s A 1-6. Call to hear: and the reason. The publishing.
of Yehovah's name: His perfect work and
righteous ways. B 7-14. The goodness and bounty of Yehovah to Israel. (Period of the Pentateuch). C 15-19. Israel's evil return for that goodness. Their pride: forsaking of God; despising
the Rock of their Salvation; moving Him
to anger. (Period, past history.The
Historical books). D 20. Divine reflection on the period while Israel is "Lo Ammi" (not my people). Period of Minor Prophets, especially Hosea). E 21. Yehovah's provocation of Israel. (Period
of Acts and present Dispensation). E 22-25. Yehovah's threatening of judgment on Israel in the great tribulation. D 26-33. Divine reflections on the period while Israel is scattered. C 34-38. Israel's evil return for Yehovah's goodness. Their helpless condition moving Him to pity. He has not forsaken
them. Their rock useless. (Period of
present history). B 39-42. The judgment of Yehovah. (The period of the Apocalypse). A 43. Call to rejoice: and the reason. The publishing of Yehovah's Kingdom. Vengeance on Israel's enemies. Mercies for His "Land"
and for His "People". (fulfilment of all
prophecy)
1452 B.C.
7: Remember the days of old (look at your history. Cp. Ps.77:5), consider the years of many generations: ask your father, and he will shew you; your elders (prophets, scholars), and they will tell you.
8: When the Most High (= Elyon) divided to the nations their inheritance (As an inheritance. Cp. v.9. Heb. nåhal = to posses. Not Heb. pålag [Gen.10:25], which = to cleave by disruption, or pårur [Gen.10:5,32], which = to divide by breaking off), when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the Peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.
9: For the Lord's (Yehovah's) portion is His People; Jacob is the line of His inheritance (All natural seed of Israel plus those adopted. The line because the inheritance was alloted by a cord or line. Cp. 1 Chron.16:18. Ps.16:6; 19:4. Mic.2:5 ).
10: He found him (i.e. Jacob) in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye (First occ. of Heb. båbah, used of the small round dark pupil of the eye. Heb. = hole, gate or door of the eye. Cp.Ps.17:8. See Zech.2:8. Called "pupil" from Latin pupilla = a little girl).
11: As an eagle flutters (same word as Gen.1:2) her nest (put for the young in it), flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings (in which lies the feathers), takes them, bears them on her wings (in which lies the strength. The eagle encourages them to fly and catches them when they fall):
12: So the Lord (Yehovah) alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him (no false Christ).
13: He made him ride on the high places of the earth, and he did eat the increase of the fruit from land; and He made him to suck honey out of the rock (a rock, as a fortress, unmovable), and oil (honey and oil put for all delicious things) out of the flinty rock (Heb. zûr = rock in situ, sharp and precipitous.Hence a refuge and security);
14: Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan (Confirming the promise of v.13 as to high or mountainous places), and goats, with the fat of kidneys (= white of the kernals) of wheat; and you did drink the unmixed blood of the grape (no contamination).
15: But Jeshurun waxed fat (= the Upright One. First occ. Fig. Metonymy, put for the ideal Israel. Cp. 33:5,26. Isa.44:2, as chosen by God. Also used in irony for Israel when he had it too good), and kicked (=trampled under foot, hence to condemn. Heb. bå’at. First occ.): you are waxen fat, you are grown thick, you are covered with fatness; then he forsook GOD (Eloah) (The God in respect to worship. First occ.) Which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
16: They provoked Him to jealousy (Cp. Ps.78:58) with foreign gods, with abominations provoked they Him to anger (Strange teachings and traditions of men).
17: They sacrificed to devils (= demons, Heb. shêd. First occ. Cp. Ps.106:37. 1 Cor.10:20), not to GOD (Eloah); to gods whom they knew not (eg. "Easter", they didn't exist), to new gods that came recently up (=recent, lately. Heb. kårab, as in Judg.5:8), whom your fathers feared not (= trmbled at. Heb. så‘ar. Not går,reverence).
18: Of the Rock that begat you you are unmindful, and have forgotten God (Elohim) that formed you.
19: And when the Lord (Yehovah) saw it, He abhorred them (Cp. Ps.106:40), because of the provoking of His sons (the provocation produced by the conduct of His People), and of His daughters.
20: And He said, I will hide My face from them (see 31:17), I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very perverse generation (Heb. haphakpak. First occ), children in whom is no faith (stubborn, denies that He exists).
21: They have moved Me to jealousy with that which is not god; they have provoked (see Rom.10:19) Me to anger with their vanities (= emptyness): and I will move them to jealousy with those which are no People (Arabia, see Amos 6:14. Cp. Ro.10:19; 11:11); I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
22: For a fire is kindled in Mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell (sh’eôl), and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire (Heb. lahat. First occ.) the foundations of the mountains (bad elements only. See 2 Pet.3:10).
23: I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend Mine arrows upon them (troubles and accidens, named in v.24).
24: They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat (deseases. Heb. repheph. Fist occ.), and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust (Heb. zåhal = to crawl or creep. First occ.).
25: The sword outside (= God's Word), and terror from the inner chambers, shall destroy (= bereave) both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs (no one, i.e. all peoples, all ages can escape Him).
26: I said, I would scatter them into corners (= disperse them, scatter them as the wind. Them = Jacob, the natural seed. The verb på’áh occurs only here. The Servus Codex divides the one word ’aph’êyhem [disperse the] into the three words áph êh, hem, = "I said in anger, Where are they?"), I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among mortals (God allows the enemy to come for correction):
27: Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely (= mistake it. The Heb. nåkar, a Homonym with 3 meanings: #1. to mistake, here; #2. to acknowledge, Job 34:19;#3. to deliver, 1 Sam.23:7. Both A.V. and R.V. miss the first [R.V.= misdeem], admit the second and third [although the R.V. margin suggests "alienated" for "delivered"), and lest they should say, ‘Our hand is high, and the Lord (Yehovah) (Note the 5 Divine titles in this song. #5 = grace) has not done all this.’
28: For they are a nation void of council (= deliberation), neither is there any understanding in them (No God no counsil).
29: O that they were wise (cp. Ps.81:13,14), that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! ("If the would have listened to Me" [God])
30: How should one chase a thousand (Cp. Lev.26:8. Josh.23:10. 2 Chron.24:24. Isa.30:17), and two put ten thousand to flight (fearless in His service), except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord (Yehovah) had shut them up?
31: For their rock (= Tyrus = Satan.) is not as our Rock (= Christ. Cp. 1 Sam.2:2 and v.4), even our enemies themselves being judges.
32: For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah (perversions): their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:
33: Their wine is the poison of dragons (i.e. the Red Dragon, Satan), and the cruel venom of asps (i.e. The Sepent, Satan).
34: Is not this laid up in store with Me, and sealed up among My treasures?
35: To Me belongs vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. (2nd half of Isaiah that Christ left off in the synagogue)
36: For the Lord (Yehovah) shall vindicate his people (Cp. Lev.26:25. Judg.2:18. Ps.7:8; 135:14. Jer.51:6), and repent Himself for His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left (Heb. ’åzab, is a Homonym, with two meanings: #1. to leave, or forsake [Gen.2:24; 339:6. Neh.5:10. Ps.49:10. Mal.4:1]; #2. to help, restore, strengthen, shut in, or fortify, as in [Ex.23:5. 1 Kings 14:10. 2 Kings 14:26. Neh.3:8. Jer.49:25]. See the notes on these passages. Hence, here, = defended and protected. Note the perplexity manifested in the margins of the A.V. and R.V.).
37: And He shall say, ‘Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted (Heb. håsåh = to flee for refuge to, to take shelter in. He [Satan] is in the abyiss, the pit),
38: Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and let them be your protection.
39: See now that I, even I, am He (cp. Isa.44:8), and there is no god with Me: I kill (cp. 1 Sam.2:6. 2 Kings 5:7), and I make alive; I wound (cp. Job 5:18. Hos.6:1), and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand.
40: For I lift up My hand to heaven (= I swear. The lifting of the hand put by the Fig. Metonymy, for the thing signified by it), and say, I live for ever.
41: If I whet My glittering sword (cp. Rev.19:15), and My hand take hold on justice (or retribution. Cp. Isa.1:24); I will render vengeance to My enemies, and will reward them that hate Me (just dessert).
42: I will make My arrows drunk with blood (= devour), and My sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning (= from the flesh of the chief leader) of revenges upon the enemy. (Just before change into spiritual bodies His Word will slay)
43: Rejoice, O all you nations, with His people (cp. Ps.67:1-7): for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries, and will be merciful (= be propitious, cp. Joel 2:18. Rom.15:9) to His land, and to His people” (the 2 great subjects of the song and of the O.T. This ends Moses' 8th address).
44: And Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people (this is the 5th and last contextual reference to "the Song of Moses), he, and Hoshea the son of Nun (= the old spelling of Joshua. Later it was "Jeshua" [Ezra 2:2]. This was adopted by the Sept.,and ultimately became "Jesus").
45: And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel:
46: And he said to them, “Set your hearts (Moses' 9th address. See 1:6) unto all the words which I testify among you this day (Not merely the Word of God as a whole, but the "words" of which it is made up. Cp. Jer.15:16. John 17:8,14,17), which you all shall command your children to observe and to do, all the words of this law.
47: For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing you all shall prolong your days on the soil, to which place you all go over Jordan to possess it.” (End of Moses' 9th address)
48: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Moses that selfsame day, saying,
49: “Get you up into this mountain Abarim (Heb. = regions beyond), to mount Nebo (= prophet), which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give to the sons of Israel for a possession:
50: And die in the mount to which place you go up, and be gathered to your people (imperative for Indicative. Cp. Gen.25:8,17); according as Aaron your brother died in mount Hor (cp. Num.20:24; 27:12-14), and was gathered to his people:
51: Because you all trespassed (cp. Num.20:12) against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh (= quarrel with God), in the wilderness of Zin (= flat); because you all sanctified Me not in the midst of the sons of Israel.
52: Yet you shall see the land before you; but you shall not go to that place to the land which I give the sons of Israel.”
C F 1. Introduction. G 2-5. Israel, collectively, with Yehovah King. H v¹ 6. Reuben. v² 7. Judah. v³ 8-11. Levi. v4 12. Benjamn. v5 13-17. Joseph. v6 18,19. Zebulun and Issachar. v7 20,21. Gad. v8 22. Dan. v9 23. Naphtali. v10 24,25. Asher. G 26,27. Israel, collectively, with Yehovah King. F 28,29. Conclusion.
The first occurance of ths expression is here in Deut.33:1, and is used of Moses (Ps. 90, Title), who was, par excellence, the prophet, like to whom Christ was to be "raised up" (Deut.18:15-19), shows that it is to be understood of what Moses was, namely, "the prophet".
He was so called, not because he foretold, but because he spoke for God. This is the meaning of the word "prophet" as taught by its first occ. in Gen.20:7. The prophet was God's "spokesman" (Ex.4:16. Cp. Ex.7:1).
God's spokesman could know what to speak for Him only – 1. from His Spirit (Neh.9:30. Cp. Hos.9:7, margin, and see Num.11:16,17,25-29); 2. from Yehovah making Himself known (Num.12:6. Ezek.3:17. Jer.15:19. Cp. 2 Chron.36:120; and 3. from God's written Word. This is why Timothy is the only one called a "man of God" in the N.T. (1 Tim.6:11), and why today, one, and only one who knows "all Scripture", which is so profitable, can be called a "man of God" (2 Tim.3:17).
All such are God's spokesman because they alone know what He wishes to be spoken. They are His witnesses (Acts 1:8; 22:15), Christ The Prophet because He spoke only those things which were given Him to speak (see note on Deut.18:18), and He alone is "the faithful Witness" (Rev.1:5).
It was for the above reason that the expression "the man of God" (i.e. God's man) became the general name for a prophet among the common people. See all the occ.:
Pentateuch – 1 Prophets – 65 Others – 12 –– 78= 6 x 13 = the number of man X rebellion N.T. 2 –– 80=8 x 10=regeneration X ordinal perfection
2: And he said, “The Lord (Yehovah) came from Sinai (Heb. bô, to come, or enter on buisness), and rose up from Seir to them (Heb. zårah, to break forth as light); He shined forth from mount Paran (Heb, yåph‘a, to shine forth in glory), and He came (Heb. ’åthåh, to come with speed. Cp maran-athah = Yehovah comes, 1 Cor.16:22) with ten thousands of saints (= holy ones, i.e angels. Cp. Ps.68:17. Acts 7:53. Gal.3:19. Hab.2:2. Jude 14 and note on Ex.3:5): from His right hand went a fiery law for them (Heb. dath, an edict, or mandate. Imperial mandate).
3: Yes, He loves the people(used only here, and only of Yehovah's love to Israel); all His saints are in Your hand: and they sat down at Your feet (put for teaching thus recieved); every one shall receive (= bore, or carried away) of Your words.”
4: Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the assembly of Jacob.
5: And He (i.e. Yehovah) was king in Jeshurun (= the Upright One, see 32:15), when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered themselves together.
6: Let Reuben live, and not die (reversing Gen.49:3,4); and let not his men be few.” (as opposed to women and children)
7: And this is the blessing of Judah (including Simeon; for their blessing and inheritance were one. Josh.19:1. Judg.1:3): and he said, “Hear, Lord (Yehovah), the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be You a help to him from his enemies.”
8: And of Levi he said, “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim (see Ex.28:30. Num.26:55) be with Your holy one (= Your man of lovingkindness, or Gracious One = the High Priest who was of the tribe of Lev. See Ex.3:5), Whom You did prove at Massah (= temptation), and with whom You did strive at the waters of Meribah (= strife);
9: Who said to his father and to his mother, ‘I have not seen him;’ neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own sons (put for not caring for): for they have observed Your word, and kept Your covenant.
10: They shall teach Jacob Your judgments (this was the great work of the priests. Cp. Lev.10:11. Deut.17:9,10. Jer.18:18. Hag.2:11. Mal.2:7), and Israel Your law: they shall put incense before You (= to Your nose), and whole burnt sacrifice upon Your altar.
11: Bless, Lord (Yehovah), his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.”
12: And of Benjamin he said, “The beloved of the Lord (Yehovah) shall dwell in safety by Him (Sam. and Sept. omit); and the Lord (Yehovah) shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between His shoulders.”
13: And of Joseph he said, “Blessed of the Lord (Yehovah) be his land (Gp. Gen.49:25), for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that couches beneath (note the many "ands" in vv.14-18),
14: And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon (put for months),
15: And for the chief things of the ancient mountains (= mountains of old, cp. v.27), and for the precious things of the everlasting hills (cp. Gen.49:26),
16: And for the precious things of the earth and fullness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush (cp. Ex.3:2. The word occurs only in these 2 places): let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren (cp. Gen.49:46).
17: His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of wild ox (or rhinocerous, put for Ephraim and Manasseh): with them he shall push the peoples together to the ends of the earth (or land): and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18: And of Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out; and, Issachar, in your tents.
19: They shall call the people to the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.” (= hidden treasures of the sand = amber, agate, jet, pearls, glass, &c.)
20: And of Gad he said, “Blessed be He that enlarges Gad: He dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with (= likewise, or, yes) the crown of the head.
21: And he provided the first part for himself, because there, a portion of the lawgiver, was reserved; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of Yehovah, and His judgments with Israel.”
22: And of Dan (cp. Gen.49:16-18) he said, “Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.”
23: And of Naphtali (cp. Gen.49:21 and Josh.19:32-39) he said, “O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of Yehovah: possess you the west and the south.”
24: And of Asher (cp. Gen.49:20) he said, “Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil (oil found there when water failed. See 1 Kings 17:9, and cp. Josh.19:24-28).
25: Under your shoes shall be iron and brass (i.e. above the ground, olives and oil; beneath, iron and copper. Refers to rich ores); and as the length of your days, so shall your strength be.” (= sufficiency, or security, as in a fold)
26: There is none like (see Ex.15:11) unto the El (Eng, God) of Jeshurun (= Upright, i.e. the ideal Israel [cp. v.29] as the "upright" nation, possessing all the laws. Cp. 32:15), “Who rides upon the heaven in your help (cp. Ps.68:4,33), and in His excellency on the sky.
27: The eternal God (Elohim) is your refuge (= abode. Ps.90:1; 91:9), and underneath are the everlasting arms (put for the strength that is in them): and He shall thrust out the enemy from before you; and shall say, ‘Destroy them.’
28: Israel (note the name, "Israel" connected with Divine safety, and "Jacob" with earthly substance) then shall dwell in safety alone (cp. Num.23:9. Jer.23:6): the fountain (or, eye.....shall look upon) of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and new wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
29: Happy are you, O Israel (the Ideal nation, viewed as Jeshurun the upright, see note on 32:15): who is like unto you, O people saved by the Lord (Yehovah) (this their greatest glory), the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of your excellency! and your enemies shall be found liars to you (= shall submit themseves. Cp. 2 Sam.22:45. Ps.66:33); and you shall tread upon their high places.” (The end of Moses' 10th, and last, address.)
D J x 1-. His ascent. y -1-4. His eye caused to see. K 5. His death. K 6. His burial. J x 7-. His age. y -7. His eye not dim.
And the Lord (Yehovah) showed him (= caused him to see. Cp. Matt.4:8. Luke 4:5) all the land of Gilead, to Dan (cp. Gen.14:14, not Judg.18:29),
2: And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, to the utmost sea (called "the great sea". See Joel 2:20, and Zech.14:8, where A.V. and R.V. not correct),
3: And the south (=the Negeb. Cp. Gen.12:8,9; 13:3, &c.), and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, to Zoar.
4: And the Lord (Yehovah) said to him, “This is the land which I sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (see Gen.12:7; 13:17; and cp. Deut.3:27. All 3 Patriarchs named), saying, ‘I will give it to your seed:’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over to that place.”
5: So Moses the servant of Yehovah died there in the land of Moab (First occ. Occ. 18 times. #18 = bondage), according to the word of the Lord (Yehovah) (Heb. mouth).
6: And the Lord (Yehovah) buried Moses in a valley in the land of Moab (Said of no other. Hence, when raised for the Transfiguration, Satan, who has the power of death [Heb.2:14], "contended" with Michael about his body, Jude 9. So God has buried the Law for those who, being "in Christ", have died and are dead to the Law. Cp. Rom.6:2,6-8; 7:1-5,6 [margin] ), over against Beth-peor: but no man knows of his sepulchre unto this day.
7: And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died (Moses died the youngest of any of his kindred, example, Levi was 137, Kohath was 133, Amram 137, Aaron, 123, Miriam 126 or more): his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated (= moisture, or freshness).
A L 8. Moses. Mourened. M 9-. Joshua. Qualified. M -9. Joshua. Obeyed. L 10-12. Moses. Praised.
20th Feb.–20th March, 1451 B.C. 8: And the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days (The mourning lasted from the 20th of February until the 20th day of March. Thus the 40 years were completed: from March 20th 1491 B.C.): so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
9: And Joshua (cp. Num.27:23) the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him:
and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did according as the Lord (Yehovah) commanded Moses.
10: And there arose not a prophet (a common name put for a proper name, Moses being the prophet) since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord (Yehovah) knew face to face (cp.5:4,5),
11: In all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord (Yahoveh) sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,
12: And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.