Deuteronomy 8:1-6

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 8:1

All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do ,.... It is repeated over and over again, to impress it on their minds, and to show the importance and necessity of it, how greatly it was expected from them, and how much it was incumbent on them: that ye may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers ; for their temporal life, and the mercies and comforts of it, the multiplication of their offspring, and of their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:2

And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness ,.... For this was now the fortieth year of their coming out of Egypt into the wilderness, into which they quickly came after their departure from thence, and had been in one wilderness or another ever since, in which God went before them in a pillar of cloud and fire, and directed their way; and now they are called upon to remember all the occurrences in the way, what favours and mercies... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:4

Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee , &c.; They wanted not clothes all the forty years they were in the wilderness; which some account for by the rising generation being supplied with the clothes of those that died in the wilderness, and with the spoils they took from Amalek, Exodus 17:1 and others, as Aben Ezra observes, remark that they brought much clothes with them out of Egypt, which no doubt they did; see Exodus 12:35 and he adds, as worthy of notice, that the manna they lived... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:5

Thou shalt also consider in thine heart ,.... Frequently think of, and meditate upon, revolve in their thoughts, well weigh in their minds, and take into thorough and deliberate consideration in their hearts; it being a matter of great moment and importance to them for their peace and comfort and the glory of God, namely, what follows: that as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee ; that they stood in the same relation to God as a son to a father, and therefore... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 8:6

Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God ,.... Not only because they are the commands of God, and of a covenant God and Father, which are reasons sufficient for the observance of them; but because the Lord had dealt so bountifully with them, in providing food and raiment for them in the wilderness, which always continued with them; and because, when he afflicted them, it was a fatherly chastisement, with great tenderness and compassion, and for their good; all which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 8:2

Thou shalt remember all the way - The various dealings of God with you; the dangers and difficulties to which ye were exposed, and from which God delivered you; together with the various miracles which he wrought for you, and his longsuffering towards you. 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 8:4

Thy raiment waxed not old, etc. - The plain meaning of this much-tortured text appears to me to be this: "God so amply provided for them all the necessaries of life, that they never were obliged to wear tattered garments, nor were their feet injured for lack of shoes or sandals." If they had carvers, engravers, silversmiths, and jewelers among them, as plainly appears from the account we have of the tabernacle and its utensils, is it to be wondered at if they also had habit and sandal... read more

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