Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Deuteronomy
Book: Deuteronomy
Chapter: 31
Overview:
Moses encourages the people, and
Joshua.
(1-8) The
Law to be
read every seventh
Year.
(9-13) The Israelites' apostasy
foretold, A song given to be
Witness against them.
(14-22) The
Law delivered to the Levites.
(22-30)
1-8 Moses assures
Israel of the constant presence of
God with
them. This is applied
By the
Apostle to all
God's spiritual
Israel, to encourage their
Faith and
Hope; unto us is this
Gospel preached, as
Well as unto them; he will never fail thee,
nor forsake thee, Heb 13:5.
Moses commends
Joshua to them for
a leader; one whose
Wisdom, and courage, and
Affection they had
long known; one whom
God had appointed to be their leader; and
therefore would own and
Bless.
Joshua is
Well pleased to be
admonished
By Moses to be strong and of good courage. Those
shall speed
Well, who have
God with them; therefore they ought
to be of good courage. Through
God let us do valiantly, for
through him we shall do victoriously; if we resist the
Devil, he
will flee from us.
9-13 Though we read the
Word in private, we must not think it
needless to hear it read in public. This solemn reading of the
Law must be done in the
Year of release. The
Year of release was
typical of
Gospel Grace, which is called the acceptable
Year of
the
Lord; for our
Pardon and liberty
By Christ, engage us to
keep his
Commandments. It must be read to all
Israel, men,
women, children, and to the strangers. It is the will of
God
that all people should acquaint themselves with his
Word. It is
a rule to all, therefore should be read to all. Whoever has read
of the pains taken
By many persons to get scraps of the
Scriptures, when a whole copy could not be obtained, or safely
possessed, will see how thankful we should be for the
Thousands
of copies amongst us. They will also understand the very
different situation in which the Israelites were placed for many
ages. But the
Heart of
Man is
So careless, that all will be
found too little, to keep up a knowledge of the truths,
precepts, and
Worship of
God.
14-22 Moses and
Joshua attended the Divine Majesty at the door
of the
Tabernacle.
Moses is told again that he must shortly die;
even those who are most ready and willing to die, need to be
often reminded of its coming. The
Lord tells
Moses, that, after
his
Death, the
Covenant he had taken
So much pains to make
between
Israel and their
God, would certainly be broken.
Israel
would forsake Him; then
God would forsake
Israel. Justly does he
cast those off who
So unjustly cast him off.
Moses is directed
to deliver them a song, which should remain a standing
Testimony
for
God, as
Faithful to them in giving them warning, and against
them, as persons false to themselves in not taking the warning.
The
Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
men's hearts, and meets them
By reproofs and correction.
Ministers who preach the
Word, know not the imaginations of men;
but
God, whose
Word it is, knows perfectly.
23-30 The solemn delivery of the
Book of the
Law to the
Levites, to be deposited in, or rather
By the side, of the
Ark,
is again related. The song which follows in the next
Chapter is
delivered to
Moses, and
By him to the people. He wrote it first,
as the Holy
Spirit taught him; and then spake it in the hearing
of all the people.
Moses tells them plainly, I know that after
my
Death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves. Many a sad thought,
No doubt, it occasioned to this good
Man; but his comfort was,
that he had done his duty, and that
God would be glorified in
their
Dispersion, if not in their settlement, for the foundation
of
God stands sure.