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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:1-14

The blessings are here put before the curses, to intimate, 1. That God is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy: he has said it, and sworn, that he would much rather we would obey and live than sin and die. It is his delight to bless. 2. That though both the promises and the threatenings are designed to bring and hold us to our duty, yet it is better that we be allured to that which is good by a filial hope of God's favour than that we be frightened to it by a servile fear of his wrath. That... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:15-44

Having viewed the bright side of the cloud, which is towards the obedient, we have now presented to us the dark side, which is towards the disobedient. If we do not keep God's commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but we lay ourselves under the curse, which is as comprehensive of all misery as the blessing is of all happiness. Observe, I. The equity of this curse. It is not a curse causeless, nor for some light cause; God seeks not occasion against us, nor is he apt to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:45-68

One would have thought that enough had been said to possess them with a dread of that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. But to show how deep the treasures of that wrath are, and that still there is more and worse behind, Moses, when one would have thought that he had concluded this dismal subject, begins again, and adds to this roll of curses many similar words: as Jeremiah did to his, Jer. 36:32. It should seem that in the former... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:1

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God ,.... In his law, and by his prophets: to observe and to do all his commandments, which I command thee this day ; for without observing them to do them, hearing them would be to little purpose, and they were all of them to be observed and done, the lesser and weightier matters of the law as they were commanded by Moses in the name of the Lord, and as they would be taught, explained, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:2

And all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee ,.... After mentioned, which should come upon them from God from heaven, by the direction of his providence, and that freely and plentifully, and beyond their expectations and deserts, and continue with them: if thou shall hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God ; obedience to the law being the condition of their coming and continuance; for only temporal blessings in the land of Canaan are here intended, as follow. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:3

Blessed shalt thou be in the city ,.... Not only in the city of Jerusalem, where the temple would be built, and there be blessed with the service, worship, and ordinances of God, but in all other cities of the land; where they should dwell in title, large, and spacious houses, and their cities should be walled and fenced, and be very populous; yet should enjoy health, and have plenty of all sorts of provisions brought unto them, as well as prosper in all kinds of merchandise there, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:4

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body ,.... Their children, of which they should have many, and these live; be healthful, thrive, and arrive to manhood, and increase and perpetuate their families. Grotius thinks this was eminently fulfilled in Mary, the mother of our Lord; see Luke 1:42 , and the fruit of thy ground ; of their gardens, orchards, and fields; grass for the cattle, and the wheat, barley, vines, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates for the use of men: and the fruit of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:5

Blessed shall be thy basket ,.... Which the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem restrain to the basket of firstfruits, and the cake of the first of their dough; but it intends any and every vessel in which they put their provisions for present use, and that that should never be empty of them, and that they should always have a sufficiency: and thy store ; what remained, and was laid up in their barns, cellars, and storehouses, for future use, or in proper places for seed. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:6

Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. In all their business and employments of life whether within doors or without; in the administration of every office, whether more public or private; and in all their journeys going out and coming home; and particularly when they went out to war, and returned, all should be attended with success. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:7

The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face ,.... As the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Edomites, and Ammonites were, especially in the times of David: they shall come out against thee one way : in a body, all together, in large numbers, marching in great order, to give them battle: and flee before thee seven ways ; be entirely routed, and flee some one way, and some another, even every way they could take to make their escape. The... read more

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