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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:1-9

The charge here given them is the same as before, to keep and do all God's commandments. Their obedience must be, 1. Careful: Observe to do. 2. Universal: To do all the commandments, Deut. 8:1. And, 3. From a good principle, with a regard to God as the Lord, and their God, and particularly with a holy fear of him (Deut. 8:6), from a reverence of his majesty, a submission to his authority, and a dread of his wrath. To engage them to this obedience, besides the great advantages of it, which he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:3

And he humbled thee ,.... Or afflicted thee with want of bread: and suffered thee to hunger ; that there might be an opportunity of showing his mercy, and exerting his power: and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know ; a sort of food they had never seen before, and when they saw it, knew not what it was, but asked, what is it? Exodus 16:15 . Thus the Lord humbles his people by his Spirit and grace, and brings them to see themselves to be in want,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 8:3

He - suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee - God never permits any tribulation to befall his followers, which he does not design to turn to their advantage. When he permits us to hunger, it is that his mercy may be the more observable in providing us with the necessaries of life. Privations, in the way of providence, are the forerunners of mercy and goodness abundant. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 8:3

Verse 3 3.And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger. Inasmuch as they were sometimes made to suffer hunger in the wilderness, he proves the advantage of this discipline, because they thus learnt that the human race does not live by bread and wine alone, but by the secret power of God. For though all confess that it is through God’s goodness that the earth is fruitful, still their senses are so tied to the meat and drink, that they rise no higher, and do not acknowledge God as their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:1-6

EXPOSITION FURTHER EXHORTATION TO OBEDIENCE , ENFORCED BY A REVIEW OF GOD 'S DEALINGS WITH ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS . That they might be induced the more faithfully to observe all the commandments which had been enjoined upon them so as to go on and prosper, they are called to remember the experiences of the forty years in the wilderness, when God guided them and disciplined them for their good. He humbled them that he might test the state of their heart... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:1-6

Life's meaning discerned by the retrospect of it. The remark has not infrequently been made that incidents closely connected cannot be rightly understood till the time has come for them to be reviewed in their entirety as matters of history. What is true of events generally, applies in all its force to the wonders included in the rescue and wanderings of the people of Israel. And that which may be said of them, holds good, in this respect, of the life-story of God's children now. Two words... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:1-6

The moral uses of memory. The memory of man exerts a mighty influence over his history and his destiny. Minus memory, man would be altogether another being. Remembrance of the past is a guidepost, or a beacon, for the future. The key-word of this passage is "all:" "all the way;" "every word;" "all the commandments." I. THE SCOPE OF MEMORY . "All the way which the Lord thy God hath led thee." 1. Remember thy needs— how many, how various, how urgent. Our hourly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:1-6

The lessons of the wilderness. Moses here recalls the leadings of God in the wilderness, for the warning and instruction of the Israelites. And we are taught, surely, such lessons as these— I. THE WAY OF SALVATION IS ONE ALSO OF HUMILIATION '. This is, indeed, God's plan, "to hide pride from us." The way of salvation through Christ is humiliating . We are proved by it and made to see what is in our heart. II. AT THE SAME TIME , IT IS A WAY OF ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:2-6

The uses of adversity. It is a great matter when in any experience of life we can read the Divine purpose in bringing us through it. The speaker in these verses unfolds the design and lessons of the wilderness discipline. Our Lord, in the temptation, found an application to himself ( Matthew 4:4 ). Every believer will find the same in seasons of adversity. I. ADVERSITY A DIVINE ORDINANCE . ( Deuteronomy 8:2 .) 1. Divinely sent . "The Lord thy God led thee" (cf. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:3

God humbled the Israelites by leaving them to suffer hunger from the want of food, and then supplying them with food in a miraculous manner. They were thus taught that their life depended wholly on God, who could, by his own creative power, without any of the ordinary means, provide for the sustaining of their life. And fed thee with manna (cf. Exodus 16:15 ). It is in vain to seek to identify this with any natural product. It was something entirely new to the Israelites—a thing which... read more

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