Deuteronomy 32:1-15 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:8

When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance ,.... In the times of Noah and his sons, in the days of Peleg, who had his name (that is "Division") from thence, Genesis 10:25 ; "the Most High" is a well known and proper, epithet of God; the dividing of the earth to the several nations of it, and giving to everyone their part and portion to possess and inherit, was the work of God; for though it was done by the sons of Noah, yet by the order, appointment, and direction of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:9

For the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. This is the reason why the Lord so early provided a portion or inheritance for the children of Israel in the land of Canaan; because they were his part, his portion, his inheritance, which he chose by lot for himself, or allotted to himself; whom he chose to be his special and peculiar people; for though all the world is his, he only reserved a part for himself, which he separated from all the rest, and considers... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:10

He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness ,.... In Deuteronomy 32:10 instances are given of the goodness of God to the people of Israel, when in the wilderness; by which is meant, either "the wilderness of the land of Egypt", as it is called, Ezekiel 20:36 ; where they were in a most miserable and forlorn condition, in which the Lord found them, and out of which he brought them; or rather the desert of Arabia, a waste place, where no provisions could be had; a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:11

As an eagle stirreth up her nest ,.... Her young ones in it, to get them out of it: Jarchi says the eagle is merciful to its young, and does not go into its nest suddenly, but first makes a noise, and disturbs them with her wings, striking them against a tree or its branches, that so they being awakened may be fitter to receive her: with respect to literal Israel, Egypt was their nest, where they were who were then in their infant state, lay like young birds in a nest; and though it was a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:12

So the Lord alone did lead him ,.... Out of Egypt, through the wilderness, to the land of Canaan, going before them in a pillar of fire and cloud; though this is not to be understood to the exclusion of the ministry of Moses and Aaron, by whom he led them, Psalm 77:20 ; it may be interpreted of the people being alone in the wilderness when led: and there was no strange god with him ; with Israel; so Aben Ezra, no idolatry among them then; to which sense are the Targums of Jerusalem... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:13

He made him to ride on the high places of the earth ,.... Or land, the land of Canaan; by which are meant the towers, castles, and fortified places in it, some of which might be built on hills and mountains; and being made to ride on them may denote the delivery of them into their hands, their conquests and possession of them, and triumph in them; see Isaiah 58:14 ; so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases, it,"made him to dwell in the towers of the land of Israel,'those high walled and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:14

Butter of kine ,.... Made of milk, which kine or cows give; Jarchi says, this is the fat that is gathered on the top of milk, he means cream, and which indeed was the butter of the ancients, and is here meant: and milk of sheep : which they give, though not in such plenty as the kine, yet what is very wholesome and nourishing: the philosopher F2 Aristot. Problem. sect. 10. qu. 6. observes, that sheep give more milk in proportion to the size of their bodies than cows: and Pliny F3... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:15

But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked ,.... This is undoubtedly a name of the people of Israel; it is to be met with only in three places more, in Deuteronomy 33:5 ; it is generally thought to come from a word F4 ישר "rectum esse". which signifies upright and righteous, such these people ought to have been, and some among them were; and they generally professed themselves, and outwardly appeared to be upright, just, and righteous persons, and were desirous of being reckoned so; which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 32:1

On the inimitable excellence of this ode much has been written by commentators, critics, and poets - and it is allowed by the best judges to contain a specimen of almost every species of excellence in composition. It is so thoroughly poetic that even the dull Jews themselves found they could not write it in the prose form; and hence it is distinguished as poetry in every Hebrew Bible by being written in its own hemistichs or short half lines, which is the general form of the Hebrew poetry;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 32:2

My doctrine - לקחי likchi , from לקח lakach , to take, carry away; to attract or gain over the heart by eloquence or persuasive speech. Hence the Septuagint translate the word αποφθεγμα , an apophthegm , a sententious and weighty saying, for the regulation of the moral conduct such, properly, are the sayings in this inimitable ode. Shall drop as the rain - It shall come drop by drop as the shower, beginning slowly and distinctly, but increasing more and more till the... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 32:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 32:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 32:2

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