Teks -- Deuteronomy 32:44-47 (NET)

Narrative Interlude

32:44 Then Moses went with Joshua son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people. 32:45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel 32:46 he said to them, “Keep in mind all the words I am solemnly proclaiming to you today; you must command your children to observe carefully all the words of this law. 32:47 For this is no idle word for you– it is your life! By this word you will live a long time in the land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Deu 32:44 - He and Hoshea

Or Joshua. Probably Moses spoke it to as many as could hear him, while Joshua in another assembly at the same time delivered it to as many as his voice would reach. Thus Joshua, as well as Moses, would be a witness against them, if ever they forsook God.

Wesley: Deu 32:47 - Not vain

It is not an unprofitable or contemptible work I advise you to, but well worthy of your most serious care.

JFB: Deu 32:44-47 - Moses . . . spake all the words of this song in the ears, &c.

It has been beautifully styled "the Song of the Dying Swan" [LOWTH]. It was designed to be a national anthem, which it should be the duty and care of magistrates to make well known by frequent repetition, to animate the people to right sentiments towards a steadfast adherence to His service.

Clarke: Deu 32:44 - And Moses came

And Moses came - Probably from the tabernacle, where God had given him this prophetic ode, and he rehearsed it in the ears of the people.

Clarke: Deu 32:46 - Set your hearts unto all the words

Set your hearts unto all the words - Another proof that all these awful denunciations of Divine wrath, though delivered in an absolute form, were only declaratory of what God would do If they rebelled against him.

Clarke: Deu 32:47 - Through this thing ye shall prolong your days

Through this thing ye shall prolong your days - Instead of being cut off, as God here threatens, ye shall be preserved and rendered prosperous in the land which, when they passed over Jordan, they should possess.

Calvin: Deu 32:44 - And Moses came and spake

Deu 32:44.And Moses came and spake It is not without reason that Moses again records that he repeated this Song before the people; because it thence appears how far from all ambition he was, in that he did not fear, at the very close of his life, to irritate all their minds, so as to render the memory of his name hateful; and besides, his authority was sanctioned by the silence and submissiveness of the people, when they suffered themselves to be thus severely dealt with. For, such was their general refractoriness, that they never would have listened to him, had not the secret inspiration of the Spirit interposed to subdue them.

He associates with himself Joshua, whom he undoubtedly desired to furnish with equal authority, and, what is worthy of observation, he bids them be attentive to the threatenings and reprehensions, in order to obtain reverence for the law. For we often see that bare doctrine is cold and nerveless, unless the sluggishness, which as it were stifles men’s minds, is sharply stimulated; lest, then, the teaching of the Law should be despised or forgotten, or, from being but languidly received, should gradually be obliterated from their minds, he as it were spurs them up by the vehemence of this Song, and commands that their posterity should be instructed in it, in order that their attention may be aroused by its menaces. In the next verse (47) he recommends to them zeal in the observance of the Law on the score of its profitableness; for translators render it improperly, as it seems to me, “Lest it should be an empty word to you,” or, “It is not an empty word, such as you should despise.” Jerome’s translation is better — “The precepts are not given you in vain;” for Moses simply intimates that the Law was not given in vain, so as to end in fruitlessness; and consequently they were to beware lest they should frustrate God’s purpose, who desired to do them good. רק , rek, therefore, is used as the converse of “fruitful,” as more clearly appears from the confirmation immediately added, that they “might prolong their days in the promised land.” The Law, then, is said not to be vain, because it is fruitful unto salvation. In what way it is also deadly, and has no inherent efficacy, I have already shown. ³⁰⁰ It is indeed true that the Law, as being the sure rule of righteousness, does not deceptively promise salvation to men; but, since there is no one who actually performs what God requires, through the accidental guilt of men, life is turned into death; but, when all are plunged beneath the curse, a new remedy supervenes, and by God’s gratuitous pardon they are so reconciled to Him, as that their obedience, such as it is, becomes acceptable.

TSK: Deu 32:44 - spake // Hoshea

spake : Deu 31:22, Deu 31:30

Hoshea : or, Joshua, Num 13:8, Num 13:16

TSK: Deu 32:46

Deu 6:6, Deu 6:7, Deu 11:18; 1Ch 22:19; Pro 3:1-4; Eze 40:4; Luk 9:44; Heb 2:1

TSK: Deu 32:47

Deu 30:19; Lev 18:5; Pro 3:1, Pro 3:2, Pro 3:18, Pro 3:22, Pro 4:22; Isa 45:19; Mat 6:33; Rom 10:5, Rom 10:6; 1Ti 4:8, 1Ti 6:6-8; 1Pe 3:10-12; 2Pe 1:3, 2Pe 1:16; Rev 22:14

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Deu 32:44 - Hoshea

Hoshea or Joshua , who is here joined with Moses in this action, because though Moses only spake the words, yet Joshua consented to them; and, it may be, afterwards repeated them; this being not a song to be sung once for all, but a standing monument, which was written and kept for future use, Deu 31:22 , &c., and to be repeated again and again upon solemn occasions, which Joshua and other magistrates were to take care of.

Poole: Deu 32:47

It is not an unprofitable or contemptible work I advise you to, but well worthy of your most serious care, oft to remember and diligently to consider it.

Haydock: Deu 32:47 - Live

Live. Hebrew, "it is your life." They were to cherish the law as their own lives; for their prosperity and length of days depended on their observance of it.

Gill: Deu 32:44 - And Moses came // and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people // he, and Hoshea the son of Nun

And Moses came,.... To the people, as the Greek version, the heads of the people being gathered together according to his order, Deu 31:28; The Targum of Jonathan says, he came from the tabernacle, the house of instruction:

and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people; which is observed both before and after the reading of it, to show the certainty of it, and how punctually and faithfully he had delivered it:

he, and Hoshea the son of Nun; the same with Joshua, whose name at first was Hoshea, Num 13:16, probably Joshua read the song to one part of the people, while Moses read it to the other.

Gill: Deu 32:45 - And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel.

And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel. Finished all he had to say to them from the Lord, whether by way of precept, moral, civil, and ceremonial or in the form of a song.

Gill: Deu 32:46 - And he said unto them // set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you this day // which ye shall command your children to observe, to do all the words of this law

And he said unto them,.... By way of exhortation:

set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you this day; it was not enough to hear them, but they were to lay them up in their hearts, and retain them in their memories; and not only so, but reflect on them in their minds, and closely apply to the consideration of them, and get the true knowledge and sense of them, and put it in practice:

which ye shall command your children to observe, to do all the words of this law; which shows that the exhortation does not respect the song only, but the whole law delivered in this book; which they were not only to attend to themselves, but to transmit to their children, and enjoin them the observance of, that so religion might be perpetuated in their posterity.

Gill: Deu 32:47 - For it is not a vain thing for you // because it is your life // and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land whither you go over Jordan to possess it

For it is not a vain thing for you,.... That is, the law is not, and the observance of it in them and their children; it was no light and trifling matter, but of great importance and consequence, obedience to it being attended with rewards, and disobedience with punishment:

because it is your life: if obeyed, the means of a comfortable and happy life, in the enjoyment of all good things, of the preservation and continuance of it to a length of time; and long life was always reckoned a great temporal mercy:

and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land whither you go over Jordan to possess it; that is, through their obedience to the law they should live long in the land of Canaan, which they were just going to possess; which explains what is meant by its being their life; their comfortable living and continuance in the land depended on their obedience to the law; see Isa 1:19.