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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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D E U T E R O N O M Y
CHAP. XXX.
One would have thought that the threatenings in the close of the
foregoing chapter had made a full end of the people of Israel, and had
left their case for ever desperate; but in this chapter we have a plain
intimation of the mercy God had in store for them in the latter days,
so that mercy at length rejoices against judgment, and has the last
word. Here we have,
I. Exceedingly great and precious promises made to them, upon their
repentance and return to God,
II. The righteousness of faith set before them in the plainness and
easiness of the commandment that was now given them,
III. A fair reference of the whole matter to their choice,
&c.
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1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come
upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before
thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations,
whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his
voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy
children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have
compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all
the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of
heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from
thence will he fetch thee:
5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy
fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee
good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the
heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine
enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do
all his commandments which I command thee this day.
9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work
of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy
cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will
again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy
fathers:
10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to
keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this
book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
These verses may be considered either as a conditional promise or as an
absolute prediction.
I. They are chiefly to be considered as a conditional promise, and so
they belong to all persons and all people, and not to Israel only; and
the design of them is to assure us that the greatest sinners, if they
repent and be converted, shall have their sins pardoned, and be
restored to God’s favour. This is the purport of the covenant of grace,
it leaves room for repentance in case of misdemeanour, and promises
pardon upon repentance, which the covenant of innocency did not. Now
observe here,
1. How the repentance is described which is the condition of these
promises.
(1.) It begins in serious consideration,
v. 1.
“Thou shalt call to mind that which thou hadst forgotten or not
regarded.” Note, Consideration is the first step towards conversion.
Bring to mind, O you transgressors. The prodigal son came to
himself first, and then to his father. That which they should call to
mind is the blessing and the curse. If sinners would but seriously
consider the happiness they have lost by sin and the misery they have
brought themselves into, and that by repentance they may escape that
misery and recover that happiness, they would not delay to return to
the Lord their God. The prodigal called to mind the blessing and
the curse when he considered his present poverty and the plenty of
bread in his father’s house,
Luke xv. 17.
(2.) It consists in sincere conversion. The effect of the consideration
cannot but be godly sorrow and shame,
But that which is the life and soul of repentance, and without which
the most passionate expressions are but a jest, is returning to the
Lord our God,
v. 2.
If thou turn
(v. 10)
with all thy heart and with all thy soul. We must return to our
allegiance to God as our Lord and ruler, our dependence upon him as our
Father and benefactor, our devotedness to him as our highest end, and
our communion with him as our God in covenant. We must return to God
from all that which stands in opposition to him or competition with
him. In this return to God we must be upright–with the heart and soul,
and universal–with all the heart and all the soul.
(3.) It is evidenced by a constant obedience to the holy will of God:
If thou shalt obey his voice
(v. 2),
thou and thy children; for it is not enough that we do our duty
ourselves, but we must train up and engage our children to do it. Or
this comes in as the condition of the entail of the blessing upon their
children, provided their children kept close to their duty.
[1.] This obedience must be with an eye to God: Thou shalt obey his
voice
(v. 8),
and hearken to it,
[2.] It must be sincere, and cheerful, and entire: With all thy
heart, and with all thy soul,
v. 2.
[3.] It must be from a principle of love, and that love must be with
all thy heart and with all thy soul,
v. 6.
It is the heart and soul that God looks at and requires; he will have
these or nothing, and these entire or not at all.
[4.] It must be universal: According to all that I command thee,
v. 2,
and again
v. 8,
to do all his commandments; for he that allows himself in the
breach of one commandment involves himself in the guilt of contemning
them all,
An upright heart has respect to all God’s commandments,
Ps. cxix. 6.
2. What the favour is which is promised upon this repentance. Though
they are brought to God by their trouble and distress, in the nations
whither they were driven
(v. 1),
yet God will graciously accept of them notwithstanding; for on this
errand afflictions are sent, to bring us to repentance. Though they are
driven out to the utmost parts of heaven, yet thence their
penitent prayers shall reach God’s gracious ear, and there his favour
shall find them out,
v. 4.
Undique ad cælos tantundem est viæ–From every place there is
the same way to heaven. This promise Nehemiah pleads in his prayer
for dispersed Israel,
It is here promised,
(1.) That God would have compassion upon them, as proper objects of his
pity,
v. 3.
Against sinners that go on in sin God has indignation
(ch. xxix. 20),
but on those that repent and bemoan themselves he has compassion,
True penitents may take great encouragement from the compassions and
tender mercies of our God, which never fail, but overflow.
(2.) That he would turn their captivity, and gather them from the
nations whither they were scattered
(v. 3),
though ever so remote,
v. 4.
One of the Chaldee paraphrasts applies this to the Messiah, explaining
it thus: The word of the Lord shall gather you by the hand of Elias
the great priest, and shall bring you by the hand of the king
Messiah; for this was God’s covenant with him, that he should
restore the preserved of Israel,
Isa. xlix. 6.
And this was the design of his death, to gather into one the
children of God that were scattered abroad,
John xi. 51, 52.
To him shall the gathering of the people be.
(3.) That he would bring them into their land again,
v. 5.
Note, Penitent sinners are not only delivered out of their misery, but
restored to true happiness in the favour of God. The land they are
brought into to possess it is , though not the same, yet in some
respects better than that which our first father Adam possessed, and
out of which he was expelled.
(4.) That he would do them good
(v. 5)
and rejoice over them for good,
v. 9.
For there is joy in heaven upon the repentance and conversion of
sinners: the father of the prodigal rejoiced over him for good.
(5.) That he would multiply them
(v. 5),
and that, when they grew numerous, every mouth might have meat: he
would make them plenteous in every work of their hand,
v. 9.
National repentance and reformation bring national plenty, peace, and
prosperity. It is promised, The Lord will make thee plenteous in
the fruit of thy cattle and land, for good. Many have plenty for hurt;
the prosperity of fools destroys them. Then it is for good when with
it God gives us grace to use it for his glory.
(6.) That he would transfer the curses they had been under to their
enemies,
v. 7.
When God was gathering them in to re-establish them they would meet
with much opposition; but the same curses that had been a burden upon
them should become a defence to them, by being turned upon their
adversaries. The cup of trembling should be taken out of their hand,
and put into the hand of those that afflicted them,
(7.) That he would give them his grace to change their hearts, and rule
there
(v. 6):
The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, to love the Lord.
Note,
[1.] The heart must be circumcised to love God. The filth of the flesh
must be put away; and the foolishness of the heart, as the Chaldee
paraphrase expounds it. See
Circumcision was a seal of the covenant; the heart is then
circumcised to love God when it is strongly engaged and held by
that bond to this duty.
[2.] It is the work of God’s grace to circumcise the heart, and to shed
abroad the love of God there; and this grace is given to all that
repent and seek it carefully. Nay, that seems to be rather a promise
than a precept
(v. 8):
Thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord. He that
requires us to return promises grace to enable us to return: and it is
our fault if that grace be not effectual. herein the covenant of grace
is well ordered, that whatsoever is required in the covenant is
promised. Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my
Spirit,
Prov. i. 23.
3. It is observable how Moses here calls God the Lord thy God
twelve times in
intimating,
(1.) That penitents may take direction and encouragement in their
return to God from their relation to him.
“Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God;
therefore to thee we are bound to come, whither else should we go? And
therefore we hope to find favour with thee.”
(2.) That those who have revolted from God, if they return to him and
do their first works, shall be restored to their former state of honour
and happiness. Bring hither the first robe. In the threatenings
of the former chapter he is all along called the Lord, a God of
power and the Judge of all: but, in the promises of this chapter,
the Lord thy God, a God of grace, and in covenant with thee.
II. This may also be considered as a prediction of the repentance and
restoration of the Jews: When all these things shall have come upon
thee
(v. 1),
the blessing first, and after that the curse, then the mercy in reserve
shall take place. Though their hearts were wretchedly hardened, yet
the grace of God could soften and change them; and then, though their
case was deplorably miserable, the providence of God would redress all
their grievances. Now,
1. It is certain that this was fulfilled in their return from their
captivity in Babylon. It was a wonderful instance of their repentance
and reformation that Ephraim, who had been joined to idols, renounced
them, and said, What have I to do any more with idols? That
captivity effectually cured them of idolatry; and then God planted them
again in their own land and did them good. But,
2. Some think that it is yet further to be accomplished in the
conversion of the Jews who are now dispersed, their repentance for the
sin of their fathers in crucifying Christ, their return to God through
him, and their accession to the Christian church. But, alas! who
shall live when God doth this?
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11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is
not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go
up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it,
and do it?
13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who
shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may
hear it, and do it?
14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in
thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Moses here urges them to obedience from the consideration of the
plainness and easiness of the command.
I. This is true of the law of Moses. They could never plead in excuse
of their disobedience that God had enjoined them that which was either
unintelligible or impracticable, impossible to be known or to be done
(v. 11):
It is not hidden from thee. That is, not send messengers to
heaven
(v. 12),
to enquire what thou must do to please God; nor needest thou go
beyond sea
(v. 13),
as the philosophers did, that travelled through many and distant
regions in pursuit of learning; no, thou art not put to that labour and
expense; nor is the commandment within the reach of those only that
have a great estate or a refined genius, but it is very nigh unto
thee,
v. 14.
It is written in thy books, made plain upon tables, so that he that
runs may read it; thy priests’ lips keep this knowledge, and, when any
difficulty arises, thou mayest ask the law at their mouth,
Mal. ii. 7.
It is not communicated in a strange language; but it is in thy mouth,
that is, in the vulgar tongue that is commonly used by thee, in which
thou mayest hear it read, and talk of it familiarly among thy children.
It is not wrapped up in obscure phrases or figures to puzzle and amuse
thee, or in hieroglyphics, but it is in thy heart; it is delivered in
such a manner as that it is level to thy capacity, even to the capacity
of the meanest.”
2. “It is not too hard nor heavy for thee:” so the
Septuagint reads it,
Thou needest not say, “As good attempt to climb to heaven, or flee upon
the wings of the morning to the uttermost part of the sea, as go about
to do all the words of this law:” no, the matter is not so; it is no
such intolerable yoke as some ill-minded people represent it. It was
indeed a heavy yoke in comparison with that of Christ
(Acts xv. 10),
but not in comparison with the idolatrous services of the neighbouring
nations. God appeals to themselves that he had not made them to
serve with an offering, nor wearied them with incense,
Isa. xliii. 23; Mic. vi. 3.
But he speaks especially of the moral law, and its precepts: “That is
very nigh thee, consonant to the law of nature, which would have been
found in every man’s heart, and every man’s mouth, if he would but have
attended to it. There is that in thee which consents to the law that
it is good,
Rom. vii. 16.
Thou hast therefore no reason to complain of any insuperable difficulty
in the observance of it.”
II. This is true of the gospel of Christ, to which the apostle applies
it, and makes it the language of the righteousness which is of
faith,
Rom. x. 6-8.
And many think this is principally intended by Moses here; for he
wrote of Christ,
John v. 46.
This is God’s commandment now under the gospel that we believe in
the name of his Son Jesus Christ,
1 John iii. 23.
If we ask, as the blind man did, Lord, who is he? or where is
he, that we may believe on him?
(John ix. 36),
this scripture gives an answer, We need not go up to heaven, to fetch
him thence, for he has come down thence in his incarnation; nor down to
the deep, to fetch him thence, for thence he has come up in his
resurrection. But the word is nigh us, and Christ in that word; so that
if we believe with the heart that the promises of the incarnation and
resurrection of the Messiah are fulfilled in our Lord Jesus, and
receive him accordingly, and confess him with our mouth, we have then
Christ with us, and we shall be saved. He is near, very near, that
justifies us. The law was plain and easy, but the gospel much more
so.
15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and
death and evil;
16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to
walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes
and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the
LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to
possess it.
17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear,
but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish,
and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land,
whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and
cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may
live:
20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou
mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for
he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest
dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Moses here concludes with a very bright light, and a very strong fire,
that, if possible, what he had been preaching of might find entrance
into the understanding and affections of this unthinking people. What
could be said more moving, and more likely to make deep and lasting
impressions? The manner of his treating with them is so rational, so
prudent, so affectionate, and every way so apt to gain the point, that
it abundantly shows him to be in earnest, and leaves them inexcusable
in their disobedience.
I. He states the case very fairly. He appeals to themselves concerning
it whether he had not laid the matter as plainly as they could wish
before them.
1. Every man covets to obtain life and good, and to escape death and
evil, desires happiness and dreads misery. “Well,” says he, “I have
shown you the way to obtain all the happiness you can desire and to
avoid all misery. Be obedient, and all shall be well, and nothing
amiss.” Our first parents ate the forbidden fruit, in hopes of getting
thereby the knowledge of good and evil; but it was a miserable
knowledge they got, of good by the loss of it, and of evil by the sense
of it; yet such is the compassion of God towards man that, instead of
giving him to his own delusion, he has favoured him by his word with
such a knowledge of good and evil as will make him for ever happy if it
be not his own fault.
2. Every man is moved and governed in his actions by hope and fear,
hope of good and fear of evil, real of apparent. “Now,” says Moses, “I
have tried both ways; if you will be either drawn to obedience by the
certain prospect of advantage by it, or driven to obedience by the no
less certain prospect of ruin in case you be disobedient–if you will
be wrought upon either way, you will be kept close to God and your
duty; but, if you will not, you are utterly inexcusable.” Let us, then,
hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
(1.) If they and theirs would love God and serve him, they should live
and be happy,
If they would love God, and evidence the sincerity of their love by
keeping his commandments–if they would make conscience of keeping his
commandments, and do it from a principle of love–then God would do
them good, and they should be as happy as his love and blessing could
make them.
(2.) If they or theirs should at any time turn from God, desert his
service, and worship other gods this would certainly be their ruin,
Observe, It is not for every failure in the particulars of their duty
that ruin is threatened, but for apostasy and idolatry: though every
violation of the command deserved the curse, yet the nation would be
destroyed by that only which is the violation of the marriage covenant.
The purport of the New Testament is much the same; this, in like
manner, sets before us life and death, good and evil; He that
believes shall be saved; he that believes not shall be damned,
Mark xvi. 16.
And this faith includes love and obedience. To those who by patient
continuance in well doing seek for glory, honour, and immortality,
God will give eternal life. But to those that are contentious, and
do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness (and so, in effect,
worship other gods and serve them), will be rendered the indignation
and wrath of an immortal God, the consequence of which must needs be
the tribulation and anguish of an immortal soul,
II. Having thus stated the case, he fairly puts them to their choice,
with a direction to them to choose well. He appeals to heaven and earth
concerning his fair and faithful dealing with them,
They could not but own that whatever was the issue he had delivered his
soul; therefore, that they might deliver theirs, he bids them choose
life, that is, choose to do their duty, which would be their life.
Note,
1. Those shall have life that choose it: those that choose the favour
of God and communion with him for their felicity, and prosecute their
choice as they ought, shall have what they choose.
2. Those that come short of life and happiness must thank themselves;
they would have had it if they had chosen it when it was put to their
choice: but they die because they will die; that is, because
they do not like the life promised upon the terms proposed.
III. In the
1. He shows them, in short, what their duty is, to love God, and
to love him as the Lord, a Being most amiable, and as their
God, a God in covenant with them; and, as an evidence of this love,
to obey his voice in every thing, and by a constancy in this
love and obedience to cleave to him, and never to forsake him in
affection or practice.
2. He shows them what reason there was for this duty, inconsideration,
(1.) Of their dependence upon God: He is thy life, and the length of
thy days. He gives life, preserves life, restores life, and
prolongs it by his power though it is a frail life, and by his patience
though it is a forfeited life: he sweetens life with his comforts, and
is the sovereign Lord of life; in his hand our breath is.
Therefore we are concerned to keep ourselves in his love; for it is
good having him our friend, and bad having him our enemy.
(2.) Of their obligation to him for the promise of Canaan made to their
fathers and ratified with an oath. And,
(3.) Of their expectations from him in performance of that promise:
“Love God, and serve him, that thou mayest dwell in that land of
promise which thou mayest be sure he can give, and uphold to thee who
is thy life and the length of thy days.” All these are arguments
to us to continue in love and obedience to the God of our mercies.
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