Deuteronomy 5:1--7:26
Israel ........ Israel <03478> [all Israel.]
Listen <08085> [Hear.]
be careful ... keep <08104 06213> [keep, and. Heb. keep to.]
Lord <03068> [I am the.]
brought <03318> [brought.]
slavery <05650> [bondage. Heb. servants.]
image <06459> [graven image.]
worship <07812> [shalt not.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
On the import of the word {yehowah,} which we translate Lord, see Note on Ex. 3:15. The word {elohim,} which is rendered God, in the singular, {eloah,} and in Arabic {allah,} is derived from the Arabic {alaha,} he worshipped, adored, was struck with astonishment, fear, or terror: and hence, he adored with sacred honour and veneration: it also signifies, he succoured, liberated, kept in safety, or defended. Here we learn that {elohim} denotes the sole object of adoration; the perfections of whose nature must astonish all who contemplate them, and fill with horror all who rebel against him; that consequently he must be worshipped with reverence and religious fear; and that every sincere worshipper may expect help in all his weaknesses, etc., freedom from the power, guilt, and consequences of sin, and support and defence to the uttermost.
jealous God <0410 07067> [a jealous God.]
punish <06485> [visiting.]
show <06213> [shewing.]
choose .... keep <0157 08104> [love me.]
Sabbath <07676> [the sabbath.]
foreigner <01616> [thy stranger.]
male slave ...................... male .... slaves <05650> [thy man-servant.]
Recall <02142> [remember.]
Lord ................. Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
strength <02389> [through.]
Honor <03513> [Honour.]
days <03117> [that thy days.]
things ............................. said ..... the words <01697> [These words.]
inscribed <03789> [he wrote.]
heard <08085> [we have heard.]
living <02425> [he liveth.]
intense <01419> [this great.]
hearing <08085> [hear. Heb. add to hear.]
human race <01320> [who is.]
It seems to have been a general opinion, that if God appeared to men, it was for the purpose of destroying them. And indeed most of the extraordinary manifestations of God were in the way of judgment; but here it was widely different. God did appear in a sovereign and extraordinary manner; but it was for the instruction, direction, deliverance, and support of his people. 1. They heard this voice speaking with them in a distinct, articulate manner. 2. They saw the fire, the symbol of his presence, the appearances of which demonstrated it to be supernatural. 3. Notwithstanding God appeared so terrible, yet no person was destroyed; for he came not to destroy but to save.
human race <01320> [all flesh.]
living <02416> [living.]
speaking ..... said ........... said ...... spoken well <0559 03190 01696> [they have well said all.]
The language of the original is emphatic: {Mee yittain wehayah levavom zeh lahem,} literally, "Who will give that there may be such a heart in them?" They refuse to receive such a heart from me, who then can supply it?
<02088> [O that there.]
obey <08104> [keep all:]
[that it might:]
careful <08104> [observe.]
turn <05493> [ye shall not.]
<03212> [walk.]
well <02895> [well.]
commandments <04687> [the commandments.]
headed <03423 05674> [go to possess it. Heb. pass over.]
revere <03372> [fear.]
children .... grandchildren <01121> [and thy son.]
days <03117> [thy days.]
careful <08104> [and observe.]
increase <07235> [that ye may.]
land <0776> [in the land.]
Israel, Jehovah, our God,is one Jehovah." On this passage the Jews lay great stress; and it is one of the four passages which they write on their phylacteries: On the word {Elohim,} Simeon Ben Joachi says: "Come and see the mystery of the word {Elohim:} there are three degrees, and each degree is by itself alone, and yet they are all one, and joined together in one, and are not divided from each other."
[the Lord,]
love <0157> [thou shalt.]
God ..... mind <0430 03824> [God with all.]
mind <03824> [shall be.]
teach <08150> [And thou shalt.]
teach <08150> [teach. Heb. whet, or sharpen. shalt talk.]
land <0776> [land.]
large <01419> [great.]
eat <0398> [when thou.]
slavery <05650> [bondage. Heb. bondmen, or servants.]
revere <03372> [fear.]
serve ..... oaths <05647 07650> [and serve him.]
Our Saviour quotes these words thus: "And him only [aut¢ mon¢,] shalt thou serve;" from which it would appear, that the word {levaddo} was anciently in the Hebrew text, as it was in the Septuagint, Coptic, Vulgate (illi soli), and Anglo-Saxon. Dr. Kennicott argues that without the word only, the text would not have conclusive for the purpose for which our Lord advanced it. It is proper, however, to observe, that the word {levaddo} is not found in any MS. yet collated, though retained in the above versions.
oaths <07650> [shalt swear.]
<03212> [not go.]
gods <0430> [of the gods.]
jealous <07067> [is a jealous.]
anger <0639> [lest.]
remove <08045> [destroy.]
put ........ test <05254> [tempt.]
put ........ test ...... Massah <05254 04532> [tempted him.]
Do <06213> [shalt do.]
well <03190> [that it may.]
children <01121> [when thy son.]
later <04279> [in time to come. Heb. to-morrow.]
Pharaoh's <06547> [We were.]
[See on]
powerful <02389> [with a mighty.]
<05414> [shewed.]
devastating ... on <07451> [sore. Heb. evil. before.]
land <05414 0776> [to give us.]
[See on]
revere <03372> [to fear.]
go well <02896> [for our good.]
preserve <02421> [he might.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
Hittites <02850> [the Hittites.]
With respect to the situation of these nations in the land of Canaan, Calmet remarks, that the Canaanites chiefly inhabited Phoenecia; the Hittites, the mountains south of the promised land; the Hivites, mount Ebal, and Gerizim, and towards Hermon; the Girgashites, beyond Jordan, towards the lake of Gennesareth, the Jebusistes, about Jerusalem; the Amorites, the mountains west of the Dead Sea, and part of the land of Moab; and that the Perizzites were probably not a distinct nation, but villagers scattered through the country.
many ................ numerous <07227> [greater.]
over <05414> [deliver.]
utterly annihilate <02763> [utterly.]
Make ... treaty <03772 01285> [make no.]
anger <0639> [so will.]
tear <05422> [destroy.]
sacred pillars ............ idols <04676 06456> [images. Heb. statues, or pillars.]
cut down <01438> [and cut.]
burn up <08313> [burn.]
holy <06918> [an holy.]
prized <05459> [to be a special.]
Lord <03068> [The Lord.]
numerous <07230> [ye were.]
his ....... faithfulness ............. Lord <03068 08104> [because.]
promise <07621> [oath.]
his ................... Lord .... out <03068 03318> [Lord brought.]
faithful <0539> [the faithful.]
keeps .......... keep <08104> [which keepeth.]
thousand <0505> [a thousand.]
pays ....................... repay <07999> [repayeth.]
ignore <0309> [slack.]
hate ............... hate <08130> [hateth.]
If <06118> [if. Heb. because.]
Lord <03068> [Lord.]
love <0157> [he will love.]
bless ......... bless <01288> [he will also.]
blessed <01288> [blessed.]
beyond ........ barrenness <06135> [male or.]
terrible ........... inflict ... on <07760 07451> [will put none.]
The Israelites, if obedient, would have been subject to no maladies but those common to fallen man, and generally very healthy and long lived; being exempted from pestilential diseases, which have often most tremendously scourged guilty nations; and from such maladies in particular, as they had witnessed in Egypt, by which God afflicted their cruel oppressors, (Ex 15:26.) This must be referred to the national covenant; for though godliness often secures the most solid temporal advantages, yet temporal blessings were not, even among them, uniformly dispensed to individuals according to their obedience; but they were to the nation, with an exactness which is not observed towards any other people.
terrible ........... inflict ... on <07760 07451> [will put none.]
destroy <0398> [consume.]
<05869> [thine eye.]
snare <04170> [for that will.]
<0559> [thou shalt.]
nations <01471> [These nations.]
fear <03372> [shalt not.]
must ... recall <02142> [remember.]
great <01419> [great.]
Lord <03068> [so shall.]
hornets <06880> [the hornet.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
great .... God <0410 01419> [a mighty God.]
expel <05394> [put out. Heb. pluck off. thou mayest.]
As the Israelites were not yet sufficiently numerous to fill the whole land occupied by these nations; and as wild and ferocious animals might be expected to multiply where the place was but thinly peopled, therefore God informs them that their extermination from before them should be gradual. Haynes says, "The approaching to Cana, at the close of the day, as we did, is at once terrifying and dangerous. The surrounding country swarms with wild beasts, such as tigers, leopards, jackals, etc., whose cries and howling, I doubt not, would strike the boldest traveller, who had not been frequently in a like situation, with the deepest sense of horror."
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
<06440> [unto thee. Heb. before thy face.]
<01949> [shall destroy.]
over <05414> [he shall.]
names <08034> [their name.]
Nobody <0376> [there shall.]
images <06456> [graven.]
covet <02530> [thou shalt.]
ensnared <03369> [snared.]
abhorrent <08441> [an abomination.]
bring ...................... detest ... abhor <0935 08262 08581> [shalt.]
<08262> [but thou shalt.]
