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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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:2

All these blessings shall come on thee - God shall pour out his blessing from heaven upon thee. And overtake thee. Upright men are represented as going to the kingdom of God, and God's blessings as following and overtaking them in their heavenly journey. There are several things in this verse worthy of the most careful observation: - 1. If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. The voice of God must be heard; without a Divine revelation how can the Divine will be known? And... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:3

In the city - In all civil employments. In the field - in all agricultural pursuits. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:4

Fruit of thy body - All thy children. Increase of thy kine, etc.; every animal employed in domestic and agricultural purposes shall be under the especial protection of Divine Providence. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:5

Thy basket - Thy olive gathering and vintage, as the basket was employed to collect those fruits. Store - משארת mishereth , kneading-trough, or remainder; all that is laid up for future use, as well as what is prepared for present consumption. Some think that by basket all their property abroad may be meant, and by store all that they have at home, i. e., all that is in the fields, and all that is in the houses. The following note of Mr. Harmer is important: - "Commentators seem to... read more

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