂（士 10:16）；這是在他們落到極點之時。神在他們自救不能之時幫助他們；因為無人留存——即無人住在被圍困的有城牆的城邑中，也無人住在鄉間與鄰舍相距甚遠的零散房屋中。注意，神為他百姓顯現的時候，乃是在他們的處境最壞之時。神試驗百姓的信，激發禱告，乃是讓事情走到最壞；然後又藉著把他們從極端中如從火中抽出來的一根柴般拯救出來，彰顯自己的大能，使仇敵滿面羞愧，並使百姓的心中充滿更大的喜樂。
他要因藐視並羞辱偶像神明而行這事（申 32:37–38）。他們的神在哪裏呢？ 這可有兩種理解：（1）神要為他的百姓行他們所事奉的偶像不能為他們行的事。他們背棄了神，又慷慨地向偶像獻祭——把祭牲的脂油和奠祭的酒帶到他們的壇前，以為他們的神明以之為食、又與他們一同宴飲。「如今，」神說，「你們花了這麼大代價去討好的神明，在患難之時能幫助你們嗎？能報答你們在事奉上的一切花費嗎？你們去事奉所隨從的神明罷，讓它們救你們罷（士 10:14）。」這是要使他們明白自己背棄那位能幫助的神、去靠不能幫助的神的愚妄，因而促使他們悔改，合格得著拯救。當淫婦追隨她的情人卻追不上、向她的偶像禱告卻得不著恩待之時，那時她必說：我要歸回我的前夫（何 2:7）。參賽 16:12，耶 2:27–28。或（2）神要向他的仇敵行他們所事奉的偶像不能救他們脫離的事。西拿基立和尼布甲尼撒膽敢向以色列的神挑戰，要他拯救敬拜他的人（賽 37:10，但 3:15），而他確實拯救了他們，使仇敵蒙羞。但以色列的神向彼勒和尼波挑戰，要他們拯救敬拜他們的人、興起幫助他們、作他們的保護（賽 47:12–13）；他們不但不能幫助，連他們自己——就是它們的像，那是它們一切之所在——也被擄去（賽 46:1–2）。注意，凡倚靠神以外的磐石的人，在遭難之日必發現那是沙土；在最需要的時候，它要使他們失望。

³⁹ 你們如今要看見：我，惟有我是神；在我以外並無別神。我使人死，也使人活；我損傷，也醫治；並無人能從我手中救出來。 ⁴⁰ 我向天舉手說：我憑自己的永生起誓： ⁴¹ 我若磨我閃亮的刀，手掌審判之權；就必報復我的敵人，報應恨我的人。 ⁴² 我要使我的箭飲血飲醉，我的刀要吃肉；乃是喝被殺被擄之人的血，又從仇敵起首報復之時。 ⁴³ 列國阿，當與他的百姓一同歡呼；因他要伸他僕人被流的血，向仇敵報復，必救贖他的地和他的百姓。

這歌的結尾論到三件事：

一、榮耀歸給神（申 32:39）。「如今看這一切，我，惟有我是神。要從拜偶像者的毀滅，以及他們的偶像不能幫助他們，學習這功課。」偉大的神在此要求榮耀：1. 自有的榮耀：我，惟有我是神。摩西這樣結束，正是他初次認識神所用的那個名字（出 3:14）：我是自有永有的。 我是那過去所是的、將來所是的、所應許要作的、所警戒要作的；人人都必看見我的話是真的。翁齊羅的他爾根如此意譯：當耶和華的道顯現以救贖他的百姓之時，他必對萬民說：看哪，如今我是那我所是、所曾是，也是那我將要是的。 我們很知道如何把這話應用於那位對約翰說：我是昔在、今在、以後永在的全能者的主（啟 1:8）。我，惟有我這話，我們在以賽亞書那些鼓勵百姓盼望從巴比倄得釋放的章節中屢次遇見（賽 41:4，43:11、13、15、25，46:4）。2. 至高無上的榮耀：在我以外並無別神。 無人能與我同助，無人能與我抗衡。參賽 43:10–11。3. 絕對主權的榮耀，普遍的作為：我使人死，也使人活——即一切禍福都從他護理的手而來；他造光，又造暗；造平安，又降災（賽 45:7，哀 3:37–38）。或作：他殺傷仇敵，卻醫治使自己的百姓存活；用審判殺傷那背逆叛離的人；但他們歸回悔改之時，便用恩典慈悲醫治他們，使他們存活。又或指他那無可爭辯的權柄，可以處置他一切的受造之物和所賜的生命，藉以成就自己的旨意：他要殺誰就殺誰，要存誰活就存誰活——當他的審判流行之時。或如此：雖然他使人死，卻又使人活：他使人愁苦，卻又施恩（哀 3:32）。他雖撕裂，卻必醫治（何 6:1–2）。耶路撒冷他爾根如此譯：我殺死這世上活著的人，又使那在另一個世界死了的人活過來。 猶太教師中有些人自己也觀察到，這些話暗示著死、以及死後的生命——即永生。4. 不能抗拒之權能的榮耀，無可控制：並無人能從我手中救出那些我所標記要毀滅的人。正如對神公義的判語不能有例外，對他權能的執行也不能逃避。

二、對仇敵的恐怖（申 32:40–42）。對那恨他的人——凡事奉別神、堅持故意違背屬天律法、又憎惡逼迫他忠心僕人的人都是如此——這誠然是恐怖。這些就是神必報復的人——那些不要他作王治理他們的仇敵。為及早警醒這樣的人悔改歸回效忠，神的烈怒在此從天上向他們啟示。1. 屬天的判語以起誓批準（申 32:40）：他向天舉手——他聖潔的居所；這是古時起誓所用極有意義的手勢（創 14:22）。他既不能指著更大的起誓，就指著自己和自己生命起誓。那些有神的話和誓言抵擋的人，是無可救藥地悲慘。耶和華已起誓，並不後悔：罪人若仍行在罪中，其罪必成為他們的滅亡。2. 預備執行：閃亮的刀已磨快（參詩 7:12）。那是在天上磨亮的刀（賽 34:5）。當刀在磨利之時，是給罪人悔改、與神和好的機會；他若忽略，便使傷口更深。刀既磨利，那要揮刀的手也掌握審判之權，決心行到底。3. 執行本身極其可怕：刀要大量吞吃肉，箭要飲血飲醉——要流極多血，就是陣亡者的血，和不蒙憐憫、被處軍法之俘虜的血。他一開始報復，便要作成；因為在這件事上他的作為也是完全的。評註家對末了一句——從仇敵起首報復之時——頗感困惑。博學的畢卓克主教（那位大師）以為可以這樣讀：從仇敵的君王到奴僕（耶 50:35–37）。當神烈怒的刀出鞘之時，必行殘殺，血必流到馬的嚼環（啟 14:20）。

三、對自己百姓的安慰（申 32:43）：列國阿，當與他的百姓一同歡呼。 他以喜樂的話結束這歌；因為在神的以色列中，有一班結局必是平安的餘民。神的百姓至終必歡樂，必永遠歡樂。此處論到三件可喜樂的事：1. 教會境界的擴展。使徒把本節頭一句應用於外邦人的歸主（羅 15:10）：你們外邦人當與他的百姓一同歡樂。 看神的恩在人心歸正之時所作的——它帶領他們與神的百姓一同歡樂；因為真實的信仰使人認識真實的喜樂，那些以為信仰使人憂鬱的人實在大大誤會了。2. 教會的爭議在其對頭身上得著伸冤。他必為他僕人被流的血追討，那血在他眼中必顯為寶貴；因為那流人血的，神必把血給他喝。3. 神為他的教會、並屬乎教會一切的人所存的憐憫：他必救贖他的地和他的百姓——就是各處敬畏他、事奉他的人。無論罪人受何審判，神的百姓必亨通；猶太人和外邦人當在此中一同歡樂。

⁴⁴ 摩西和嫩的兒子何希阿來，將這歌的一切話向百姓說明白了。 ⁴⁵ 摩西向以色列眾人說完了這一切的話， ⁴⁶ 又對他們說：你們要放在心上，我今日向你們見證的這一切話，你們都要吩咐你們的兒女謹守遵行，這律法上的一切話。 ⁴⁷ 因為這不是虛空與你們無關的事；這乃是你們的生命；你們藉著這事，必在你們過約但河去得為業的地上日子得以長久。 ⁴⁸ 當日，耶和華對摩西說： ⁴⁹ 你上這亞巴琳山，就是摩押地、與耶利哥相對的尼波山去，觀看迦南地，就是我賜給以色列人為業的； ⁵⁰ 你死在所登的山上，歸到你本民那裏；像你哥哥亞倫死在何珥山上、歸到他本民那裏一樣。 ⁵¹ 因為你們在尋的曠野、加低斯米利巴水邊、在以色列人中悖逆我；因為你們在以色列人中沒有尊我為聖。 ⁵² 我必使你看見那地，卻不得進到我所賜給以色列人的地去。

此處記的是：一、這歌鄭重交給以色列人（申 32:44–45）。摩西向凡聽得見的人宣讀了它，同時約書亞在另一聚會中，也向凡他聲音所及的人宣讀了它。這樣，這歌從他們兩位治理者的口中臨到他們——摩西正在卸任，約書亞正在就任——他們便看見兩位心意相同；他們雖更換了統帥，屬天的命令卻未改變；約書亞要和摩西一樣，若他們背棄神，便要作見證控告他們。

二、一項懇切的囑咐，要他們留意這些和摩西對他們所說的一切其餘的好話。他何等懇切地切慕這一切！何等渴望神的話能在他們心中留下深刻而持久的印象！何等存著敬虔的嫉妒為他們警醒，惟恐他們任何時候讓這些大事從手中滑落！

他所囑咐的本分是：（1）自己當謹慎留意這些話：「你們的心當放在律法上，放在應許和警戒、祝福和咒詛上，如今末了也放在這歌上。當使心思密切應用於思考這些事；當受它們感動；當專注於你們的本分，並全心決意堅守。」（2）當忠實地把這些事傳給後人：「你們對兒女有甚麼關係或影響力，當為這目的使用它；又當吩咐他們（如你們祖宗亞伯拉罕所作的，創 18:19）謹守遵行這律法上的一切話。」凡自己為善的，不能不盼望自己的兒女也為善，並盼望後人在他們的日子保持信仰，使信仰的定例不被割斷。
他用以勸他們以信仰為事業並堅持到底的理由是：（1）他所囑咐之事本身的極大重要性（申 32:47）：這不是虛空與你們無關的事，因為這乃是你們的生命。 這不是無關緊要的事，乃是絕對必需的；這不是小事，乃是重大的事——生死攸關的事；當留意它，你們便永遠得福；忽略它，你們便永遠沉淪。惟願人能完全確信，信仰乃是他們的生命——他們靈魂的生命！（2）這要成為你們的極大益處：你們藉著這事，必在迦南日子長久——這乃是預表性的應許，預表基督所應許的那永生——凡遵守神誡命的，必進入那永生（太 19:17）。

三、關於摩西之死的命令。這位為神作見證的傑出之人既已作完了他的見證，便要上尼波山離世；在基督兩位見證人的預言中（啟 11:6），明顯暗指摩西和以利亞；而他們的離世既因殉道，或許不亞於摩西或以利亞的離世那樣榮耀。命令就在當日賜給摩西（申 32:48）。他既已作完了他的工，為何還要渴望多活一天呢？他從前確曾祈求可以過約但河，但如今他完全滿足，並如神所吩咐的，不再提那事。 1. 神在此提醒他從前所犯的罪——他因此被排除於迦南之外（申 32:51）——好使他因為犯了罪而更忍耐地忍受責備；又使他在此時重新為那失言之言憂傷；因為最好的人在離世時仍為自己所意識到的軟弱悔改，乃是好的。那使神不悅的，乃是一項疏忽；他沒有在以色列人中尊神為聖——沒有在執行當時所受命令時保持當有的端莊。2. 神又提醒他哥哥亞倫的死（申 32:50），使他自己的死更熟悉、更不可怕。注意，當我們離世之時，思想那些在我們之前經過那幽暗山谷的朋友——特別是基督，我們的長兄和大祭司——對我們乃是極大的鼓勵。3. 神打發他上一座高山，從那裏觀看迦南地，然後離世（申 32:49–50）。對罪的記念可能使死變得可怕，但神所賜迦南的異象卸下了這可怕，因為那是神已與他和好的憑據，並清楚向他表明：雖然他的罪使他不能進入屬地的迦南，卻不能剝奪他那更美的家鄉——那在今世只能看見、且只能憑信心之眼觀看的家鄉。注意，凡對永生有相信的盼望和確實根基的人——無論他們記得自己有甚麼罪——當神呼召之時，都可以舒適安然地離世。

Originale inglese

The Song of Moses (1451 BC)

¹ Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
² My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
³ Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
⁴ He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
⁵ They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
⁶ Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?

Here is, I. A commanding preface or introduction to this song of Moses, De 32:1,2. He begins, 1. With a solemn appeal to heaven and earth concerning the truth and importance of what he was about to say, and the justice of the divine proceedings against a rebellious and backsliding people, for he had said (De 31:28) that he would in this song call heaven and earth to record against them. Heaven and earth would sooner hear than this perverse and unthinking people; for they revolt not from the obedience to their Creator, but continue to this day, according to his ordinances, as his servants (Ps 119:89-91), and therefore will rise up in judgment against rebellious Israel. Heaven and earth will be witnesses against sinners, witnesses of the warning given them and of their refusal to take the warning (see Job 20:27); the heaven shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him. Or heaven and earth are here put for the inhabitants of both, angels and men; both shall agree to justify God in his proceedings against Israel, and to declare his righteousness, Ps 50:6; see Re 19:1,2. 2. he begins with a solemn application of what he was about to say to the people (De 32:2): My doctrine shall drop as the rain. "It shall be a beating sweeping rain to the rebellious;" so one of the Chaldee paraphrasts expounds the first clause. Rain is sometimes sent for judgment, witness that with which the world was deluged; and so the word of God, while to some it is reviving and refreshing—a savour of life unto life, is to others terrifying and killing—a savour of death unto death. It shall be as a sweet and comfortable dew to those who are rightly prepared to receive it. Observe, (1.) The subject of this song is doctrine; he had given them a song of praise and thanksgiving (Ex 15:1-21), but this is a song of instruction, for in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, we are not only to give glory to God, but to teach and admonish one another, Col 3:16. Hence many of David's psalms are entitled Maschil—to give instruction. (2.) This doctrine is fitly compared to rain and showers which come from above, to make the earth fruitful, and accomplish that for which they are sent. (Isa 55:10,11), and depend not upon the wisdom or will of man, Mic 5:7. It is a mercy to have this rain come often upon us, and our duty to drink it in, Heb 6:7. (3.) He promises that his doctrine shall drop and distil as the dew, and the small rain, which descend silently and without noise. The word preached is likely to profit when it comes gently, and sweetly insinuates itself into the hearts and affections of the hearers. (4.) He bespeaks their acceptance and entertainment of it, and that it might be as sweet, and pleasant, and welcome to them as rain to the thirsty earth, Ps 72:6. And the word of God is likely to do us good when it is thus acceptable. (5.) The learned bishop Patrick understands it as a prayer that his words which were sent from heaven to them might sink into their hearts and soften them, as the rain softens the earth, and so make them fruitful in obedience.

II. An awful declaration of the greatness and righteousness of God, De 32:3,4.

1. He begins with this, and lays it down as his first principle, (1.) To preserve the honour of God, that no reproach might be cast upon him for the sake of the wickedness of his people Israel; how wicked and corrupt soever those are who are called by his name, he is just, and right, and all that is good, and is not to be thought the worse of for their badness. (2.) To aggravate the wickedness of Israel, who knew and worshipped such a holy god, and yet were themselves so unholy. And, (3.) To justify God in his dealings with them; we must abide by it, that God is righteous, even when his judgments are a great deep, Jer 12:1, Ps 36:6.

2. Moses here sets himself to publish the name of the Lord (De 32:3), that Israel, knowing what a God he is whom they had avouched for theirs, might never be such fools as to exchange him for a false god, a dunghill god. He calls upon them therefore to ascribe greatness to him. It will be of great use to us for the preventing of sin, and the preserving of us in the way of our duty, always to keep up high and honourable thoughts of God, and to take all occasions to express them: Ascribe greatness to our God. We cannot add to his greatness, for it is infinite; but we must acknowledge it, and give him the glory of it. Now, when Moses would set forth the greatness of God, he does it, not by explaining his eternity and immensity, or describing the brightness of his glory in the upper world, but by showing the faithfulness of his word, the perfection of his works, and the wisdom and equity of all the administrations of his government; for in these his glory shines most clearly to us, and these are the things revealed concerning him, which belong to us and our children, De 32:4. (1.) He is the rock. So he is called six times in this chapter, and the LXX. all along translates it Theos, God. The learned Mr. Hugh Broughton reckons that God is called the rock eighteen times (besides in this chapter) in the Old Testament (though in some places we translate it strength), and charges it therefore upon the papists that they make St. Peter a god when they make him the rock on which the church is built. God is the rock, for he is in himself immutable immovable, and he is to all that seek him and fly to him an impenetrable shelter, and to all that trust in him an everlasting foundation. (2.) His work is perfect. His work of creation was so, all very good; his works of providence are so, or will be so in due time, and when the mystery of God shall be finished the perfection of his works will appear to all the world. Nothing that God does can be mended, Ec 3:14. God was now perfecting what he had promised and begun for his people Israel, and from the perfection of this work they must take occasion to give him the glory of the perfection of all his works. The best of men's works are imperfect, they have their flaws and defects, and are left unfinished; but, as for God, his work is perfect; if he begin, he will make an end. (3.) All his ways are judgment. The ends of his ways are all righteous, and he is wise in the choice of the means in order to those ends. Judgment signifies both prudence and justice. The ways of the Lord are right, Ho 14:9. (4.) He is a God of truth, whose word we may take and rely upon, for he cannot lie who is faithful to all his promises, nor shall his threatenings fall to the ground. (5.) He is without iniquity, one who never cheated any that trusted in him, never wronged any that appealed to his justice, nor ever was hard upon any that cast themselves upon his mercy. (6.) Just and right is he. As he will not wrong any by punishing them more than they deserve, so he will not fail to recompense all those that serve him or suffer for him. He is indeed just and right; for he will effectually take care that none shall lose by him. Now what a bright and amiable idea does this De 34:4 give us of the God whom we worship; and what reason have we then to love him and fear him, to live a life of delight in him, dependence on him, and devotedness to him! This is our rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him; nor can there be, Ps 92:15.

III. A high charge exhibited against the Israel of God, whose character was in all respects the reverse of that of the God of Israel, De 32:5. 1. They have corrupted themselves. Or, It has corrupted itself; the body of the people has: the whole head sick, and the whole heart faint. God did not corrupt them, for just and right is he; but they are themselves the sole authors of their own sin and ruin; and both are included in this word. They have debauched themselves; for every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust. And they have destroyed themselves, Ho 13:9. If thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear the guilt and grief, Pr 9:12. 2. Their spot is not the spot of his children. Even God's children have their spots, while they are in this imperfect state; for if we say we have no sin, no spot, we deceive ourselves. But the sin of Israel was none of those; it was not an infirmity which they strove against, watched and prayed against, but an evil which their hearts were fully set in them to do. For, 3. They were a perverse and crooked generation, that were actuated by a spirit of contradiction, and therefore would do what was forbidden because it was forbidden, would set up their own humour and fancy in opposition to the will of God, were impatient of reproof, hated to be reformed, and went on frowardly in the way of their heart. The Chaldee paraphrase reads De 32:5 thus: They have scattered or changed themselves, and not him, even the children that served idols, a generation that has depraved its own works, and alienated itself. Idolaters cannot hurt God, nor do any damage to his works, nor make him a stranger to this world. See Job 35:6. No, all the hurt they do is to themselves and their own works. The learned bishop Patrick gives another reading of it: Did he do him any hurt? That is, "Is God the rock to be blamed for the evils that should befal Israel? No, His children are their blot," that is, "All the evil that comes upon them is the fruit of their children's wickedness; for the whole generation of them is crooked and perverse." All that are ruined ruin themselves; they die because they will die.

IV. A pathetic expostulation with this provoking people for their ingratitude (De 32:6): "Do you thus requite the Lord? Surely you will not hereafter be so base and disingenuous in your carriage towards him as you have been." 1. He reminds them of the obligations God had laid upon them to serve him, and to cleave to him. He had been a Father to them, had begotten them, fed them, carried them, nursed them, and borne their manners; and would they spurn at the bowels of a Father? He had bought them, had been at a vast expense of miracles to bring them out of Egypt, had given men for them, and people for their life, Isa 43:4. "Is not he thy Father, thy owner (so some), that has an incontestable propriety in thee?" and the ox knoweth his owner. "he has made thee, and brought thee into being, established thee and kept thee in being; has he not done so? Can you deny the engagements you lie under to him, in consideration of the great things he has done and designed for you?" And are not our obligations, as baptized Christians, equally great and strong to our Creator that made us, our Redeemer that bought us, and our Sanctifier that has established us. 2. Hence he infers the evil of deserting him and rebelling against him. For, (1.) It was base ingratitude: "Do you thus require the Lord? Are these the returns you make him for all his favours to you? The powers you have from him will you employ them against him?" See Mic 6:3, Joh 10:32. This is such monstrous villany as all the world will cry shame of: call a man ungrateful, and you can call him no worse. (2.) It was prodigious madness: O foolish people and unwise! Fools, and double fools! who has bewitched you? Ga 3:1. "Fools indeed, to disoblige one on whom you have such a necessary dependence! To forsake your own mercies for lying vanities!" Note, All wilful sinners, especially sinners in Israel, are the most unwise and the most ungrateful people in the world.

⁷ Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
⁸ When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
⁹ For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
¹⁰ He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
¹¹ As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
¹² So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
¹³ He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;
¹⁴ Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.

Moses, having in general represented God to them as their great benefactor, whom they were bound in gratitude to observe and obey, in these verses gives particular instances of God's kindness to them and concern for them. 1. Some instances were ancient, and for proof of them he appeals to the records (De 32:7): Remember the days of old; that is, "Keep in remembrance the history of those days, and of the wonderful providences of God concerning the old world, and concerning your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; you will find a constant series of mercies attending them, and how long since things were working towards that which has now come to pass." Note, The authentic histories of ancient times are of singular use, and especially the history of the church in its infancy, both the Old-Testament and the New-Testament church. 2. Others were more modern, and for proof of them he appeals to their fathers and elders that were now alive and with them. Parents must diligently teach their children, not only the word of God, his laws (De 6:7), and the meaning of his ordinances (Ex 12:26,27), but his works also, and the methods of his providence. See Ps 78:3,4,6,7. And children should desire the knowledge of those things which will be of use to engage them to their duty and to direct them in it.

Three things are here enlarged upon as instances of God's kindness to his people Israel, and strong obligations upon them never to forsake him:—

I. The early designation of the land of Canaan for their inheritance; for herein it was a type and figure of our heavenly inheritance, that it was of old ordained and prepared in the divine counsels, De 32:8. Observe,

1. When the earth was divided among the sons of men, in the days of Peleg, after the flood, and each family had its lot, in which it must settle, and by degrees grow up into a nation, then God had Israel in his thoughts and in his eye; for, designing this good land into which they were now going to be in due time an inheritance for them, he ordered that the posterity of Canaan, rather than any other of the families then in being, should be planted there in the meantime, to keep possession, as it were, till Israel was ready for it, because those families were under the curse of Noah, by which they were condemned to servitude and ruin (Ge 9:25), and therefore would be the more justly, honourably, easily, and effectually, rooted out, when the fulness of time should come that Israel should take possession. Thus he set the bounds of that people with an eye to the designed number of the children of Israel, that they might have just as much as would serve their turn. And some observe that Canaan himself, and his eleven sons (Ge 10:15-18, etc.), make up just the number of the twelve tribes of Israel. Note, (1.) The wisdom of God has appointed the bounds of men's habitation, and determined both the place and time of our living in the world, Ac 17:26. When he gave the earth to the children of men (Ps 115:16), it was not that every man might catch as he could; no, he divides to nations their inheritance, and will have every one to know his own, and not to invade another's property. (2.) Infinite wisdom has a vast reach, and designs beforehand what is brought to pass long after. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning to the end (Ac 15:18), but they are not so to us, Ec 3:11. (3.) The great God, in governing the world, and ordering the affairs of states and kingdoms, has a special regard to his church and people, and consults their good in all. See 2Ch 16:9, Isa 45:4. The Canaanites thought they had as good and sure a title to their land as any of their neighbours had to theirs; but God intended that they should only be tenants, till the Israelites, their landlords, came. Thus God serves his own purposes of kindness to his people, by those that neither know him nor love him, who mean not so, neither doth their heart think so, Isa 10:7, Mic 4:12.

2. The reason given for the particular care God took for this people, so long before they were either born or thought of (as I may say), in our world, does yet more magnify the kindness, and make it obliging beyond expression (De 32:9): For the Lord's portion is his people. All the world is his. He is owner and possessor of heaven and earth, but his church is his in a peculiar manner. It is his demesne, his vineyard, his garden enclosed. He has a particular delight in it: it is the beloved of his soul, in it he walks, he dwells, it is his rest for ever. He has a particular concern for it, keeps it as the apple of his eye. He has particular expectations from it, as a man has from his portion, has a much greater rent of honour, glory, and worship, from that distinguished remnant, than from all the world besides. That God should be his people's portion is easy to be accounted for, for he is their joy and felicity; but how they should be his portion, who neither needs them nor can be benefited by them, must be resolved into the wondrous condescensions of free grace. Even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy eyes so to call and to account them.

II. The forming of them into a people, that they might be fit to enter upon this inheritance, like an heir of age, at the time appointed of the Father. And herein also Canaan was a figure of the heavenly inheritance; for, as it was from eternity proposed and designed for all God's spiritual Israel, so they are, in time (and it is a work of time), fitted and made meet for it, Col 1:12. The deliverance of Israel out of slavery, by the destruction of their oppressors, was attended with so many wonders obvious to sense, and had been so often spoken of, that it needed not to be mentioned in this song; but the gracious works God wrought upon them would be less taken notice of than the glorious works he had wrought for them, and therefore he chooses rather to advert to them. A great deal was done to model this people, to cast them into some shape, and to fit them for the great things designed for them in the land of promise; and it is here most elegantly described.

1. He found him in a desert land, De 32:10. This refers, no doubt, to the wilderness through which God brought them to Canaan, and in which he took so much pains with them; it is called the church in the wilderness, Ac 7:38. There it was born, and nursed, and educated, that all might appear to be divine and from heaven, since they had there no communication with any part of this earth either for food or learning. But, because he is said to find them there, it seems designed also to represent both the bad state and the bad character of that people when God began first to appear for them. (1.) Their condition was forlorn. Egypt was to them a desert land, and a waste howling wilderness, for they were bond-slaves in it, and cried by reason of their oppression, and were perfectly bewildered and at a loss for relief; there God found them, and thence he fetched them. And, (2.) Their disposition was very unpromising. So ignorant were the generality of them in divine things, so stupid and unapt to receive the impressions of them, so peevish and humoursome, so froward and quarrelsome, and withal so strangely addicted to the idolatries of Egypt, that they might well be said to be found in a desert land; for one might as reasonably expect a crop of corn from a barren wilderness as any good fruit of service to God from a people of such a character. Those that are renewed and sanctified by grace should often remember what they were by nature.

2. He led him about and instructed him. When God had them in the wilderness he did not bring them directly to Canaan, but made them go a great way about, and so he instructed them; that is, (1.) by this means he took time to instruct them, and gave them commandments as they were able to receive them. Those whose business it is to instruct others must not expect it will be done of a sudden; learners must have time to learn. (2.) By this means he tried their faith, and patience, and dependence upon God, and inured them to the hardships of the wilderness, and so instructed them. Every stage had something in it that was instructive; even when he chastened them, he thereby taught them out of his law. It is said (Ps 107:7) that he led them forth by the right way;. and yet here that he led them about; for God always leads his people the right way, however to us it may seem circuitous: so that the furthest way about proves, if not the nearest way, yet the best way home to Canaan. How God instructed them is explained long after (Ne 9:13), Thou gavest them right judgments and true laws, good statutes, and commandments; and especially (De 32:20), Thou gavest them also thy good Spirit to instruct them; and he instructs effectually. We may well imagine how unfit that people would have been for Canaan had they not first gone through the discipline of the wilderness.

3. He kept him as the apple of his eye, with all the care and tenderness that could be, from the malignant influences of an open sky and air, and all the perils of an inhospitable desert. The pillar of cloud and fire was both a guide and a guard to them.

4. He did that for them which the eagle does for her nest of young ones, De 32:11,12. The similitude was touched, Ex 19:4, I bore you on eagles' wings; here it is enlarged upon. The eagle is observed to have a strong affection for her young, and to show it, not only as other creatures by protecting them and making provision for them, but by educating them and teaching them to fly. For this purpose she stirs them out of the nest where they lie dozing, flutters over them, to show them how they must use their wings, and then accustoms them to fly upon her wings till they have learnt to fly upon their own. This, by the way, is an example to parents to train up their children to business, and not to indulge them in idleness and the love of ease. God did thus by Israel; when they were in love with their slavery, and loth to leave it, God, by Moses, stirred them up to aspire after liberty, and many a time kept them from returning to the house of bondage. He carried them out of Egypt, led them into the wilderness, and now at length had led them through it. The Lord alone did lead him, he needed not any assistance, nor did he take any to be partner with him in the achievement, which was a good reason why they should serve the Lord only and no other, so much as in partnership, much less in rivalship with him. There was no strange god with him to contribute to Israel's salvation, and therefore there should be none to share in Israel's homage and adoration, Ps 81:9.

III. The settling of them in a good land. This was done in part already, in the happy planting of the two tribes and a half, an earnest of what would speedily and certainly be done for the rest of the tribes. 1. They were blessed with glorious victories over their enemies (De 32:13): He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that is, he brought him on with conquest, and brought him home with triumph. he rode over the high places or strong holds that were kept against him, sat in ease and honour upon the fruitful hills of Canaan. In Egypt they looked mean, and were so, in poverty and disgrace; but in Canaan they looked great, and were so, advanced and enriched; they rode in state, as a people whom the King of kings delighted to honour. 2. With great plenty of all good things. Not only the ordinary increase of the field, but, which was uncommon, Honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock, which may refer either, (1.) To their miraculous supply of fresh water out of the rock that followed them in the wilderness, which is called honey and oil, because the necessity they were reduced to made it as sweet and acceptable as honey and oil at another time. Or, (2.) To the great abundance of honey and oil they should find in Canaan, even in those parts that were least fertile. The rocks in Canaan should yield a better increase than the fields and meadows of other countries. Other productions of Canaan are mentioned, De 32:14. Such abundance and such variety of wholesome food (and every thing the best in its kind) that every meal might be a feast if they pleased: excellent bread made of the best corn, here called the kidneys of the wheat (for a grain of wheat is not unlike a kidney), butter and milk in abundance, the flesh of cattle well fed, and for their drink, no worse than the pure blood of the grape; so indulgent a Father was God to them, and so kind a benefactor. Ainsworth makes the plenty of good things in Canaan to be a figure of the fruitfulness of Christ's kingdom, and the heavenly comforts of his word and Spirit: for the children of his kingdom he has butter and milk, the sincere milk of the word; and strong meat for strong men, with the wine that makes glad the heart.

¹⁵ But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
¹⁶ They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
¹⁷ They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
¹⁸ Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

We have here a description of the apostasy of Israel from God, which would shortly come to pass, and to which already they had a disposition. One would have thought that a people under so many obligations to their God, in duty, gratitude, and interest, would never have turned from him; but, alas! they turned aside quickly. Here are two great instances of their wickedness, and each of them amounted to an apostasy from God:—

I. Security and sensuality, pride and insolence, and the other common abuses of plenty and prosperity, De 32:15. These people were called Jeshurun—an upright people (so some), a seeing people, so others: but they soon lost the reputation both of their knowledge and of their righteousness; for, being well-fed, 1. They waxed fat, and grew thick, that is, they indulged themselves in all manner of luxury and gratifications of their appetites, as if they had nothing to do but to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts of it. They grew fat, that is, they grew big and unwieldy, unmindful of business, and unfit for it; dull and stupid, careless and senseless; and this was the effect of their plenty. Thus the prosperity of fools destroys them, Pr 1:32. Yet this was not the worst of it. 2. They kicked; they grew proud and insolent, and lifted up the heel even against God himself. If God rebuked them, either by his prophets or by his providence, they kicked against the goad, as an untamed heifer, or a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, and in their rage persecuted the prophets, and flew in the face of providence itself. And thus he forsook God that made him (not paying due respect to his creator, nor answering the ends of his creation), and put an intolerable contempt upon the rock of his salvation, as if he were not indebted to him for any past favours, nor had any dependence upon him for the future. Those that make a god of themselves and a god of their bellies, in pride and wantonness, and cannot bear to be told of it, certainly thereby forsake God and show how lightly they esteem him.

II. Idolatry was the great instance of their apostasy, and which the former led them to, as it made them sick of their religion, self-willed, and fond of changes. Observe,

1. What sort of gods they chose and offered sacrifice to, when they forsook the God that made them, De 32:16,17. This aggravated their sin that those very services which they should have done to the true God they did, (1.) To strange gods, that could not pretend to have done them any kindness, or laid them under any obligation to them, gods that they had no knowledge of, nor could expect any benefit by, for they were strangers. Or they are called strange gods, because they were other than the one only true God, to whom they were betrothed and ought to have been faithful. (2.) To new gods, that came newly up; for even in religion, the antiquity of which is one of its honours, vain minds have strangely affected novelty, and, in contempt of the Ancient of days, have been fond of new gods. A new god! can there be a more monstrous absurdity? Would we find the right way to rest, we must ask for the good old way, Jer 6:16. It was true their fathers had worshipped other gods (Jos 24:2), and perhaps it had been some little excuse if the children had returned to them; but to serve new gods whom their fathers feared not, and to like them the better for being new, was to open a door to endless idolatries. (3.) They were such as were no gods at all, but mere counterfeits and pretenders; their names the invention of men's fancies, and their images the work of men's hands. Nay, (4.) They were devils. So far from being gods, fathers and benefactors to mankind, they really were destroyers (so the word signifies), such as aimed to do mischief. If there were any spirits or invisible powers that possessed their idol-temples and images, they were evil spirits and malignant powers, whom yet they did not need to worship for fear they should hurt them, as they say the Indians do; for those that faithfully worship God are out of the devil's reach: nay, the devil can destroy those only that sacrifice to him. How mad are idolaters, who forsake the rock of salvation to run themselves upon the rock of perdition!

2. What a great affront this was to Jehovah their God. (1.) It was justly interpreted a forgetting of him (De 32:18): Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful. Mindfulness of God would prevent sin, but, when the world is served and the flesh indulged, God is forgotten; and can any thing be more base and unworthy than to forget the God that is the author of our being, by whom we subsist, and in whom we live and move? And see what comes of it, Isa 17:10,11, Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the Rock of thy strength, though the strange slips be pleasant plants at first, yet the harvest at last will be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. There is nothing got by forgetting God. (2.) It was justly resented as an inexcusable offence: They provoked him to jealousy and to anger (De 32:16), for their idols were abominations to him. See here God's displeasure against idols, whether they be set up in the heart or in the sanctuary. [1.] He is jealous of them, as rivals with him for the throne in the heart. [2.] He hates them, as enemies to his crown and government. [3.] He is, and will be, very angry with those that have any respect or affection for them. Those consider not what they do that provoke God; for who knows the power of his anger?

¹⁹ And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.
²⁰ And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.
²¹ They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
²² For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
²³ I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.
²⁴ They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.
²⁵ The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.

The method of this song follows the method of the predictions in the foregoing chapter, and therefore, after the revolt of Israel from God, described in the De 32:15,16, here follow immediately the resolves of divine Justice concerning them; we deceive ourselves if we think that God will be thus mocked by a foolish faithless people, that play fast and loose with him.

I. He had delighted in them, but now he would reject them with detestation and disdain, De 32:19. When the Lord saw their treachery, and folly, and base ingratitude, he abhorred them, he despised them, so some read it. Sin makes us odious in the sight of the holy God; and no sinners are so loathsome to him as those that he has called, and that have called themselves, his sons and his daughters, and yet have been provoking to him. Note, The nearer any are to God in profession the more noisome are they to him if they are defiled in a sinful way, Ps 106:39,40.

II. He had given them the tokens of his presence with them and his favour to them; but now he would withdraw and hide his face from them, De 32:20. His hiding his face signifies his great displeasure; they had turned their back upon God, and now God would turn his back upon them (compare Jer 18:17, Jer 2:27); but here it denotes also the slowness of God's proceedings against them in a way of judgment. They began in their apostasy with omissions of good, and so proceeded to commissions of evil. In like manner God will first suspend his favours, and let them see what the issue of that will be, what a friend they lose when they provoke God to depart, and will try whether this will bring them to repentance. Thus we find God hiding himself, as it were, in expectation of the event, Isa 57:17. To justify himself in leaving them he shows that they were such as there was no dealing with; for, 1. They were froward and a people that could not be pleased, or obstinate in sin, and that could not be convinced and reclaimed. 2. They were faithless, and a people that could not be trusted. When he saved them, and took them into covenant, he said, Surely they are children that will not lie (Isa 63:8); but when they proved otherwise, children in whom is no faith, they deserved to be abandoned, and that the God of truth should have no more to do with them.

III. He had done every thing to make them easy and to please them, but now he would do that against them which should be most vexatious to them. The punishment here answers the sin, De 32:21. 1. They had provoked God with despicable deities which were not gods at all, but vanities, creatures of their own imagination, that could not pretend either to merit or to repay the respects of their worshippers; the more vain and vile the gods were after which they went a whoring the greater was the offence to that great and good God whom they set them up in competition with and contradiction to. This put two great evils into their idolatry, Jer 2:13. 2. God would therefore plague them with despicable enemies, that were worthless, weak, and inconsiderable, and not deserving the name of a people, which was a great mortification to them, and aggravated the oppressions they groaned under. The more base the people were that tyrannised over them the more barbarous they would be (none so insolent as a beggar on horseback), besides that it would be infamous to Israel, who had so often triumphed over great and mighty nations, to be themselves trampled upon by the weak and foolish, and to come under the curse of Canaan, who was to be a servant of servants. But God can make the weakest instrument a scourge to the strongest sinner; and those that by sin insult their might Creator are justly insulted by the meanest of their fellow-creatures. This was remarkably fulfilled in the days of the judges, when they were sometimes oppressed by the very Canaanites themselves, whom they had subdued, Jdg 4:2. But the apostle applies it to the conversion of the Gentiles, who had been a people not in covenant with God, and foolish in divine things, yet were brought into the church, sorely to the grief of the Jews, who upon all occasions showed a great indignation at it, which was both their sin and their punishment, as envy always is, Ro 10:19.

IV. He had planted them in a good land, and replenished them with all good things; but now he would strip them of all their comforts, and bring them to ruin. The judgments threatened are very terrible, De 32:22-25. 1. The fire of God's anger shall consume them, De 32:22. Are they proud of their plenty? It shall burn up the increase of the earth. Are they confident of their strength? It shall destroy the very foundations of their mountains: there is no fence against the judgments of God when they come with commission to lay all waste. It shall burn to the lowest hell, that is, it shall bring them to the very depth of misery in this world, which yet would be but a faint resemblance of the complete and endless misery of sinners in the other world. The damnation of hell (as our Saviour calls it) is the fire of God's anger, fastening upon the guilty conscience of a sinner, to its inexpressible and everlasting torment, Isa 30:33. 2. The arrows of God's judgments shall be spent upon them, till his quiver is quite exhausted, De 32:23. The judgments of God, like arrows, fly swiftly (Ps 64:7), reaching those at a distance who flatter themselves with hopes of escaping them, Ps 21:8,12. They come from an unseen hand, but wound mortally, for God never misses his mark, 1Ki 22:34. The particular judgments here threatened are, (1.) Famine: they shall be burnt, or parched, with hunger. (2.) Pestilence and other diseases, here called burning heat and bitter destruction. (3.) The insults of the inferior creatures: the teeth of beasts and the poison of serpents, De 32:24. (4.) War and the fatal consequences of it, De 32:25. [1.] Perpetual frights. When the sword is without, there cannot but be terror within. 2Co 7:5, Without were fightings, within were fears. Those who cast off the fear of God are justly exposed to the fear of enemies. [2.] Universal deaths. The sword of the Lord, when it is sent to lay all waste, will destroy without distinction; neither the strength of the young man nor the beauty of the virgin, neither the innocency of the suckling nor the gravity or infirmity of the man of gray hairs, will be their security from the sword when it devours one as well as another. Such devastation does war make, especially when it is pushed on by men as ravenous as wild beasts and as venomous as serpents, De 32:24. See here what mischief sin does, and reckon those fools that make a mock at it.

²⁶ I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:
²⁷ Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this.
²⁸ For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.
²⁹ O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
³⁰ How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
³¹ For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.
³² For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:
³³ Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.
³⁴ Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?
³⁵ To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
³⁶ For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
³⁷ And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
³⁸ Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.

After many terrible threatenings of deserved wrath and vengeance, we have here surprising intimations of mercy, undeserved mercy, which rejoices against judgment, and by which it appears that God has no pleasure in the death of sinners, but would rather they should turn and live.

I. In jealousy for his own honour, he will not make a full end of them, De 32:26-28. 1. It cannot be denied but that they deserved to be utterly ruined, and that their remembrance should be made to cease from among men, so that the name of an Israelite should never be known but in history; for they were a nation void of counsel (De 32:28), the most sottish inconsiderate people that ever were, that would not believe the gory of God, though they saw it, nor understand his loving kindness, though they tasted it and lived upon it. Of those who could cast off such a God, such a law, such a covenant, for vain and dunghill-deities, it might truly be said, There is no understanding in them. 2. It would have been an easy thing with God to ruin them and blot out the remembrance of them; when the greatest part of them were cut off by the sword, it was but scattering the remnant into some remote obscure corners of the earth, where they should never have been heard of any more, and the thing had been done. See Eze 5:12. God can destroy those that are most strongly fortified, disperse those that are most closely united, and bury those names in perpetual oblivion that have been most celebrated. 3. Justice demanded it: I said I would scatter them. It is fit those should be cut off from the earth that have cut themselves off from their God; why should they not be dealt with according to their deserts? 4. Wisdom considered the pride and insolence of the enemy, which would take occasion from the ruin of a people that had been so dear to God, and for whom he had done such great things, to reflect upon God and to imagine that because they had got the better of Israel they had carried the day against the God of Israel: The adversaries will say, Our hand is high, high indeed, when it has been too high for those whom God himself fought for; nor will they consider that the Lord has done all this, but will dream that they have done it in despite of him, as if the God of Israel were as weak and impotent, and as easily run down, as the pretended deities of other nations. 5. In consideration of this, Mercy prevails for the sparing of a remnant and the saving of that unworthy people from utter ruin: I feared the wrath of the enemy. It is an expression after the manner of men; it is certain that God fears no man's wrath, but he acted in this matter as if he had feared it. Those few good people in Israel that had a concern for the honour of God's name feared the wrath of the enemy in this instance more than in any other, as Joshua (Jos 7:9), and David often; and, because they feared it, God himself is said to fear it. He needed not Moses to plead it with him, but reminded himself of it: What will the Egyptians say? Let all those whose hearts tremble for the ark of God and his Israel comfort themselves with this, that God will work for his own name, and will not suffer it to be profaned and polluted: how much soever we deserve to be disgraced, God will never disgrace the throne of his glory.

II. In concern for their welfare, he earnestly desires their conversion; and, in order to that, their serious consideration of their latter end, De 32:29. Observe, 1. Though God had pronounced them a foolish people and of no understanding, yet he wishes they were wise, as De 5:29, O that there were such a heart in them! and Ps 94:8, You fools, when will you be wise? God delights not to see sinners ruin themselves, but desires they will help themselves; and, if they will, he is ready to help them. 2. It is a great piece of wisdom, and will contribute much to the return of sinners to God, seriously to consider the latter end, or the future state. It is here meant particularly of that which God by Moses had foretold concerning this people in the latter days: but it may be applied more generally. We ought to understand and consider, (1.) The latter end of life, and the future state of the soul. To think of death as our removal from a world of sense to a world of spirits, the final period of our state of trial and probation, and our entrance upon an unchangeable state of recompence and retribution. (2.) The latter end of sin, and the future state of those that live and die in it. O that men would consider the happiness they will lose, and the misery they will certainly plunge themselves into, if they go on still in their trespasses, what will be in the end thereof, Jer 5:31. Jerusalem forgot this, and therefore came down wonderfully, La 1:9.

III. He calls to mind the great things he had done for them formerly, as a reason why he should not quite cast them off. This seems to be the meaning of that (De 32:30,31), "How should one Israelite have been too hard for a thousand Canaanites, as they have been many a time, but that God, who is greater than all gods, fought for them!" And so it corresponds with that, Isa 63:10,11. When he was turned to be their enemy, as here, and fought against them for their sins, then he remembered the days of old, saying, Where is he that brought them out of the sea? So here, his arm begins to awake as in the days of old against the wrath of the enemy, Ps 138:7. There was a time when the enemies of Israel were sold by their own rock, that is, their own idol-gods, who could not help them, but betrayed them, because Jehovah, the God of Israel, had shut them up as sheep for the slaughter. For the enemies themselves must own that their gods were a very unequal match for the God of Israel. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, De 32:32,33. This must be meant of the enemies of Israel, who fell so easily before the sword of Israel because they were ripe for ruin, and the measure of their iniquity was full. Yet these verses may be understood of the strange prevalency of the enemies of Israel against them, when God made use of them as the rod of his anger, Isa 10:5,6. "How should one Canaanite chase a thousand Israelites" (as it is threatened against those that trust to Egypt for help, Isa 30:17, One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one) "unless Israel's rock had deserted them and given them up." For otherwise, however they may impute their power to their gods (Hab 1:11), as the Philistines imputed their victory to Dagon, it is certain the enemies' rock could not have prevailed against the rock of Israel; God would soon have subdued their enemies (Ps 81:14), but that the wickedness of Israel delivered them into their hands. For their vine, that is, Israel's, is of the vine of Sodom, De 32:32,33. They were planted a choice vine, wholly a right seed, but by sin had become the degenerate plant of a strange vine (Jer 2:21), and not only transcribed the iniquity of Sodom, but outdid it, Eze 16:48. God called them his vineyard, his pleasant plant, Isa 5:7. But their fruits were, 1. Very offensive, and displeasing to God, bitter as gall. 2 Very malignant, and pernicious one to another, like the cruel venom of asps. Some understand this of their punishment; their sin would be bitterness in the latter end (2Sa 2:26), it would bite like a serpent and sting like an adder, Job 20:14, Pr 23:32.

IV. He resolves upon the destruction of those at last that had been their persecutors and oppressors. When the cup of trembling goes round, the king of Babel shall pledge it at last, Jer 25:26, and see Isa 51:22,23. The day is coming when the judgment that began at the house of God shall end with the sinner and ungodly, 1Pe 4:17,18. God will in due time bring down the church's enemies.

1. In displeasure against their wickedness, which he takes notice of, and keeps an account of, De 32:34,35. "Is not this implacable fury of theirs against Israel laid up in store with me, to be reckoned for hereafter, when it shall be made to appear that to me belongs vengeance?" Some understand it of the sin of Israel, especially their persecuting the prophets, which was laid up in store against them from the blood of righteous Abel, Mt 23:35. However it teaches us that the wickedness of the wicked is all laid up in store with God. (1.) He observes it, Ps 90:8. He knows both what the vine is and what the grapes are, what is the temper of the mind and what are the actions of life. (2.) He keeps a record of it both in his own omniscience and in the sinner's conscience; and this is sealed up among his treasures, which denotes both safety and secresy: these books cannot be lost, nor will they be opened till the great day. See Ho 13:12. (3.) He often delays the punishment of sin for a great while; it is laid up in store, till the measure be full, and the day of divine patience has expired. See Job 21:28-30. (4.) There is a day of reckoning coming, when all the treasures of guilt and wrath will be broken up, and the sin of sinners shall surely find them out. [1.] The thing itself will certainly be done, for the Lord is a God to whom vengeance belongs, and therefore he will repay, Isa 59:18. This is quoted by the apostle to show the severity of God's wrath against those that revolt from the faith of Christ, Heb 10:30. [2.] It will be done in due time, in the best time; nay, it will be done in a short time. The day of their calamity is at hand; and, though it may seem to tarry, it lingers not, it slumbers not, but makes haste. In one hour, shall the judgment of Babylon come.

2. He will do it in compassion to his own people, who, though they had greatly provoked him, yet stood in relation to him, and their misery appealed to his mercy (De 32:36): The Lord shall judge his people,. that is, judge for them against their enemies, plead their cause, and break the yoke of oppression under which they had long groaned, repenting himself for his servants; not changing his mind, but changing his way, and fighting for them, as he had fought against them, when he sees that their power is gone. This plainly points at the deliverances God wrought for Israel by the judges out of the hands of those to whom he had sold them for their sins (see Jdg 2:11-18), and how his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel (Jdg 10:16), and this when they were reduced to the last extremity. God helped them when they could not help themselves; for there was none shut up or left; that is, none that dwelt either in cities or walled towns, in which they were shut up, nor any that dwelt in scattered houses in the country, in which they were left at a distance from neighbours. Note, God's time to appear for the deliverance of his people is when things are at the worst with them. God tries his people's faith, and stirs up prayer, by letting things go to the worst, and then magnifies his own power, and fills the faces of his enemies with shame and the hearts of his people with so much the greater joy, by rescuing them out of extremity as brands out of the burning.

3. He will do it in contempt and to the reproach of idol-gods, De 32:37,38. Where are their gods? Two ways it may be understood: (1.) That God would do that for his people which the idols they had served could not do for them. They had forsaken God, and been very liberal in their sacrifices to idols, had brought to their altars the fat of their sacrifices and the wine of their drink-offerings, which they supposed their deities to feed upon and on which they feasted with them. "Now," says God, "will these gods you have made your court to, at so great an expense, help you in your distress, and so repay you for all your charges in their service? Go get you to the gods you have served, and let them deliver you, Jdg 10:14. This is intended to convince them of their folly in forsaking a God that could help them for gods that could not, and so to bring them to repentance and qualify them for deliverance. When the adulteress shall follow after her lovers and not overtake them, pray to her idols and receive no kindness from them, then she shall say, I will go and return to my first husband, Ho 2:7. See Isa 16:12, Jer 2:27,28. Or, (2.) That God would do that against his enemies which the idols they had served could not save them from, Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar boldly challenged the God of Israel to deliver his worshippers (Isa 37:10, Da 3:15), and he did deliver them, to the confusion of their enemies. But the God of Israel challenged Bel and Nebo to deliver their worshippers, to rise up and help them, and to be their protection (Isa 47:12,13); but they were so far from helping them that they themselves, that is, their images, which was all that was of them, went into captivity, Isa 46:1,2. Note, Those who trust to any rock but God will find it sand in the day of their distress; it will fail them when they most need it.

³⁹ See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
⁴⁰ For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
⁴¹ If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
⁴² I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
⁴³ Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

This conclusion of the song speaks three things:

I. Glory to God, De 32:39. "See now upon the whole matter, that I, even I, am he. Learn this from the destruction of idolaters, and the inability of their idols to help them." The great God here demands the glory, 1. Of a self-existence: I, even I, am he. Thus Moses concludes with that name of God by which he was first made to know him (Ex 3:14), "I am that I am. I am he that I have been, that I will be, that I have promised to be, that I have threatened to be; all shall find me true to my word." The Targum of Uzzielides paraphrases it thus: When the Word of the Lord shall reveal himself to redeem his people, he shall say to all people, See that I now am what I am, and have been, and I am what I will be, which we know very well how to apply to him who said to John, I am he who is, and was, and is to come, Re 1:8. These words, I even I, am he, we meet with often in those chapters of Isaiah where God is encouraging his people to hope for their deliverance out of Babylon, Isa 41:4,43:11,13,15,25,46:4. 2. Of a sole supremacy. "There is no god with me. None to help with me, none to cope with me." See Isa 43:10,11. 3. Of an absolute sovereignty, a universal agency: I kill, and I make alive; that is, all evil and all good come from his hand to providence; he forms both the light of life and the darkness of death, Isa 45:7, La 3:37,38. Or, He kills and wounds his enemies, but heals and makes alive his own people, kills and wounds with his judgments those that revolt from him and rebel against him; but, when they return and repent, he heals them, and makes them alive with his mercy and grace. Or it denotes his incontestable authority to dispose of all his creatures, and the beings he has given them, so as to serve his own purposes by them: Whom he will he slays, and whom he will he keeps alive, when his judgments are abroad. Or thus, Though he kill, yet he makes alive again: though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, La 3:32. Though he have torn, he will heal us, Ho 6:1,2. The Jerusalem Targum reads it, I kill those that are alive in this world, and make those alive in the other world that are dead. And some of the Jewish doctors themselves have observed that death, and a life after it, that is, eternal life, is intimated in these words. 4. Of an irresistible power, which cannot be controlled: Neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand those that I have marked for destruction. As no exception can be made against the sentence of God's justice, so no escape can be made from the executions of his power.

II. Terror to his enemies, De 32:40-42. Terror indeed to those that hate him, as all those do that serve other gods, that persist in wilful disobedience to the divine law, and that malign and persecute his faithful servants. These are those to whom God will render vengeance, those his enemies that will not have him to reign over them. In order to alarm such in time to repent and return to their allegiance, the wrath of God is here revealed from heaven against them. 1. The divine sentence is ratified with an oath (De 32:40): He lifts up his hand to heaven, the habitation of his holiness; this was an ancient and very significant sign used in swearing, Ge 14:22. And, since he could swear by no greater, he swears by himself and his own life. Those are miserable without remedy that have the word and oath of God against them. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, that the sin of sinners shall be their ruin if they go on in it. 2. Preparation is made for the execution: The glittering sword is whet. See Ps 7:12. It is a sword bathed in heaven, Isa 34:5. While the sword is in whetting, space is given to the sinner to repent and make his peace, which, if he neglects, will render the wound the deeper. And, as the sword is whet, so the hand that is to wield it takes hold on judgment with a resolution to go through with it. 3. The execution itself will be very terrible: The sword shall devour flesh in abundance, and the arrows be made drunk with blood, such vast quantities of it shall be shed, the blood of the slain in battle, and of the captives, to whom no quarter shall be given, but who shall be put under military execution. When he begins revenge he will make an end; for in this also his work is perfect. The critics are much perplexed with the last clause, From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. The learned bishop Patrick (that great master) thinks it may admit this reading, From the king to the slave of the enemies, Jer 50:35-37. When the sword of God's wrath is drawn it will make bloody work, blood to the horse-bridles, Re 14:20.

III. Comfort to his own people (De 32:43): Rejoice, O you nations, with his people. He concludes the song with words of joy; for in God's Israel there is a remnant whose end will be peace. God's people will rejoice at last, will rejoice everlastingly. Three things are here mentioned as the matter of joy:—1. The enlarging of the church's bounds. The apostle applies the first words of this verse to the conversion of the Gentiles. Ro 15:10, Rejoice you Gentiles with his people. See what the grace of God does in the conversion of souls, it brings them to rejoice with the people of God; for true religion brings us acquainted with true joy, so great a mistake are those under that think it tends to make men melancholy. 2. The avenging of the church's controversies upon her adversaries. He will make inquisition for the blood of his servants, and it shall appear how precious it is to him; for those that spilt it shall have blood given them to drink. 3. The mercy God has in store for his church, and for all that belong to it: He will be merciful to his land, and to his people, that is, to all everywhere that fear and serve him. Whatever judgments are brought upon sinners, it shall go well with the people of God; in this let Jews and Gentiles rejoice together.

⁴⁴ And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.
⁴⁵ And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel:
⁴⁶ And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
⁴⁷ For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
⁴⁸ And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,
⁴⁹ Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:
⁵⁰ And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:
⁵¹ Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
⁵² Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.

Here is, I. The solemn delivery of this song to the children of Israel, De 32:44,45. Moses spoke it to as many as could hear him, while Joshua, in another assembly, at the same time, delivered it to as many as his voice would reach. Thus coming to them from the mouth of both their governors, Moses who was laying down the government, and Joshua who was taking it up, they would see they were both in the same mind, and that, though they changed their commander, there was no change in the divine command; Joshua, as well as Moses, would be a witness against them if ever they forsook God.

II. An earnest charge to them to mind these and all the rest of the good words that Moses had said to them. How earnestly does he long after them all, how very desirous that the word of God might make deep and lasting impressions upon them, how jealous over them with a godly jealousy, lest they should at any time let slip these great things!

1. The duties he charges upon them are, (1.) Carefully to attend to these themselves: "Set your hearts both to the laws, and to the promises and threatenings, the blessings and curses, and now at last to this song. Let the mind be closely applied to the consideration of these things; be affected with them; be intent upon your duty, and cleave to it with full purpose of heart." (2.) Faithfully to transmit these things to those that should come after them: "What interest you have in your children, or influence upon them, use it for this purpose; and command them (as your father Abraham did, Ge 18:19) to observe to do all the words of this law." Those that are good themselves cannot but desire that their children may be so likewise, and that posterity may keep up religion in their day and the entail of it may not be cut off.

2. The arguments he uses to persuade them to make religion their business and to persevere in it are, (1.) The vast importance of the things themselves which he had charged upon them (De 32:47): "It is not a vain thing, because it is your life. It is not an indifferent thing, but of absolute necessity; it is not a trifle, but a matter of consequence, a matter of life and death; mind it, and you are made for ever; neglect it, and you are for ever undone." O that men were but fully persuaded of this, that religion is their life, even the life of their souls! (2.) The vast advantage it would be of to them: Through this thing you shall prolong your days in Canaan, which is a typical promise of that eternal life which Christ has assured us those shall enter into that keep the commandments of God, Mt 19:17.

III. Orders given to Moses concerning his death. Now that this renowned witness for God had finished his testimony, he must go up to Mount Nebo and die; in the prophecy of Christ's two witnesses there is a plain allusion to Moses and Elias (Re 11:6), and perhaps their removal, being by martyrdom, is no less glorious than the removal either of Moses or Elias. Orders were given to Moses that self-same day, De 32:48. Now that he had done his work, why should he desire to live a day longer? He had indeed formerly prayed that he might go over Jordan, but now he is entirely satisfied, and, as God had bidden him, saith no more of that matter. 1. God here reminds him of the sin he had been guilty of, for which he was excluded Canaan (De 32:51), that he might the more patiently bear the rebuke because he had sinned, and that now he might renew his sorrow for that unadvised word, for it is good for the best of men to die repenting of the infirmities they are conscious to themselves of. It was an omission that was thus displeasing to God; he did not sanctify God, as he ought to have done, before the children of Israel, he did not carry himself with a due decorum in executing the orders he had then received. 2. He reminds him of the death of his brother Aaron (De 32:50), to make his own the more familiar and the less formidable. Note, It is a great encouragement to us, when we die, to think of our friends that have gone before us through that darksome valley, especially of Christ, our elder brother and great high priest. 3. He sends him up to a high hill, thence to take a view of the land of Canaan and then die, De 32:49,50. The remembrance of his sin might make death terrible, but the sight God gave him of Canaan took off the terror of it, as it was a token of God's being reconciled to him, and a plain indication to him that though his sin shut him out of the earthly Canaan, yet it should not deprive him of that better country which in this world can only be seen, and that with an eye of faith. Note, Those may die with comfort and ease whenever God calls for them (notwithstanding the sins they remember against themselves) who have a believing prospect and a well-grounded hope of eternal life beyond death.

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary · Deuteronomy Capitolo 32