Tradition attributes the hymn given in this chapter to Moses, as it does the whole Book of Deuteronomy. Biblical scholars have more than once expressed doubts that it belongs to Moses, but in any case there can hardly be doubt...
Tradition attributes the hymn given in this chapter to Moses, as it does the whole Book of Deuteronomy. Biblical scholars have more than once expressed doubts that it belongs to Moses, but in any case there can hardly be doubt that the tradition reflected in it goes back to Moses. The hymn became a continuation of the vivid description of the handing on of spiritual authority to the successor, which is described in the previous chapter. There, instructing his disciple and successor Joshua, Moses speaks about the inevitability of apostasy.
Here, in the hymn attributed to him, Moses sets forth the logic of the spiritual processes that he undoubtedly had to observe personally, and not only he: Joshua in his turn had to become convinced that his spiritual mentor was right. The hymn given in the book reflects the experience of both Moses and Joshua, and in this case it is no longer so important exactly when it was written. The logic of the spiritual processes reflected in the text of the hymn is quite transparent. On the way to the land promised by God, God repeatedly showed His people both His presence and His miracles. God's intervention in what was happening was too obvious for anyone to doubt it.
Obviousness, however, does not by itself guarantee trust, and the history of the people, the history of the path to the promised land, became a remarkable confirmation of this. The people believed while they saw, and when the miraculous events were behind them, they essentially became unbelieving again. This is not surprising: to change, it is not enough simply to live through one or another event, even a spiritual one. One must also become aware of it. Without awareness, any miracles remain real for a person only as long as they are happening, or as long as the emotions connected with them have not faded. The absence of awareness made easy apostasy possible: the life with which the people came into contact on the land promised to them by God, once they stepped onto it, became for them the only reality, along with all the paganism rooted in it. The people became pagan, partly without noticing it themselves, as happens with anyone who lives unreflectively and without awareness.
32 The song of Moses contains the preface, Deu 32:1-2.
A high character of God, Deu 32:3-6.
A recital of the great things God had done for them, and as their carriage toward him, Deu 32:7-18.
A prediction of judgments for their aggravated impieties, Deu 32:19-35.
A promise of vengeance upon their enemies, and deliverance for a remnant, Deu 32:36-43.
An exhortation annext, Deu 32:44-47.
Orders given to Moses, to go up to the mount and die, Deu 32:48-52.
32:1 O heavens, O earth - You lifeless and senseless creatures, which he calls upon partly to accuse the stupidity of Israel, that were more dull of hearing than these: and partly as witnesses of the truth of his sayings and the justice of God's proceedings against them.
32:2 As the rain - Look what effect rain and dew have upon herbs and grass which they make fresh and fragrant and growing, the same effect may my discourse have upon your hearts, that is, to make them soft and pliable and fruitful.
32:3 The name of the Lord - His glorious excellencies and righteous actions, by which he hath made himself known as a man is known by his name, and by which it will appear both that there is no blame to be laid upon him whatsoever befals you, and that it is gross madness to forsake such a God for dumb idols. Ascribe ye - As I am about to publish the majesty and glory of God, so do you also acknowledge it.
32:4 A rock - As for the stability of his nature, and invincibleness of his power, so also for his fixedness and immutability in his counsels and promises and ways; so that is there shall be a sad change in your affairs, remember that this proceeds from yourselves and from the change of your ways towards God, and not from God, in whom there is no variableness or shadow of change, Deu 1:17.His work - All his works and actions are unblameable, perfect, wise and righteous. His ways - All his administrations in the world and particularly with you are managed with wisdom and justice.A God of truth - Constant to his promises: you cannot accuse him of any unfaithfulness to this day.
32:5 They - The Israelites. Their spot - The wickedness with which they are stained, is not of his children - Plainly shews they are not his children, but the devil's. God's children have no such spot.Indeed this text does not affirm, they have any spot at all.Perverse - Froward and untractable: Crooked - Irregular and disorderly.
32:6 O foolish people and unwise! - Fools and double fools!Fools indeed, to disoblige one, on whom you so entirely depend!Who hath bewitched you! To forsake your own mercies for lying vanities!Bought thee - That hath redeemed thee from Egyptian bondage.Made thee - Not only in a general by creation, but in a peculiar manner by making thee his peculiar people. Established - That is, renewed and confirmed his favour to thee, and not taken it away, which thou hast often provoked him to do.
32:7 The days of old - The events of ancient days or former ages, and thou wilt find that I had a respect unto thee not only in Abraham's time, but long before it.
32:8 Their inheritance - When God by his providence allotted the several parts of the world to several people, which was done Gen 10:1-32, Gen 11:1-9. When he separated - Divided them in their languages and habitations according to their families. He set the bounds - That is, he disposed of the several lands and limits of the people so as to reserve a sufficient place for the great numbers of the people of Israel. And therefore he so guided the hearts of several people, that the posterity of Canaan, which was accursed of God, and devoted to ruin, should be seated in that country which God intended for the children of Israel, that so when their iniquities were ripe, they might be rooted out, and the Israelites come in their stead.
32:9 His people - It is no wonder God had so great a regard to this people, for he chose them out of all mankind to be his peculiar portion.
32:10 He found him - Not by chance, but as it were looking out and seeking for him. He did indeed manifest himself to him in Egypt, but it was in the wilderness at Sinai, God found him in an eminent manner, and revealed his will to him, and entered into covenant with him, and imparted himself and his grace and blessing to him. By this word he also signifies both their lost condition in themselves, and that their recovery was not from themselves, but only from God who sought and found them out by his grace. In the waste howling wilderness - In a place destitute of all the necessaries and comforts of life, which also was a type of that desolate and comfortless condition in which all men are before the grace of God finds them out; where instead of the voices of men, is nothing heard but the howlings and yellings of ravenous birds and beasts. He led them - He conducted them frons place to place by his cloudy pillar and providence.Or, he compassed him about, by his provident care, watching over him and preserving him on every side. As the apple of his eye - As men use to keep the apple of their eye, that is, with singular care and diligence, this being as a most tender, so a most useful part.
32:11 Her nest - Her young ones in the nest; which she by her cry and motion provoketh to fly. Her wings - As preparing herself to fly.On her wings - Or, as on her wings, that is, gently, and tenderly and safely too, as if she carried them not in her claws for fear of hurting them, but upon her wings. Some say, the eagle doth usually carry her young ones upon her wings.
32:12 Did lead them - When they were shut up in Egypt as in their nest whence they durst not venture to fly nor stir, he taught and encouraged and enabled them to fly out from that bondage, he dealt tenderly with them, bearing with their infirmities, keeping them from all harms. With him - To assist him at that work or to deliver them. The more unworthy they in giving to idols a share in that worship which they owe to God only.
32:13 The high places - To conquer their strongest holds, which often are in the mountains, and their cities fenced with walls of greatest height and strength. To ride upon, in scripture phrase, is to subdue or conquer. Out of the rock - This being a land flowing with honey, where the bees made honey in the holes of rocks, or in the trees that grew upon or among the rocks. Out of the flinty rocks - The olive - trees grow and bear most fruit in rocky or hilly places.
32:14 Fat of lambs - For though the fat wherewith the inward parts were covered was not to be eaten by them, but offered to God, yet that fat which was mixed with the flesh they might eat, as the Jewish doctors note.Basham - A place famous for excellent cattle. Fat of kidneys of wheat - With the finest of the grains of wheat; compared to kidneys for their shape and largeness.
32:15 Jeshurun - Israel whom he calls right or upright, (as the word signifies) partly by way of instruction to mind them what theyprofessed and ought to be; and partly by way of exprobration, to shew them what a shame it was to degenerate so much from their name and profession.Kicked - As well fed cattle use to do: he grew insolent and rebellious against God and against his word and spirit.
32:16 To jealousy - To anger and fury, for jealousy is the rage of a man. And withall it implies the ground of his anger, their falseness to God whom they had accepted as their husband, and their spiritual whoredom with other gods.
32:17 Unto devils - Unto idols, which the devils brought into the world in opposition to God, in and by which the devils often manifested themselves to men, and gave them answers, and received their worship. The Gentiles pretended to worship God in those idols, and the devils which inspired them, deluded the nations with pretences that they were a sort of lower gods.Moses takes off this mark, and shews the Israelites that these pretended gods were really devils, and therefore that it was the height of madness to honour or worship them. Not to God - For God utterly rejected those sacrifices which they offered to him together with idols.They knew not - Or, who never knew them, that is, never shewed any kindness to them, or did them any good: New gods - Not simply or absolutely, for some of these had been worshipped for many generations, but comparatively to the true God, who is the ancient of days, Deu 7:9, and who was worshipped from the beginning of the world.Feared not - Served not, worshipped not.
32:18 Of the rock - Of God, one of whose titles this is, or of Christ, who is called the rock, Co1 10:4, whom the Israelites tempted.
32:19 His sons and daughters - Such they were by calling and profession.
32:20 I will see - I will make them and others see, what the fruit of such actions shall be. No faith - No fidelity: perfidious, that have broken their covenant so solemnly made with me.
32:21 I will move them to jealousy with those that are not a people - With the Heathen nations, who are none of my people, who scarce deserve the name of a people, as being without the knowledge and fear of God, which is the foundation of all true policy and government, and many of them destitute of all government, laws and order. And yet these people I will take in your stead, receive them and reject you; which, when it came to pass how desperately did it provoke the Jews to jealousy? A foolish nation - So the Gentiles were both in the opinion of the Jews and in truth and reality, notwithstanding all their pretences to wisdom, there being nothing more foolish or brutish than the worship of idols.
32:22 A fire is kindled - Great and grievous judgments shall be inflicted, which often come under the name of fire. Are they proud of their plenty? It shall burn up the increase of the earth. Are they confident of their strength? It shall destroy the very foundations of the mountains. It shall burn unto the lowest hell: it shall bring them to the very depth of misery in this world, which yet will he but a faint resemblance of their endless misery in the next.
32:23 Spend mine arrows - Even empty my quiver, and send upon them all my plagues, which, like arrows shot by a skilful and strong hand, shall speedily reach and certainly hit and mortally wound them.
32:24 With hunger - With famine, which burns and parches the inward parts, and make the face black as a coal, Lam 4:8.Burning heat - From fevers or carbuncles, or other inflaming distempers.