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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:7-29

That they might have no pretence to think that God brought them to Canaan for their righteousness, Moses here shows them what a miracle of mercy it was that they had not long ere this been destroyed in the wilderness: ?Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God (Deut. 9:7); so far from purchasing his favour, thou hast many a time laid thyself open to his displeasure.? Their fathers? provocations are here charged upon them; for, if God had dealt with their fathers according... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:17

And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands ,.... In wrath and indignation at the sin they were guilty of: and brake them before your eyes ; as an emblem of their breach of them by transgressing them. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:18

And I fell down before the Lord ,.... In prayer for Israel who had sinned; but this he did not immediately after he had broken the tables, but when he had first ground the calf to powder, strewed it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink it; and when he had chided Aaron, and ordered the sons of Levi to slay every man his brother: as at the first forty days and forty mights ; which is to be connected, I think, not with what goes before; for we read not that he fell down... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:19

For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth against you ,.... Which was exceeding vehement, as appeared by his words to Moses, forbidding to intercede for them, that he might consume them, and make of him a greater nation; wherefore he dreaded the issue of it, lest it should be to destroy you ; that that should be his full resolution and determination; however, he made use of means, and betook himself to fasting and prayer; so heartily affected was he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:20

And the Lord was very angry with Aaron, to have destroyed him ,.... For complying with the request of the people in making a calf for them, and for that miserable shift he made to excuse himself; which so provoked the Lord, that he threatened to destroy him, and he was in danger of being cut off, had it not been for the intercession of Moses: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time : who either was included in the general prayer for the people, Exodus 32:31 or a particular prayer was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:21

And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made ,.... Which was the object of their sin, which lay in making and worshipping it; see Isaiah 31:7 . and burnt it with fire, and stamped it ; with his feet after it was burnt, to bring it into small pieces: and ground it very small ; or, as the Targum of Jonathan,"ground it in a mortar well;'the burnt and broken pieces: even until it was as small as dust ; being ground to powder, as in Exodus 32:20 . and I cast the dust thereof... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 9:21

I took your sin, the calf which ye had made - See this fully explained Exodus 32:20 ; (note). read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 9:17

Verse 17 17.And I took the two tables, and cast them out Moses here accuses himself of no transgression; he does not, therefore, give us to understand that he was urged to break the tables by the impetuosity of excessive anger; but rather he again repeats what they had deserved, and consequently that he discharged the office of a herald, (391) so as to denounce, not by word of mouth only, but by a solemn rite also, that God’s Covenant was broken and made void by their perfidiousness. For which... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 9:18

Verse 18 18.And I fell down before the Lord The order of the narrative is confused; for this fact of which he speaks did not precede his second ascent into the mount, when he was commanded to prepare the second tables. If so, he would have fasted three times, which we gather from other passages not to have been the case; but we must not be surprised that the same thing should be often repeated, as we shall see at the beginning of chapter 10, as well as shortly afterwards. The mention of it... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 9:20

Verse 20 20.And the Lord was very angry with Aaron It hence appears how vain are the pretexts whereby men endeavor to conceal their faults, until they are subdued by genuine fear of God to acknowledge their guilt. Although Aaron did not boast that he was altogether innocent, still he endeavored to blot out, or at any rate to extenuate the enormity of his crime by alleging that he was under compulsion. But Moses declares that God was very angry with him. Whence it follows that he was guilty of a... read more

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