Deuteronomy 11:16-18

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:10-17

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:10-17

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:10-18

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:16

That your heart be not deceived ; literally, lest your heart be enticed or seduced ( יִפְתָה ). The verb means primarily to be open, and as a mind open to impressions from without is easily persuaded, moved either to good or evil, the word came to signify to induce in a good sense, or to seduce in a bad sense. Here the people are cautioned against allowing themselves to be enticed so as to be led astray by seductive representations (cf. Job 31:27 ; Proverbs 20:19 ["flattereth"]; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:17

He shut up the heaven . "The heaven conceived as a womb" (Schulz); cf. Genesis 16:2 . The want of rain was regarded as a sign of the Divine displeasure and as a curse ( 1 Kings 8:35 ; Zechariah 14:17 ; Revelation 11:6 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:18-20

(Cf. Deuteronomy 6:7-9 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:18-21

(See Homily on Deuteronomy 6:4-9 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:18-21

God's Word potent to dominate the whole life. The Word of God, like light, is diffusive. It propagates itself. So long as its proper field of activity is unoccupied, it must spread. It radiates its magnetic influence on every side. I. TRUTH , POSSESSING THE HEART , BECOMES THE FOUNT OF ALL RIGHTEOUS PRINCIPLE . As the pulverized soil is the proper home of seed; as the housewife's dough is the proper home of leaven; so the heart of man is the proper abode of truth.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 11:18-25

Family training an dement of success. As in Deuteronomy 6:6-25 , Moses again insists on the words of God being preserved among the people by faithful family instruction. The "home school" is, in fact, the great factor in national success. Education must give due prominence to the family institution, as the providential unit of mankind. And here let us notice— I. GOD 'S WORDS ARE TO BE RECEIVED FIRST OF ALL INTO THE HEART . It is when individuals, and... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Deuteronomy 11:16-17

Deuteronomy 11:16-17. That your heart be not deceived By the specious pretence of idolaters, persuading you that they enjoy fruitful seasons, and other temporal blessings, as a reward for their worship. And he shut up the heaven Withhold rain from you, which will be a sore judgment, quickly bringing a famine, whereby you will be wasted and consumed. Here, and elsewhere, heaven is compared to a great store-house, wherein God lays up his treasures of dew and rain, (Job 38:22,) the doors... read more

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