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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)
摩西之歌（公元前1451年）
¹ 诸天哪，侧耳！我要说话；愿地也听我口中的言语。
² 我的教训要淋漓如雨，我的言语要滴落如露，如同细雨降在嫩草上，如同甘霖降在菜蔬中。
³ 我要宣告耶和华的名；你们要将大德归与我们的 神。
⁴ 祂是磐石，祂的作为完全；祂所行的都公平；是诚实无伪的 神，又公义、又正直。
⁵ 这百姓向自己败坏了；他们的瑕疵不是祂儿女的瑕疵；他们是又乖僻又弯曲的世代。
⁶ 愚昧无知的百姓啊，你们这样报答耶和华吗？祂岂不是你的父、将你买来的吗？祂岂不曾造你、建立你吗？
此处：I. 摩西这首诗歌开篇的庄严序言（申32:1,2）。他开始：1. 向天地庄严呼吁，论到他所要说的话的真实与重要性，以及 神对悖逆背道之民施行审判的公义——因为他曾说过（申31:28），他要在这歌中呼天唤地向他们作见证。天地比这悖逆无知的百姓更愿意听从；因为天地不曾背叛对造物主的顺服，却"今日仍然按祂的典章，作祂的仆人"（诗119:89-91），所以必在审判中起来定悖逆以色列的罪。天地要作见证抵挡罪人——见证所给他们的警戒和他们拒绝接受警戒（参伯20:27）；"天必显明他的罪孽，地要起来攻击他。"或者天地在此指两处的居民——天使和世人；两者都必同意在 神对以色列的作为上称 神为义，并"宣告祂的公义"（诗50:6；参启19:1,2）。2. 他以庄严的应用开始论到百姓（申32:2）："我的教训要淋漓如雨。""对悖逆的人，这必成为冲刷的暴雨"——一位迦勒底意译家如此解释第一句。雨有时是为审判而降，正如曾淹没世界的那场洪水就是如此；照样， 神的话对一些人是苏醒_refreshing的——"作了活的香气叫他活"，对别人却是可怕致死的——"作了死的香气叫他死"。对那些预备妥当领受的人，这要如同甘甜慰藉的甘露。请留意：（1）这首诗歌的主题是教训；他曾给他们一首赞美感恩的歌（出15:1-21），但这却是一首教导的歌；因为在诗章、颂词、灵歌中，我们不仅当将荣耀归给 神，更当"彼此教导，互相劝戒"（西3:16）。因此有许多诗篇被称为 Maschil——训诲诗。（2） 神的教训借着祂设立的牧者传讲出来时，要像雨露一般。传道人当像雨——对干渴的灵魂舒爽_refreshing，又如露——温和温柔，"温柔的人有福了"。雨露来自天上，不是出于人；它们降在高处也降在低处，不偏待人；它们静悄悄地降下，却大大滋润。（3）这教训必须像降在嫩草上的细雨、菜蔬中的甘霖：那接受 神真道的灵魂必须预备好了，如同柔软的土壤，又如嫩草和菜蔬。
II. 庄严宣告 神的伟大和公义（申32:3,4）。
1. 他以此开始，并以之为首要原则：（1）为保守 神的尊荣，使祂不因祂子民以色列的恶行而蒙羞；无论那些称为祂名下的人何等败坏邪恶，祂仍是公义的、正直的，是全善的，不应因他们的败坏而被贬低。（2）为加重以色列的罪——他们既认识并敬拜如此圣洁的 神，自己却如此不圣洁。（3）为在 神待他们的事上称 神为义；我们必须坚守： 神是公义的，即便祂的"判断如同深渊"（耶12:1，诗36:6）。
2. 摩西在此着手"宣告耶和华的名"（申32:3），使以色列知道他们所承认为自己之 神的是怎样一位 神，就永不会愚蠢到用一个虚假的神、一个粪堆之神来交换祂。所以他呼召他们将伟大归给祂。常存对 神崇高尊贵的意念，并把握一切机会表达出来，这对我们防止犯罪、持守本分之道极有帮助："你们要将大德归与我们的 神。"我们不能加添祂的伟大，因为祂的伟大是无穷的；但我们当承认它，将荣耀归给祂。如今摩西要显明 神的伟大，他不是借着解释祂的永恒和广大，或描写祂在上方世界的荣耀光辉，而是借着显明祂话语的信实、祂作为的完全、以及祂一切治理的智慧和公正；因为祂的荣耀在这些事上最清楚地向我们照耀，而这些也是关于祂所启示的事，"是属于我们和我们子孙的"（申32:4）。（1）"祂是磐石。"本章如此称祂六次，七十士译本通篇译作 Theos—— 神。博学的 Hugh Broughton 先生推算，旧约中（除本章之外） 神共被称为"磐石"十八次（虽然在某些地方我们译作"力量"），所以他指责天主教徒把彼得当作 神，因为他们把彼得当作教会建造在其上的磐石。 神是磐石，因为祂本身是不改变、不能动摇的；对一切寻求祂、投靠祂的人，祂是不可穿透的避难所；对一切信靠祂的人，祂是永远的根基。（2）"祂的作为完全。"祂创造的作为如此——"都甚好"；祂护理的作为如此，或到了时候必如此；当 神的奥秘成全之时，祂作为的完全必向全世界显明。 神所作的无可改善（传3:14）。（3）"祂所行的都公平。"祂一切的道路都满有公平；祂向万人所行的，无不以公平为原则。"诚实无伪的 神"——祂的真理是祂治理世人的准则；祂毫无不义。"又公义、又正直"——祂对每一件事的判断都是公义的，无可指摘。
III. 对以色列人所提出的严重控告——他们的品格在各方面都与"以色列的 神"相反（申32:5）。1."他们向自己败坏了。"或作"它败坏了自己"——百姓整体的败坏："全头患病，全心发酸。" 神没有败坏他们，因为"祂又公义又正直"；他们乃是自己罪和灭亡的唯一作者；这两个意思都包含在这一词中。"他们使自己败坏"——各人被试探，乃是被自己的私欲牵引。"他们毁灭了自己"（何13:9）。你若藐视，必独自担当罪孽与忧愁（箴9:12）。2."他们的瑕疵不是祂儿女的瑕疵。" 神的儿女在不完全的状态中也有自己的瑕疵；因为我们若说自己无罪无瑕，便是自欺。但以色列的罪不是这些；不是他们所竭力抵挡、儆醒祷告抵挡的软弱，而是他们心里完全决意去行的恶。因为3. 他们是"又乖僻又弯曲的世代"，被一种矛盾的精神所激动，所以凡禁止的事偏要去行，因为被禁止；他们要将自己的私意和幻想摆在 神旨意的对立面，他们不能忍受责备，恨恶改革，"在自己的心路上顽梗前行。"迦勒底意译本如此译申32:5："他们分散了自己"或"改变了自己"，"不是改变祂"——就是那些事奉偶像的儿女，"这一代使自己的行为败坏，使自己疏离。"偶像崇拜者不能伤害 神，不能损害祂的作为，也不能使祂在这世界中成为陌生人。参伯35:6。不，他们所行的一切伤害都归于自己和自己的作为。博学的帕特里克主教另有译法："祂岂曾伤害祂？"即"以色列所遭遇的灾祸能怪罪那磐石吗？不，'祂的儿女是他们的羞辱'"，即"临到他们的这一切恶事，是因他们自己的罪。"
IV. 对这悖逆之民的忘恩所作的沉痛劝诫（申32:6）："你们这样报答耶和华吗？你们以后对他岂能再像从前那样卑鄙和不诚实吗？"1. 他提醒他们， 神曾以何等恩情加在他们身上，要他们事奉祂、专心倚靠祂。祂曾作他们的父，生了他们，养育他们，怀抱他们，乳养他们，容忍他们；他们要践踏一位父亲的慈肠吗？祂买了他们——为领他们出埃及曾耗费无数的神迹，曾"舍人作他们的赎价"，"换民作他们的生命"（赛43:4）。"祂岂不是你的父、你的主人"（有人如此译）"对你有无可争辩的所有权吗？""牛认识主人"（赛1:3）。"祂造了你"，使你存在；"建立你"，使你存立；祂岂没有如此行吗？你们能否认因祂所行和所计划的大事而欠祂的债吗？我们既为受洗的基督徒，对那造我们的创造主、买我们的救赎主、坚定我们的成圣主，所欠的债岂不也同样重大吗？2. 由此他推断离弃祂、背叛祂之罪何等邪恶。因为（1）这是卑鄙的忘恩："你们这样报答耶和华吗？这就是你们向祂一切恩惠所作的回报吗？你们从祂所得的能力，要用以反对祂吗？"参弥6:3，约10:32。这是全世界都要为之羞耻的可憎恶行：骂一个人忘恩负义，再没有比这更难听的话了。（2）这是惊天的狂妄："愚昧无知的百姓啊！"愚昧人，双重的愚昧人！"谁又迷惑了你们"（加3:1）？"真是愚昧，竟得罪你们所必须倚靠的那一位！竟为虚谎的虚空离弃自己的福分！"注意：一切故意犯罪的，尤其是以色列中的罪人，是世上最不智慧、最忘恩的人。
⁷ 你当追念上古之日，思量历代之年；问你的父亲，他必指示你；你的长老，他们必告诉你。
⁸ 至高者将地业赐给列邦，将世人分开，就照以色列人的数目，立定万民的疆界。
⁹ 因为耶和华的分本是他的百姓；他的产业本是雅各。
¹⁰ 耶和华遇见他在旷野，在荒凉野兽吼叫之地；就环绕他、看顾他、保护他，如同保护眼中的瞳人。
¹¹ 又如鹰搅动巢窝，在雏鹰以上两翅搧展，接取雏鹰，背在两翼之上。
¹² 这样，耶和华独自引导他，并无外邦神与他同在。
¹³ 耶和华使他乘驾地的高处，得吃田间的土产；又使他从磐石中咂蜜，从坚石中吸油；
¹⁴ 也吃牛的奶油、羊的奶、羊羔的脂油、巴珊所出的公绵羊和山羊，与上好的麦子；你也喝葡萄汁酿的纯酒。
摩西既已笼统地将 神作为他们的伟大恩主摆在他们面前——他们当因感恩而谨守遵行祂——如今在这些经文中具体列举 神对他们的恩慈和眷顾。1. 有些事是古时的，为证实这些事他诉诸于记录（申32:7）："你当追念上古之日"；即"记住那些日子的历史，并 神对古世界、对你祖亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各所行的奇妙护理；你必发现一系列绵延不断的怜悯随着他们，也必看见事情早就在为如今所成就的作预备。"注意：古时的信史记载大有用处，尤其是教会婴孩期的历史——无论新旧约教会。2. 另一些事是较近的，为证实这些他诉诸于他们仍存活并与他们同在的父老和长老。父母当殷勤教导儿女，不仅 神的律法（申6:7）和祂典章的意义（出12:26,27），更要教导祂的作为和祂护理的方法。参诗78:3,4,6,7。儿女也当渴慕认识这些事，因为这些能勉励他们尽本分，并指引他们如何尽本分。
这里详述了三件事，作为 神对祂子民以色列恩慈的例证，也是他们永不可离弃祂的强大动力：
I\. 早为迦南地指定作他们的产业；因为在此事上它乃是那天上产业的预表和影像——那产业在永恒里就在 神的旨意中命定、预备好了（申32:8）。请看：
1\. 当洪水之后，在法勒的时代，地分给世人诸子，各家族各得其份，要在其上定居并渐渐成为一国——那时 神已将以色列放在祂的心意和眼目之中；因为祂定意他们现在要进去的美地，到了时候要作他们的产业，就安排迦南的后裔——而不是当时任何别的家族——暂时栽种在那里，仿佛替他们看守地业，直到以色列预备好可以承受；因为这些家族在挪亚的咒诅之下，被定罪作奴仆并被毁灭（创9:25），所以当以色列要承受为业的时机成熟时，他们必被更公义、更体面、更容易、更有效地拔除。这样祂就照着所设计之以色列儿女的数目，划定那百姓的疆界，使他们恰好得着够用的地。有人注意到，迦南自己和他的十一个儿子（创10:15-18等），正好合成以色列十二支派的数目。注意：（1） 神的智慧已经划定世人居住的疆界，并定下我们在世上生活的地点和时间（徒17:26）。祂将地赐给世人（诗115:16）之时，并不是各人尽力抢夺；不，祂将地业分给列邦，要人人都认识自己的份，不可侵犯别人的产权。（2）无穷的智慧有极远的目光，在很久以前就定下很久以后才成就的事。"创世以来， 神一切所作的工，祂都知道"（徒15:18），但对我们却不如此（传3:11）。（3）伟大的 神在治理世界、安排列邦事务时，特别顾念祂的教会和子民，并在一切事上谋求他们的益处。参代下16:9，赛45:4。迦南人自以为他们对地的所有权与任何邻舍一样美好稳固，殊不知他们不过是房客，直到他们的地主——以色列人——来到。这样， 神借那些既不认识祂也不爱祂的人，成就祂向自己子民施恩的旨意，"他们心里并不这样思想"（赛10:7，弥4:12）。
2\. 神对这百姓如此早地施以特别的看顾——甚至（可以这样说）在他们尚未出生、尚未为世人所想到之时——这就更彰显祂的恩慈，使之成为无可言喻的恩惠（申32:9）："因为耶和华的分本是祂的百姓。"全地都是祂的。祂是天地的主人和拥有者，但祂的教会乃是祂特别拥有的。这是祂的产业，祂的葡萄园，祂关锁的园子。祂对之有特别的喜悦：这是祂灵魂所爱的，祂在其中行走、居住，这是祂永远安息之所。祂对之有特别的关切，保护它如同保护眼中的瞳人。祂对之有特别的期望——正如人对自己的分有期望一样——祂从那蒙分别的余民所得的尊荣、荣耀、敬拜的"租金"，远超过从全地其余的人所得的。 神作祂百姓的份，这容易解释，因为祂是他们的喜乐和福祉；但他们怎能作祂的份——祂既不需要他们，也不能从他们得益——这必须归于白白恩典奇妙的俯就。"父啊，是的，因为你的美意就是如此"——如此称他们、算他们为祂的份。
II\. 将他们塑造成一个子民，使他们能如成年的继承人，在父所定的时候，得以承受这产业。在此事上迦南也是天上产业的预表；因为这产业既从永恒为一切属灵以色列所设计，他们也在时间内（这是需要时间的工作）被造就、得以承受（西1:12）。以色列借毁灭压迫者得以脱离奴役，其过程伴随着许多感官可见的神迹，且已屡次被提及，所以在这歌中无需再提；但 神在他们身上所施的恩典之工，比祂为他们所行的荣耀之工更少被人注意，所以祂宁愿在此提说。要将这百姓模塑成形，使他们适合那在应许之地为他们所设计的大事，实在作了许多工作；此处优美地加以描述。
1."耶和华遇见他在旷野"（申32:10）。这无疑指 神领他们到迦南所经过的旷野，并在其中费心照管他们之处；这被称为"在旷野的教会"（徒7:38）。教会就在那里出生、被乳养、受教育，使一切都显得是出于 神、来自天上，因为他们在那里与地上任何地方都没有交通——无论为食物或学识。但因为他在此被说成"遇见他们"，看来也意在表明当 神初次为他们显现时，那百姓的败坏光景和败坏品格。（1）他们的光景凄凉。埃及对他们而言就是旷野、荒凉野兽吼叫之地，因为他们在其中作奴仆，因受欺压而哀号，完全不知所措，不知何去何从； 神就在那里遇见他们，从那里领出他们。（2）他们的性情毫无指望。他们大多数人对于属灵的事何等无知，何等麻木、难以领受，何等暴躁乖张、刚愎好争，又何等奇怪地沉迷于埃及的偶像崇拜——所以他们大可以说是在旷野被遇见的；因为从那样性情的百姓身上指望结出事奉 神的善果，正如指望从不毛的旷野长出庄稼一样不合理。那些蒙恩更新、成圣的人，当时常记念自己本来是何等光景。
2."耶和华环绕他、看顾他、教导他。"当 神把他们带到旷野时，祂没有直接把他们带到迦南，而是使他们绕远路而行；这样祂就教导他们；意思是：（1）借此祂用了时间教导他们，按着他们所能领受的程度赐给他们诫命。那些以教导人为业的人，不要指望一日之间就作成；学习者也需要时间学习。（2）借此祂试验了他们的信心、忍耐、对 神的信靠，使他们习惯旷野的艰辛，如此教导他们。每一站都有可学之处；甚至当祂管教他们时，也就此"借祂的律法教训他们"。诗篇说祂"领他们走直路"（诗107:7）；然而此处说祂"绕着他们走"；因为 神总领祂的子民走正路，尽管在我们看来是迂回的：所以最远的弯路，若不是最近的路，也是回家到迦南的最好之路。 神怎样教导他们，很久以后有所说明（尼9:13）："你又将你的良善的灵赐给他们教训他们"（尼9:20）；祂有效地教训人。我们可以想象，那百姓若不先经过旷野的训练，对于迦南是何等不合宜。
3."保护他如同保护眼中的瞳人"——以一切所能有的谨慎和温柔，保护他免受无遮蔽天空和空气的有害影响，以及一切无人情味之旷野的危险。云柱火柱既作他们的引导，也作他们的保护。
4. 祂为他们所作的，正如鹰为巢中雏鹰所作的（申32:11,12）。这比喻在出19:4已经提及："如鹰将你们背在翅膀上"；此处加以扩充。鹰对自己的雏鹰有强烈的爱心，并且所表现的，不仅像别的受造之物那样保护它们、为它们预备食物，更是教养它们、教它们飞翔。为此目的，它搅动巢中昏睡的雏鹰，在它们上面搧翅，向它们示范如何使用翅膀，然后让它们习惯在它翅膀上飞翔，直到它们学会自己飞翔。顺便说一句，这是父母当效法的榜样——训练儿女做事，不可纵容他们懒惰贪图安逸。 神对待以色列也是如此；当他们迷恋为奴的生活、不愿离去时， 神借摩西激发他们渴慕自由，多次保守他们不致回到为奴之家。祂把他们带出埃及、领入旷野，如今终于领他们走过旷野。"耶和华独自引导他"——祂无需任何帮助，也没有让任何别的与祂同工参与此一成就；这是他们当单单事奉耶和华、不可事奉别神（甚至不可与祂合伙事奉，更不可与祂对抗事奉）的充分理由。"并无外邦神与祂同在"——没有任何外邦神参与以色列的拯救，所以也不可有任何外邦神分享以色列的敬拜和崇拜（诗81:9）。
III\. 使他们定居在美地。这事已部分成就——两个半支派已经快乐地得着了地业，作为其余支派必速速得着之应许的凭据。1. 他们蒙福，胜过仇敌（申32:13）："耶和华使他乘驾地的高处"——即祂使他们得胜前进，凯旋而归。祂踏过那抵挡他们的高处或坚固堡垒，安逸尊荣地坐在迦南肥沃的山上。在埃及他们看起来卑贱，也确实卑贱——贫穷受辱；但在迦南他们显得伟大，也确实伟大——被擢升、得富足；他们如仪仗般骑乘而行，如同万王之王所乐意尊荣的子民。2. 得着各样美物的丰盛。不仅有田间寻常的出产，更有不寻常的——"从磐石中咂蜜，从坚石中吸油"；这可能指：（1）他们在旷野从随着他们的磐石所得的奇妙活水供应——此处称为"蜜和油"，因为他们所处困境使之如同别时的蜜和油一般甘甜宝贵。或（2）他们在迦南地将要发现的极大丰富的蜜和油，甚至在那最不肥沃的地方也是如此。迦南的磐石要比别国的田地和草场出产更好的收成。迦南别的出产也在申32:14提及。如此丰富、如此多样的健康食物（每样都是同类中最好的），若他们愿意，每顿饭都可以是筵席：用最好的麦子所做的上等饼——此处称为"麦子的肾脏"（因为一粒麦子与肾脏相似）、丰足的奶油和牛奶、喂养得好的牛羊的肉、他们所喝的，也不次于"葡萄汁酿的纯酒"——如此一位天父对他们何等宽厚，如此一位恩主何等仁慈。Ainsworth 认为迦南美物的丰盛乃是基督国度丰富、祂的话语和圣灵所赐天上安慰的预表：因为祂国度的儿女，祂有奶油和牛奶——纯净的灵奶；为成年人有干粮，并有使心得喜乐的酒。
¹⁵ 但耶书仑渐渐肥胖，粗壮，光滑，肥大，便离弃造他的 神，轻看救他的磐石。
¹⁶ 他们以别神惹祂发怒，以可憎恶的事惹祂怒气。
¹⁷ 他们祭祀鬼魔，并非真神；是他们不认识的神，是近来新出的神，是他们列祖所不畏缩的。
¹⁸ 你轻忽了生你的磐石，忘记了那位塑造你的 神。
此处描述以色列离弃 神——这不久就要发生，他们如今也已显出这种倾向。人本以为一个在责任、感恩、利益上都欠 神如此多恩情的百姓，永不会转离祂；然而，唉！"他们快快偏离了"。他们恶行有两大表现，每一项都足以构成对 神的背道：
I\. 安逸纵欲、骄傲狂妄，以及丰盛和兴旺所常见的种种滥用（申32:15）。这些百姓被称为"耶书仑"——有人解作"正直的百姓"，有人解作"看见的百姓"：但他们不久就失去了知识和义的名声；因为既吃得饱足，1. 他们"渐渐肥胖、粗壮"——即放纵于各样的奢华和口腹之欲的满足，仿佛除了"为肉体安排去放纵私欲"之外别无可作。他们"肥胖"——即变得又大又笨拙，不顾事务，也不适合作事；沉闷迟钝、粗心大意、麻木不仁；这正是他们丰盛的结果。这样，"愚顽人安逸必害己命"（箴1:32）。但这还不是最坏的。2. 他们"踢跳"——变得骄傲狂妄，"举起脚跟"甚至敌挡 神自己。 神若借先知或借护理责备他们，他们就"用脚踢刺"，如同"未驯服的母牛犊"或"未曾负轭的牛犊"，在怒气中逼迫先知，并当面顶撞护理本身。这样他"离弃造他的 神"（既不对造他的主表示当有的敬畏，也不达成受造的目的），并对"救他的磐石"施以不可容忍的藐视，仿佛他从祂不曾受过任何先前的恩惠，将来也不必倚靠祂。凡以自己为神、以自己的肚腹为神，骄傲放纵，不能忍受人提说的，无疑就是离弃 神，显明他们对祂何等轻看。
II\. 偶像崇拜是他们背道的最大例证，前者引导他们到此，因为前者使他们厌倦宗教，任性妄为，喜新好奇。请看：
1. 当他们离弃那造他们的 神时，他们选择并献祭给的是怎样的神（申32:16,17）。这加重了他们的罪——他们本当献给真 神的事奉，竟献给：（1）"别神"——既不能自称对他们施过恩惠，也没有使他们欠下任何恩情；他们对这些神毫无认识，也不能指望从中得着什么益处，因为这些神是陌生的。或者他们被称为"别神"，因为它们不是那唯一真实的 神——他们已与祂订婚，本当对祂忠心。（2）"新近出来的新神"；因为甚至在宗教——其古老性原是它的尊荣之一——之中，虚荣的心竟出奇地爱慕新奇，并在藐视亘古常在者的同时，喜爱新神。新神！还有比这更怪诞的荒谬吗？我们若要寻找那安息的正路，必须求问"古道"（耶6:16）。他们的祖宗确曾敬拜"别神"（书24:2），倘若儿女回头归向那些神，或许还有一点借口；但事奉"他们祖宗所不曾畏缩的新神"，并且因为是新的就更喜爱，这就为无尽的偶像崇拜敞开了大门。（3）这些神根本不是神，不过是冒牌货和骗子；它们的名是人凭空捏造的，它们的像是人手所作的。不但如此，（4）它们是鬼魔。它们非但不是人类的"父亲"和"恩主"，实际上乃是"毁灭者"（这字如此解）——专以行恶为目的。若有任何灵或看不见的力量占据它们的偶像庙宇和形象，它们都是邪灵和恶势力；然而他们并不必因怕被这些所害而敬拜它们——如据说印度人所行的；因为那些忠心事奉 神的人已在魔鬼的权势之外：不，魔鬼只能毁灭那些向它献祭的人。偶像崇拜者何等疯狂，竟离弃"救恩的磐石"，撞向"灭亡的磐石"！
2. 这对他们的 神耶和华是何等大的冒犯。（1）这是对祂的忘记，公义如此解释（申32:18）："你轻忽了生你的磐石。"对 神的记念能防止犯罪，但当世界被事奉、肉体被放纵时， 神就被忘记了；还有比忘记那创造我们、我们靠祂而存立、我们在祂里面生活动作的 神，更卑鄙可耻的事吗？看其结果：赛17:10-11，"因你忘记拯救你的 神，不记念你力量的磐石"，所以"你所栽种的嫩芽"虽起初悦目，"收割之时却是一堆，在忧愁痛苦的日子"。忘记 神一无所获。（2）这是无可推诿的过犯，公义如此愤慨："他们惹祂发怒"（申32:16），因为他们的偶像在祂眼中是可憎恶的。请看 神对偶像的不悦——无论是心中的偶像或圣所中的偶像。[1]祂因之嫉妒，视之为与祂争夺心中宝座的对手。[2]祂恨恶它们，视之为祂冠冕和国度的仇敌。[3]祂对凡对它们有任何敬意或好感的人，现在是、将来也是大发烈怒的。那激怒 神的人，不知道自己所作的是什么事；因为"谁能晓得祂怒气的权势"？
¹⁹ 耶和华看见这事，就轻看他们，因祂儿女所惹的怒气。
*²⁰ 我说：我要向他们掩面，看他们的结局如何；因为他们本是极乖僻的世代，是无信实的儿女。
²¹ 他们以那不是神的激动我的愤恨，以虚无的事惹了我的怒气；我也要以那不成子民的*激动他们的愤恨，以愚昧的国民惹他们的怒气。
²² 因为我怒中起火，必烧到极深的阴间，把地和地的出产，尽都焚烧，山的根基也着火。
²³ 我要将祸患堆在他们身上，将我的箭向他们射尽。
²⁴ 他们必因饥饿而消瘦，被炎热苦毒所吞灭；我要打发野兽的牙齿和土中蛇类的毒气害他们。
²⁵ 外头有刀剑，内里有惊恐，使人丧亡，使少男童女、吃奶的白发人，尽都灭绝。
这首诗歌的次序，沿用前一章预言的次序，所以在申32:15,16描述了以色列背离 神，紧接着就是神圣公义对他们的判决；我们若以为 神会被一个愚顽无信、对祂反覆无常的百姓如此嘲弄，就是自欺。
I\. 祂曾以他们为乐，如今却要厌恶藐视地弃绝他们（申32:19）。耶和华看见他们的诡诈、愚妄、卑鄙的忘恩负义，"就轻看他们"——有人译作"藐视他们"。罪使我们在圣洁的 神眼中可憎；而最可憎的罪人，莫过于那些祂曾称为、也自称是祂儿女，却惹动祂怒气的人。注意：人在信仰的承认上越接近 神，若陷在罪污之中，在 神眼中就越发臭恶（诗106:39,40）。
II\. 神曾赐下祂同在和恩宠的记号；如今祂要收回，"向他们掩面"（申32:20）。祂"掩面"表示祂大大的不悦；他们既"背向" 神， 神 now也要背向他们（参耶18:17，耶2:27）；但此处也表明 神在审判道路上向他们行事是缓慢的。他们的背道始于忽略善事，进而干犯恶事。照样， 神也先收回祂的恩惠，让他们看看结果如何——当他们激怒 神离开时，他们失去了何等大的朋友——并试试看这能否使他们悔改。这样我们看到 神如同掩面隐藏，期待结果（赛57:17）。为要在离弃他们的事上称义，祂表明他们是无可理喻的；因为：1. 他们是乖僻的、不可理喻的百姓，或说是在罪上顽梗、不能被说服回转的。2. 他们是无信的，是不可信任的百姓。当祂拯救他们、领他们立约之时，祂说："他们诚然是我的子民，不行虚假的子民"（赛63:8）；但他们既然证明不然——"无信实的儿女"——他们便该被弃绝，那诚实的 神就不再与他们相干。
III\. 祂曾尽一切所能使他们安逸、讨他们喜悦，如今却要向他们行那最令他们烦恼之事。此处的刑罚与罪相称（申32:21）。1. 他们以卑鄙的神明——根本不是神，不过是虚空，是他们想象所造之物，既不能自称配得敬拜者的尊敬，也不能回报他们的敬意——激怒了 神；他们所追求行淫的神越虚空可鄙，他们对那位他们借之与 神争竞对抗的伟大良善之 神所得罪的程度就越深。这就给他们的偶像崇拜加上了两大恶行（耶2:13）。2. 所以 神要用卑鄙的仇敌——那些毫无价值、软弱、不足挂齿、不配称为百姓的——来惩罚他们；这对他们是极大的羞辱，也加重了他们所忍受的欺压。辖制他们的百姓越卑鄙，他们就越野蛮（乞丐骑在马上没有比这更傲慢的）；况且以色列既曾屡次胜过大而强的列国，如今却被软弱愚拙的人践踏，并落在迦南的咒诅之下——本该作奴仆的奴仆——这是何等的耻辱。但 神能使最软弱的器皿成为最刚强罪人的鞭子；那些借犯罪侮辱全能造物主的人，公义地被他们最卑微的同辈所侮辱。这在士师时代显著应验了：他们有时竟被他们所曾征服的迦南人自己欺压（士4:2）。但使徒将此应用在外邦人的归正上——他们原是不在 神约中、在属灵的事上愚拙的人，却被引入教会，使犹太人大为忧伤；犹太人每逢机会都对此大表愤慨——这既是他们的罪，也是他们的刑罚，正如嫉妒总是如此（罗10:19）。
IV\. 神曾将他们栽种在美地，以各样美物充满他们；如今祂要剥夺他们一切的安慰，使他们归于毁灭。所威吓的刑罚极其可怕（申32:22-25）。1. 神怒气的火要吞灭他们（申32:22）。他们因丰盛骄傲吗？这火要烧尽地的出产。他们因力量有恃无恐吗？这火要毁坏他们山的根基：当 神的审判带着毁灭一切的使命而来时，无人能抵挡。这火"必烧到极深的阴间"——即要把他们带到今世痛苦的最深处；然而那不过是罪人在来世完全无尽痛苦的微弱影儿。地狱的刑罚（正如救主所称）乃是 神怒气的火，紧贴罪人的良心，使其受无法形容、永不止息的折磨（赛30:33）。2. 神审判的箭要向他们射尽，直到箭袋完全倾空（申32:23）。 神的审判如箭，飞速而至（诗64:7），达到那些自以为可以逃避的人（诗21:8,12）；它们出自看不见的手，却致命地伤人，因为 神从不失手（王上22:34）。此处所威吓的具体审判是：（1）饥荒：他们"因饥饿而消瘦"。（2）瘟疫和别的疾病，此处称为"炎热苦毒"。（3）低等受造之物的侵害："野兽的牙齿和土中蛇类的毒气"（申32:24）。（4）战争及其致命后果（申32:25）。[1] 持久的惊恐。当"外头有刀剑"时，"内里"必"有惊恐"。林后7:5："外有争战，内有惧怕。"那些抛弃对 神敬畏的人，公义地被暴露在仇敌的恐惧之下。[2] 普遍的死亡。主的刀剑当奉命毁灭一切时，必不分青红皂白地杀戮；少男的力量、童女的美貌、吃奶婴儿的无辜、白发老人的尊严或衰弱，都不能在刀剑吞灭一切时保护他们。战争所造成的蹂躏就是如此，尤其当战争被那些如野兽般贪婪、如蛇毒般恶毒的人所推进时（申32:24）。请在此看罪所造成的祸害，那些以罪为戏耍的实在是愚顽人。
²⁶ 我说：我必将他们分散到远方，使他们名号从人间除灭；
²⁷ 若不是怕仇敌惹动我，恐怕仇敌错看我，说我们的手高举，耶和华并非行了这一切。
²⁸ 因为他们是缺乏谋略的国，在他们中间毫无聪明。
²⁹ 惟愿他们有智慧，能明白这事，肯思念他们的结局！
³⁰ 若不是他们的磐石卖了他们，若不是耶和华交出他们，一人焉能追赶他们千人，二人焉能使万人逃跑呢？
³¹ 就是我们的仇敌也自己断定，他们的磐石不如我们的磐石。
³² 他们的葡萄树是所多玛的葡萄树，蛾摩拉田园所生的；他们的葡萄是毒葡萄，挂的果子全是苦的；
³³ 他们的酒是虺蛇的毒气，是恶蛇的残酷 venom。
³⁴ 这一切岂不积蓄在我这里，封存在我府库中吗？
³⁵ 伸冤报应在我；到时候他们必失脚；因他们遭灾的日子近了，那要临在他们身上的必速速来到。
³⁶ 耶和华见他百姓毫无能力，无论困住的、自由的都没有剩下，就必为他们伸冤，为他的仆人后悔。
³⁷ 他必说：他们的神在哪里呢？他们所投靠的磐石在哪里呢？
³⁸ 就是向来吃他们祭牲的脂油，喝他们奠祭之酒的神在哪里呢？让他们兴起，帮助你们，作你们的避难所吧。
在许多应得之烈怒和报应的可怕威吓之后，此处出人意料地提到怜悯——那不配得的怜悯，这怜悯胜过审判，并由此显明 神"不愿罪人死亡，宁愿他回转而活"。
I\. 因嫉恨自己的尊荣，祂必不将他们"完全灭绝"（申32:26-28）。1. 不可否认，他们本当被全然毁灭，"他们的名号当从人间除掉"，使以色列的名只在历史中被知晓；"因为他们是缺乏谋略的国"（申32:28），是从未有过最糊涂、最不顾将来的人，看见了 神的荣耀却不肯信，尝过了祂的慈爱、靠之而活却不肯明白。那些能离弃这样一位 神、这样的律法、这样的圣约，去追求虚空粪堆之神的，实在可以说："在他们中间毫无聪明。"2. 在 神毁灭他们、涂抹他们的名号，本非难事；当他们大部分人被刀剑剪除之后，只要把余剩的人分散到地上偏僻荒凉的角落，使他们永不再被人听见，这事就已成。参结5:12。 神能毁坏防守最坚固的，分散联合最紧密的，将最著名的名字埋葬于永远的遗忘中。3. 公义如此要求："我说我必将他们分散。"那些已经剪断自己与 神之关系的人，理当从地上被剪除；为何不按他们所该得的待他们呢？4. 智慧却考虑到仇敌的骄傲和狂妄——他们会借着一个对 神如此宝贵、 神为之行了大事的百姓的灭亡，趁机毁谤 神，并自以为既然胜过以色列，也就胜了以色列的 神："仇敌必说：我们的手高举"——确实高举，因为连 神亲自为他们争战的人也无法抵挡；他们也不肯思想"耶和华行了这一切"，反而以为自己是无视祂而行了这事，仿佛以色列的 神也像别国的假神那样软弱无能、容易击溃。5. 鉴于这一切，怜悯为那些余剩的人求情，要拯救这不堪的百姓脱离全然毁灭："我怕仇敌惹动我。"这是按人所能理解的拟人说法； 神当然不怕人的怒气，但祂在这事上的作为仿佛祂怕了一般。以色列中少数那些关心 神名尊荣的敬虔人，在这一点上比在任何别的事上更"怕仇敌惹动"——如约书亚（书7:9）和大卫屡次所作的；因为他们怕，所以 神自己也被称为怕。祂不需要摩西来为此恳求，而是自己提醒自己："埃及人会说什么呢？"凡为 神的约柜和以色列心中战兢的人，可以借这事得着安慰： 神必"为自己的名"行事，不容它被亵渎玷污；无论我们多么配受羞辱， 神永不"羞辱祂荣耀的宝座"。
II. 因关心他们的福祉，祂切切愿他们归正；为达此目的，愿他们认真思考自己的结局（申32:29）。请看：1. 虽然 神已经断定他们为愚昧无知的百姓，祂仍愿他们有智慧，正如申5:29："惟愿他们有这样的心！"诗94:8："你们愚顽人到几时才有智慧呢？" 神不喜悦见罪人自取灭亡，而愿他们自救；他们若肯，祂已预备好帮助他们。2. 认真思考结局、思考将来的状态，是大有智慧的事，也能大大促使罪人归向 神。此处特别指 神借摩西所预言关于这百姓在末后日子的事；但也可更普遍地应用。我们当明白并思考：（1）今生的结局和灵魂将来的状态。思念死亡乃是我们从感官世界迁往属灵世界、是受试炼和考验状态的终结、是我们进入不变的赏赐和报应状态的开始。（2）罪的结局和那些在罪中活着、死在罪中之人的将来状态。惟愿人肯思考他们所要失去的福乐，和他们若"仍在过犯中"必陷入的苦难——"结局如何"（耶5:31）。耶路撒冷忘记了这事，所以"奇妙的败落"（哀1:9）。
III. 祂记念祂从前为他们所行的大事，作为祂不应完全弃绝他们的理由。这似乎是申32:30,31的意思："若不是那比一切神更大的 神为他们争战，一个以色列人怎能胜过一千个迦南人呢——正如他们屡次所经历的！"这与赛63:10,11相符：祂"转身作他们的仇敌"，在此处为他们的罪"与他们争战"，"那时祂追念古时的日子，说：领他们从海里上来的在哪里呢？"照样此处，祂的膀臂开始如古时醒起，"抵挡仇敌的暴怒"（诗138:7）。曾有时以色列的仇敌被他们自己的磐石——他们自己的偶像——所出卖；这些偶像不能帮助他们，反而出卖他们，因为耶和华以色列的 神，把他们如待宰的羊一样交了出来。因为仇敌自己也必须承认，他们的神根本不能与以色列的 神 相匹敌。"他们的葡萄树是所多玛的葡萄树"（申32:32,33）。这必是指以色列的仇敌——他们因为毁灭的时机成熟、罪孽的量度已满，所以在以色列的刀剑前如此轻易仆倒。然而这两节也可理解为仇敌对以色列奇妙的得胜——当 神以他们为"祂怒气的棍"之时（赛10:5,6）。"一个迦南人怎能追赶一千个以色列人呢"（正如威吓那倚靠埃及求助之人的——赛30:17，"一人叱喝，必使千人逃跑"）——"若不是以色列的磐石离弃了他们、交出了他们。"因为不然的话，他们无论怎样将自己的力量归于他们的神（哈1:11）——正如非利士人将他们的得胜归于大衮——仇敌的磐石断不能胜过以色列的磐石； 神必早已制服他们的仇敌（诗81:14），无奈以色列的恶把他们交在仇敌手中。因为他们的葡萄树——即以色列的——乃是"所多玛的葡萄树"（申32:32,33）。他们原是上好的葡萄树，全然纯正的种子，却因罪成为"异邦葡萄树的坏枝子"（耶2:21），不但效法所多玛的罪孽，更胜过它（结16:48）。 神称他们为祂的"葡萄园"，祂"所喜爱的树"（赛5:7）。但他们的果子：1. 极其可憎，为 神所不悦——苦如茵陈。2. 极其恶毒，彼此伤害——"如同恶蛇的残酷 venom"。有人将此解作他们的刑罚：他们的罪"结局便是苦"（撒下2:26），"必咬人如蛇，螫人如虺蛇"（伯20:14，箴23:32）。
IV. 祂定意最终要毁灭那些曾逼迫欺压他们的人。当令人战惊的杯传了一圈，巴比伦王终必喝它（耶25:26；参赛51:22,23）。那日将到，那从 神的家起首的审判，必以罪人和不敬虔之人为终（彼前4:17,18）。 神必按时候使教会的仇敌降卑。
1. 因不悦他们的恶行——祂注意并记账（申32:34,35）。"他们向以色列所发的这难平息的暴怒，岂不积蓄在我这里，等到将来算账——那时必显明'伸冤在我'吗？"有人将此解作以色列的罪，尤其是他们逼迫先知，这罪从"义人亚伯的血"起就已积蓄在他们身上（太23:35）。无论如何，这教训我们：恶人的恶都积蓄在 神那里。（1）祂看见（诗90:8）。祂知道葡萄树是怎样的，葡萄是怎样的，知道人心的性情和生活的行为。（2）祂记录在案——既在祂自己的无所不知中，也在罪人的良心中；这是"封存在祂府库中"——表示安全和隐秘：这些册子不会遗失，也不会在大日之前打开。参何13:12。（3）祂常迟迟不罚罪；罪积蓄府库中，直到量满，直到 神忍耐的日子届满。参伯21:28-30。（4）算账的日子将到，那时罪孽和烈怒的宝库都必打开，罪人的罪必追上他们。[1] 这事本身必定成就，因为主是"伸冤属我"的 神，祂必报应（赛59:18）。使徒引用此话，表明 神对那些从基督真道叛离之人的烈怒之严厉（来10:30）。[2] 必在适当的时候、最好的时候成就；不，必在不久内成就。"他们遭灾的日子近了"；虽似迟延，却并不迟延，并不打盹，而是速速来到。"一时之间"，巴比伦的审判就来到了。
2. 祂必因怜悯自己的百姓而如此行——他们虽大大惹动祂，却仍与祂有关系，他们的苦难向祂的怜悯呼吁（申32:36）："耶和华必为祂百姓伸冤"——即为他们对抗仇敌而伸冤，为他们辩护，折断他们长久所呻吟的欺压之轭——"为祂的仆人后悔"；不是改变心意，而是改变方法，为他们争战，正如祂曾与他们争战——"当他看见他们的能力消失"之时。这明明指向 神借士师为以色列所施的拯救——救他们脱离那些祂因他们的罪而把他们卖给的人（参士2:11-18），以及"祂因以色列的苦难而心中担忧"（士10:16）——这是在他们被降到山穷水尽之时。 神在他们自己无能为力之时帮助他们；因为"无论困住的、自由的都没有剩下"——即无论住在被围困的城中（困住的），或在乡间分散的房屋中（自由的），都不剩一人。注意： 神为祂百姓施行拯救的时候，乃是在他们境况最坏之时。 神借让事情恶化到底来试验百姓的信心，激发祷告，然后借拯救他们脱离绝境，如同"从火中抽出来的一根柴"，彰显祂自己的大能，使仇敌满面羞愧，使祂百姓的心充满更大的喜乐。
3. 神必因藐视和羞辱偶像而如此行（申32:37,38）。"他们的神在哪里呢？"可从两方面理解：（1） 神必为祂百姓行他们所事奉的偶像不能为之事。他们离弃了 神，又慷慨地向偶像献祭，把祭牲的脂油和奠祭的酒带到偶像的祭坛前，以为他们的神以此为食并与他们同席。"如今，" 神说，"你们花了那么大代价所讨好的神，在你们遭难之时能帮助你们吗？能因此报答你们在事奉他们上的一切花费吗？你们去亲近你们所事奉的神吧，让他们拯救你们"（士10:14）。这是为要使他们明白自己的愚妄——离弃那位能帮助他们的 神，去寻求不能帮助他们的神——并借此领他们悔改，使他们配得拯救。当淫妇"追随她的情人却追不上，向她的偶像祷告却得不着恩惠"之时，"她必说：我要归回我前夫"（何2:7）。参赛16:12，耶2:27,28。或（2） 神必向祂的仇敌行他们所事奉的偶像不能救他们脱离之事。西拿基立和尼布甲尼撒曾大胆挑衅以色列的 神拯救祂的敬拜者（赛37:10，但3:15），祂却果然拯救了他们，使仇敌羞愧。然而以色列的 神挑战彼勒和尼波拯救他们的敬拜者，让他们兴起帮助，作他们的保护（赛47:12,13）；他们不但不能帮助他们，他们自己——就是他们的偶像，他们仅有的——竟"被掳去"（赛46:1,2）。注意：凡倚靠 神以外之磐石的，在遭难之日必发现是沙土；在最需要的时候，它必使他们失望。
³⁹ 你们如今要知道，我，惟有我是 神；在我以外并无别神：我使人死，我使人活；我损伤，我也医治；并无人能从我手中救出来。
⁴⁰ 因为我向天举手说：我凭自己永生。
⁴¹ 我若磨我闪亮的刀，手掌审判之权；就必报复我的仇敌，报应恨我的人。
⁴² 我要使我的箭饮血饮醉，我的刀要吞吃肉；乃是被杀被掳之人的血，又从仇敌首领开始的报复。
⁴³ 你们外邦人当与他的百姓一同欢呼；因他要伸他仆人流血的冤，报应他的敌人，洁净他的地，救赎他的百姓。
这首诗歌的结尾论到三件事：
I\. 将荣耀归给 神（申32:39）。"你们如今看明了，我，惟有我，是祂。从拜偶像之人的毁灭和他们的偶像无力相助中学习这事。"伟大的 神在此要求荣耀：1. 自存之荣耀："我，惟有我，是祂。"这样，摩西以他初次认识 神时所用的 神之名作结（出3:14），"我是自有永有的。"我是我曾经所是的，我将要是的，我曾应许要作的，我曾威吓要作的；众人都必看见我的话信实可靠。翁开路（Uzzielides）的意译本如此译："当主的话显明自己要救赎祂的百姓时，祂必对万民说：你们如今要知道，我是我如今所是的、我从前所是的，我也要作我将来的那一位"——这话我们很知道当怎样应用在那位对约翰说"我是昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者"（启1:8）的主身上。"我，惟有我，是祂"这话，在以赛亚书中 神鼓励祂百姓盼望从巴比伦得释放的几章中，我们屡次遇见（赛41:4，43:11,13,15,25，46:4）。2. 唯一至高之荣耀："在我以外并无别神。无神与我同助，无神与我匹敌。"参赛43:10,11。3. 绝对主权、普遍作为之荣耀："我使人死，我使人活；我损伤，我也医治"——即一切祸福都从祂护理的手而来；祂造光也造暗（赛45:7，哀3:37,38）。或者：祂击杀损伤祂的仇敌，却医治使活祂自己的百姓；以审判击杀那些叛离祂、背叛祂的人；但当他们悔改归回，祂就医治他们，以怜悯和恩典使他们活过来。或者这话表明祂对一切受造之物及所赐生命的生命有无可争辩的权柄，可以随意使用以成就自己的目的："祂愿意杀的就杀，愿意留存的就留存"——当祂的审判施行之时。或者如此：虽然祂击杀，却仍要使他们活过来："祂虽使人忧愁，还要照祂诸般的慈爱发怜悯"（哀3:32）。"祂虽然撕裂我们，却必医治"（何6:1,2）。耶路撒冷意译本译作："我杀这世上有生命的人，又使在另一世界里死了的人活过来。"犹太学者中甚至有人注意到，这些话暗示了死亡和死后的生命——即永生。4. 无可抗拒之能力、不能被阻挡之荣耀："并无人能从我手中救出来"——那些我已定为必灭之人。正如对 神公义的判决不可提出异议，对祂大能的执行也无从逃脱。
II\. 向祂的仇敌宣告可畏（申32:40-42）。这实在是对那些恨祂之人的可畏——凡事奉别神的、凡故意违背神圣律法的、凡怀恨逼迫祂忠心仆人的，都是恨祂的人。这些就是 神必报复的人；这些就是那些不愿祂作他们之王的仇敌。为要警醒这样的人，使他们及时悔改归回效忠， 神的震怒在此从天上显明出来：1. 神圣的判决以起誓作实（申32:40）：祂"向天举手"——祂圣洁的居所；这是一种古老而极有意义的起誓手势（创14:22）。祂既不能指着比自己更大的起誓，就指着自己和自己生命起誓。那些有 神的话和誓反对他们的人，无可挽救。主已经起誓，并不后悔，罪人若继续在罪中，他们的罪必成为他们的毁灭。2. 执行的准备已经就绪："闪亮的刀已经磨快。"参诗7:12。这是"在天上浸透"的刀（赛34:5）。刀在磨快之时，是给罪人悔改、与 神和好的机会；若忽略这机会，必使创伤更深。刀既磨快，那要挥刀的手也把握审判之权，决意行到底。3. 执行本身极其可怕："刀要吞吃大量的肉，箭必饮血饮醉"——要流极多的血，就是阵亡者和俘虏的血，俘虏不得宽待，必受军法处决。祂既开始报仇，就必作成；因为在这事上祂的作为也是完全的。学者们对末句"从仇敌首领开始的报复"深感困惑。博学的帕特里克主教（那位大师）以为可如此译："从仇敌的王到奴仆"（耶50:35-37）。当 神怒气的刀出鞘之时，必大行杀戮，血直到马辔头（启14:20）。
III. 给祂自己百姓的安慰（申32:43）："你们外邦人当与他的百姓一同欢呼。"他以喜乐的话作这歌的结束；因为在 神的以色列中有一班余民，他们的结局必是平安。 神的百姓终必喜乐，永远喜乐。此处提到三件作为喜乐之因的事：1. 教会疆界的扩展。使徒将本节首句应用在外邦人的归正上。罗15:10："你们外邦人当与主的百姓一同欢乐。"请看 神的恩典在人的归正上所作的：它使他们与 神的百姓一同喜乐；因为真宗教使我们认识真正的喜乐——那些以为宗教使人忧郁的人大错了。2. 教会争讼在仇敌身上得着伸冤。祂必为"祂仆人流血的冤"追讨，必显明这在祂眼中何等宝贵；因为那些流人血的，神必使他们喝血。3. 神为祂教会和一切属祂之人所存的怜悯："祂要洁净祂的地，救赎祂的百姓"——即一切在各处敬畏祂、事奉祂的人。无论罪人受怎样的审判， 神的百姓必凡事亨通；犹太人和外邦人当在此同乐。
⁴⁴ 摩西和嫩的儿子约书亚，去将这歌的一切话说给百姓听。
⁴⁵ 摩西向以色列众人说完了这一切话，
⁴⁶ 又对他们说："我今日所警教你们的，你们都要放在心上；也要吩咐你们的儿女谨守遵行这律法的一切话。
⁴⁷ 因为这对你们不是虚空的事；因为这是你们的生命：你们借这事，得以在你们过约旦河去得为业的地上，日子长久。"
⁴⁸ 当日，耶和华吩咐摩西说：
⁴⁹ "你上这亚巴琳山，就是在摩押地、与耶利哥相对的尼波山去，观看迦南地，就是我赐给以色列人为业的；
⁵⁰ 你死在你所上去的那山上，归到你本民那里；像你哥哥亚伦死在何珥山上，归到他本民那里一样；
⁵¹ 因为你们在寻的旷野，加低斯米利巴水边，在以色列人中得罪了我；因为你们在以色列人中没有尊我为圣。
⁵² 但你必在对面看见那地，却不得进我所赐给以色列人的那地去。"
此处：I. 这歌庄严地交付给以色列人（申32:44,45）。摩西向凡能听见的人诵读，约书亚同时在另一个聚集中，向凡他声音所及之人诵读。这样，从他们两位治理者口中出来——摩西正要卸任，约书亚正要接任——他们必看见二人意见相同，并且虽然他们换了统帅，神圣的命令并不改变；约书亚和摩西一样，若他们背弃 神，也必作见证抵挡他们。
II\. 殷切地嘱咐他们留心摩西对他们所说的一切善言。他何等恳切地为他们所有人代求，何等渴望 神的话能深深地、持久地影响他们，何等怀着敬虔的嫉妒为他们警醒，恐怕他们何时忽略了这些大事！
1. 他所嘱咐他们的本分是：（1）自己要留心注意："你们要将心放在律法、应许和威吓、福分和咒诅上，如今还要放在这歌上。让心思紧紧用于思考这些事；受其感动；专心尽你们本分，全心全意地 clinging to it。"（2）忠实地将这些传给后裔："你们对儿女所有的关心，或对他们的影响，都要用在这事上；要吩咐他们（正如你们祖亚伯拉罕所作的，创18:19）谨守遵行这律法的一切话。"自己为善的人，必渴望儿女也为善，必渴望后裔在他们自己的时代持守宗教，使这传承不至于断绝。
2. 他用以劝他们以宗教为本业、持之以恒的论据是：（1）他所致嘱之事本身的重大性（申32:47）："这对你们不是虚空的事，因为这是你们的生命。"这不是可有可无的事，而是绝对必需；这不是小事，而是关系重大的事——生死攸关；留意它，你就永远得立；忽略它，你就永远沉沦。惟愿人深深地确信，宗教就是他们的生命——他们灵魂的生命！（2）它将要带给他们的极大益处："借这事，你们在迦南的日子得以长久"——这是一个预表性的应许，预表基督所保证的：凡遵守 神诫命的，必进入永生（太19:17）。
III\. 关于摩西之死的命令。这位 神的著名见证人既已作完见证，就要上尼波山去死；在基督两位见证人的预言中（启11:6），明显暗指摩西和以利亚；他们的离世既借着殉道，其荣耀或许不亚于摩西或以利亚的离世。命令就在当日给了摩西（申32:48）。如今他既已作完工，为何还要贪生一日呢？他从前确曾求过能过约旦河，但如今他完全满意，照 神所吩咐的，"不再提这事了。"1. 神在此提醒他所犯的罪——他因此被排除在迦南之外（申32:51）——使他因知罪而更耐心地忍受责备，并在如今为那失言的话重新忧伤；因为最好的临终，也当为所自觉的软弱悔改。这是一种在 神眼中不悦的疏忽：他没有"在以色列人中尊 神为圣"，没有在他当时所领受的命令上持守应有的庄重。2. 神提醒他哥哥亚伦的死（申32:50），使他自己的死更熟悉、更不可怕。注意：当我们离世之时，记念那些在我们之前走过那幽暗幽谷的朋友，尤其是我们的长兄和大祭司基督，对我们是大鼓励。3. 神送他上一座高山，从那里观看迦南地，然后死（申32:49,50）。记念自己的罪可能使死可怕，但 神赐他看见迦南的景象消除了这可怕——这作为 神已与他复和的记号，也明明指示他：虽然他的罪使他不得进入地上的迦南，却不能夺去那更好的家乡——那在今世只能以信心之眼看见的家乡。注意：凡对永生有信心的盼望和确据的人，无论 神何时呼召，都能安然离世——尽管他们记念自己素来所有的罪。
英文原文
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.
本章我们有：I. 摩西照神的吩咐赐给以色列人的一首歌，作为对他们长存的警戒，叫他们谨防离弃神。这一部分占了本章大部分篇幅，其中有：1. 序言，申 32:1、2。2. 对神崇高的颂赞，与之相对的是以色列人的恶劣品性，申 32:3-6。3. 复述神为他们所行的奇事，与之相对的是他们对他恶劣的行为，申 32:7-18。4. 预言神将因他们的罪而降下毁坏消灭的审判；在此，神因他们种种加重的不敬虔之事而得以表白，申 32:19-33。5. 应许终必毁灭他们的仇敌与欺压者，并奇妙地拯救以色列余民，申 32:36-43。II. 摩西将这首歌交付给他们时所用的劝勉，申 32:41-47。III. 神吩咐摩西上尼波山去死，申 32:48-52 等。