God = Hebrew 'Elohim. App-4 . forty. The number of Probation. See App-10 . to know = get to know. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 . commandments. Written in Hebrew text plural, but read singular, Compare Deuteronomy 6:25 = the whole Law regarded as one great command. read more
Ver. 2. To know what was in thine heart— Man's life is a state of probation. The wanderings of the children of Israel in the wilderness afford us a lively resemblance of the human pilgrimage through this world. God, who knows the hearts of all men, needs not to be informed how they are disposed towards him. The expression here, to know what was in thine heart, must therefore be understood after the manner of men; and the meaning is, that God did as men usually do when they want to try any one's... read more
2, 3. thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness—The recapitulation of all their checkered experience during that long period was designed to awaken lively impressions of the goodness of God. First, Moses showed them the object of their protracted wanderings and varied hardships. These were trials of their obedience as well as chastisements for sin. Indeed, the discovery of their infidelity, inconstancy, and their rebellions and... read more
God humbled the Israelites in the sense that He sought to teach them to have a realistic awareness of their dependence on Himself for all their needs. This is true humility. God’s provision of manna to eat and clothing to wear should have taught the people that they were dependent on His provision for all their needs, not just food and clothing.What proceeds from God’s mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3) does not refer to the spoken revelations of God exclusively but, more comprehensively, to all that... read more
Warning against pride and forgetfulness of God ch. 8"Two important lessons from the past are now referred to. First, the experience of God’s care in the wilderness period, when the people of Israel were unable to help themselves, taught them the lesson of humility through the Lord’s providential discipline. The memory of that experience should keep them from pride in their own achievements amid the security and prosperity of the new land (Deuteronomy 8:1-20)." [Note: Thompson, p. 134.] The... read more
Practical Exhortations (continued)The people are reminded of God’s goodness to them at the time of the exodus and during their sojourn in the wilderness. They are exhorted to humility and obedience, and warned against worshipping strange gods.2, 3. The events of the wanderings were intended to teach Israel humility and dependenee on God alone: see on Deuteronomy 7:19. 3. Which thou knewest not] see Exodus 16:15. But by every word, etc.] If necessary God can sustain human life apart from the... read more
THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE EXODUS.(2) And thou shalt remember.—The whole of the remainder of this exhortation, to the end of Deuteronomy 10:0, is chiefly taken up with this topic. Israel must remember (1) the leading of Jehovah, and (2) their own rebellious perversity in the journey through the wilderness. The same recollection is made the occasion for a separate note of praise in Psalms 136:16 : “To him which led his people through the wilderness; for his mercy endureth for ever.”The way which the... read more
The Way in the Wilderness (First Sunday of the Year) Deuteronomy 8:2 (i) Let us emphasize the word all, for on that word the emphasis of the sentence truly lies. (ii) The character of the path to be estimated not by the present difficulty or danger, but by the importance of the end. (iii) The infinite variety of the way. (iv) The beauty of the way. It is a goodly world which our God hath built and adorned for us, a world whose goodliness is ever around us. (v) The bread of the wilderness. This... read more
THE BREAD OF THE SOULDeuteronomy 8:1-20IN the chapters which follow, viz. 8., 9., and Deuteronomy 10:1-2, we have an appeal to history as a motive for fulfilling the fundamental duty of loving God and keeping His commandments. In its main points it is substantially the same appeal which is made in chapters 1-3, is, in fact, a continuation of it. Its main characteristics, therefore, have already been dealt with; but there are details here which deserve more minute study. Coming after Yahweh’s... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:1-20
The promised land (7:1-8:20)Israel’s responsibility was to destroy the people of Canaan along with everything connected with their religion, so that nothing would remain in the land that might corrupt God’s people (7:1-5). Israel’s favoured place as God’s chosen people was not an excuse for them to do as they liked, but a reason for them to avoid corruption and be holy. If they were disobedient, they would surely be punished (6-11). But if they were obedient, they would enjoy the blessings of... read more