Thus from what they themselves had witnessed does Moses admonish the elder members of the congregation, summoning them to recognize in that the purpose of God to discipline and train them, that so they might keep his commandments and be strengthened in soul and purpose to go in and possess the land, and to live long therein ( Deuteronomy 1:38 ; Deuteronomy 4:26 ; Deuteronomy 6:3 ). read more
Obedience leads to prolonged possession. We may learn here— I. THAT COMMANDS MAY CARRY A SUPREME OBLIGATION , THOUGH SPOKEN BY MAN . II. THAT OBEDIENCE IS VAIN , UNLESS IT COVERS THE WHOLE AREA OF DUTY . III. THAT COMPLETE OBEDIENCE IMPARTS STRENGTH TO THE WHOLE MAN . IV. THAT SUCH STRENGTH PRESSES INTO THE POSSESSION OF NEW KINGDOMS . V. THAT THE OATH OF GOD , AND THE ... read more
An additional motive to fidelity and obedience is here adduced, drawn from the peculiar excellence and advantages of the land. Canaan was not like Egypt, a country that depended for its fertility on being irrigated by man's labor or by artificial processes, but was a land where the supply and distribution of water was provided for in natural reservoirs and channels, by means of which the rain which God, who cared for the land, sent plentifully on it, was made available for useful purposes. In... read more
The order of nature subservient to moral purposes. (For information concerning methods of irrigation in Egypt, see the Exposition, and works on the subject.) Moses here reminds the people: 1. That the land of Canaan would not require artificial irrigation, as that of Egypt had done; that it was a land specially cared for by God , who gave it the early rain after the sowing, and the latter rain before the harvest; so that there would be no occasion for them to put forth the same... read more
Valuable possessions reserved for the righteous. The land of Palestine has always been a coveted prize by the surrounding nations. Compared with the territory south and east, it possesses qualities of excellence and beauty. But its fertility depends upon the rain supply, and rain supply was suspended on righteous loyalty. I. A MORAL PURPOSE UNDERLIES THE GEOLOGICAL CONFIGURATION OF OUR GLOBE . God can never experience surprise in the beneficial coincidences of events.... read more
The land of promise. Moses now proceeds to indicate the characteristics of Canaan, and to contrast it with Egypt, which they had left. Egypt is not dependent upon the rains of heaven as Canaan is. The overflowing Nile has only to be guided along the water-courses in the proper season, and the fertility of the Nile valley is secured. The work of irrigation, the watering with the foot ( Deuteronomy 11:10 ), is the one thing needful in Egypt. But Canaan depends upon the continual care of... read more
Canaan and Egypt. I. ITS CONTRAST WITH EGYPT . ( Deuteronomy 11:10 , Deuteronomy 11:11 .) Not, like Egypt, a land rainless and artificially watered. It had no Nile. It drank in water from the rains of heaven. It was thus in a peculiar way a land dependent upon God. Egypt's fertility depended on God also, but less directly. Its contrivances for irrigation gave it, or might seem to give it, a semi-independence. Palestine was a land, on the contrary, whose peculiar conditions... read more
Careth for; literally, searcheth or inquireth after , i . e . thinks about and cares for ( LXX ; ἐπισκοπεῖται , oversees ; cf. Job 3:4 ; Psalms 142:4 ; Jeremiah 30:17 ; Ezekiel 34:8 ; Isaiah 62:12 ). The eyes of the Lord thy God ; i . e . his special watchful providence (cf. Psalms 33:18 ; Psalms 34:15 ; Ezekiel 4:5 ). It was a land on which Jehovah's regard was continually fixed, over which he watched with unceasing care, and which was sustained by... read more
Being thus wholly dependent on God, it behooved them to be careful to attend to his commandments and to obey them, that so his blessing might be continued to them and to the laud. If they would love and serve the Lord as they were bound to do, he would give them the rain of their land, i . e . rain for their land, such as it required (cf. "rain of thy seed," Psalms 30:2 , Psalms 30:3 ), in the proper season, the early and the latter rain, so that they should fully enjoy the benefits... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:2-22
Obligations arising from personal experience. "Chastisement" ( Deuteronomy 11:2 ) in its wide sense of discipline. The educative process by which God converted, or aimed at converting, the hordes who left Egypt into a nation of brave, free, God-fearing, self-respecting, obedient men and women. This education blended deliverance with judgment on their enemies; loving-kindness in the bestowal of mercies, with severe chastisements in cases of rebellion; attention to their necessities, with... read more