When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee ,.... The seven nations of the land of Canaan, Deuteronomy 7:1 , whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land ; or to inherit them, and thou dost inherit them, by dwelling in their land. read more
Take heed to thyself, that thou be not snared by following them ,.... Their examples and customs, and so be drawn into the same idolatrous practices; see Psalm 106:35 , after that they be destroyed from before thee; for their idolatries and other sins: and that thou inquire not after their gods ; what they were, their names, forms, and figures: saying, how did these nations serve their gods ? what was the manner of worship they gave them? what rites, customs, and ceremonies did... read more
Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God ,.... Not serve and worship him after the manner of the Gentiles, nor introduce their rites and customs into his service, used by them in the worship of their gods: for every abomination which he hateth have they done unto their gods ; as murder, adultery, &c.; which God has expressed his aversion to, and indignation at; one instance of the former sort is given here: for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to... read more
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it ,.... In the manner it is commanded and directed to; the laws of God, both as to matter and manner, were to be obeyed just as they were delivered: thou shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it; neither add any customs and rites of the Heathens to them, nor neglect anything enjoined on them, see Proverbs 30:6 . read more
Their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire - Almost all the nations in the world agreed in offering human victims to their gods on extraordinary occasions, by which it is evident that none of those nations had any right notion of the Divine nature. How necessary, then, was the volume of revelation, to teach men what that religion is with which God can be well pleased! The Hindoos to this day offer human victims to their goddess Cali, and at the temple of Jaggernaut; and yet,... read more
Verse 29 29.When the Lord thy God shall cut off. This passage has some affinity to that in the eighteenth chapter of Deuteronomy, which we have already remarked on. For inasmuch as it was easy for the people to lapse into the imitation of the Gentiles, and to worship their false gods, under whose protection the inhabitants boasted their land to be, all inquiry respecting them is also strictly forbidden. (305) For this is the origin of idolatry, when the genuine simplicity of God’s worship is... read more
Verse 31 31.Thou shalt not do so. From these words we may gather what it is not to make to one’s self the gods of others, viz., to bid farewell to all the inventions of men, and to pay attention to this one thing — what God commands. For why does God desire to be worshipped by His elect people, otherwise than the nations were in the habit of serving their gods, except because there ought to be a notable distinction, so that religion may not be confused? And surely unless men cleave to God’s... read more
Verse 32 32.What thing soever I command. In this brief clause he teaches that no other service of God is lawful, except that of which He has testified His approval in His word, and that obedience is as it were the mother of piety; as if he had said that all modes of devotion are absurd and infected with superstition, which are not directed by this rule. Hence we gather, that in order to the keeping of the First Commandment, a knowledge of the true God is required, derived from His word, and... read more
EXPOSITION Deuteronomy 12:1-32 . PLACES AND MONUMENTS OF IDOLATRY TO BE DESTROYED ; JEHOVAH TO BE WORSHIPPED IN THE ONE PLACE WHICH HE SHALL CHOOSE ; INSTRUCTIONS AS TO THE USE OF FLESH FOR FOOD ; AND CAUTIONS AGAINST BEING ENSNARED INTO FOLLOWING THE HEATHEN IN THEIR MANNER OF SERVICE . read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 12:5-32
There is not any one particular precept (as I remember) in all the law of Moses so largely pressed and inculcated as this, by which they are all tied to bring their sacrifices to that one altar which was set up in the court of the tabernacle, and there to perform all the rituals of their religion; for, as to moral services, then, no doubt, as now, men might pray every where, as they did in their synagogues. The command to do this, and the prohibition of the contrary, are here repeated again... read more