Bible Commentaries

to pass

3:18, 11:31, 27:2, Joshua 1:11, 3:6,14,16, 4:5,19

this day

The Hebrew hyyom, "this day," frequently denotes, as here, this time. They had come, 38 years before this, nearly to the verge of the promised land, but were not permitted, because of their unbelief and rebellion, at that day or time, to enter; but this time they shall certainly pass over. This was spoken in the eleventh month of the fortieth year of their journeying; and it was on the first month of the following year they passed over: and during this interval Moses died.

nations

4:38, 7:1, 11:23

cities

1:28, Numbers 13:22,28-33

great

2:11,12,21

Who can stand

7:24, Exodus 9:11, Job 11:10, Daniel 8:4, 11:16, Nahum 1:6

Understand

6, Matthew 15:10, Mark 7:14, Ephesians 5:17

goeth over

1:30, 20:4, 31:3-6, Joshua 3:11,14, Micah 2:13, Revelation 19:11-16

a consuming fire

4:24, Isaiah 27:4, 30:27,30,33, 33:14, Nahum 1:5,6, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, Hebrews 12:29

he shall

7:1,2,16,23,24, Exodus 23:29-31, Isaiah 41:10-16, Romans 8:31

Speak not

5, 7:7,8, 8:17, Ezekiel 36:22,32, Romans 11:6,20, 1 Corinthians 4:4,7, Ephesians 2:4,5, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:3-5

for the wickedness

12:31, 18:12, Genesis 15:16, Leviticus 18:24,25

Not for

Though the Canaanites were expelled for their wickedness, it does not follow, that the Israelites were established in their room on account of any distinguished virtue, or because they deserved it. On many occasions, it may be seen in the history of the world, that God punishes the wicked by the instrumentality of other men, who are as wicked as themselves. Not the Israelites' righteousness, but the wickedness of the inhabitants, and the promise of God to their fathers, was the cause of their obtaining Canaan.

Titus 3:5

that he may

Genesis 12:7, 13:15, 15:7, 17:8, 26:4, 28:13, Exodus 32:13, Ezekiel 20:14, Micah 7:20, Luke 1:54,55, Acts 3:25, 13:32,33, Romans 11:28, 15:8

Understand

3,4, Ezekiel 20:44

giveth thee

Moses repeats this a third time, that, if it were possible, he might root out of the Israelites the opinion of their own deserts, before God rooted out the Canaanites from their country.

a stiff-necked

13, 10:16, 31:27, Exodus 32:9, 33:3, 34:9, 2 Chronicles 30:8, 36:13, Psalms 78:8, Isaiah 48:3,4, Ezekiel 2:4, Zechariah 7:11,12, Acts 7:51, Romans 5:20,21

Remember

In order to destroy the opinion which the Israelites had of their own righteousness, it was necessary to call to mind some of their most notorious provocations and rebellions, which Moses exhorts them to preserve in their mind, as a means to keep them humble.

8:2, Ezekiel 16:61-63, 20:43, 36:31, 1 Corinthians 15:9, Ephesians 2:11, 1 Timothy 1:13-15

from the day

31:27, 32:5,6, Exodus 14:11, 16:2, 17:2, Numbers 11:4, 14:1-10, 16:1-35, Numbers 20:2-5, 21:5, 25:2, Nehemiah 9:16-18, Psalms 78:8-72, 95:8-11

Also in Horeb

Or rather, "Even at Horeb," for there is a peculiar emphasis here, even there where they had lately received the law, attended with the most astonishing appearances and circumstances.

Exodus 32:16, Psalms 106:19-22

I was

Exodus 24:12,15,18

the tables

15, Exodus 31:18, 34:28, Jeremiah 31:31,32, Galatians 4:24

then I

Exodus 24:18, 34:28, 1 Kings 19:8, Matthew 4:2

I neither

18, 1 Kings 13:8,9, 2 Kings 6:22

the Lord

Exodus 31:18

written with

10:4, Matthew 12:28, Luke 11:20, 2 Corinthians 3:3, Hebrews 8:10

all the words

4:10-15, 5:6-21, 18:16, Exodus 19:17-19, 20:1-18

the tables of the covenant

9, Numbers 10:33, Hebrews 8:6-10, 9:4

Arise

Exodus 32:7,8

corrupted

4:16, 31:29, 32:5, Genesis 6:11,12, Jude 1:10

are quickly

16, Judges 2:17, Psalms 78:57, Hosea 6:4, Galatians 1:6

I have

Genesis 11:5, 18:21, Exodus 32:9,10, Psalms 50:7, Jeremiah 7:11, 13:27, Hosea 6:10, Malachi 3:5

stiffnecked

6, 10:16, 31:27, 2 Kings 17:14

Let me

Exodus 32:10-13, Isaiah 62:6,7, Jeremiah 14:11, 15:1, Luke 11:7-10, 18:1-8, Acts 7:51

blot

29:20, Exodus 32:32,33, Psalms 9:5, 109:13, Proverbs 10:7, Revelation 3:5

and I will

Numbers 14:11,12

I turned

Exodus 32:14,15-35

the mount

4:11, 5:23, Exodus 9:23, 19:18, Hebrews 12:18

I looked

Exodus 32:19, Acts 7:40,41

cast them

Moses might have done this through distress and anguish of spirit, on beholding their abominable idolatry and dissolute conduct; or probably he did it emblematically, and perhaps by the direction of God; intimating thereby, that as by this act of his the tables were broken in pieces, on which the Law of God was written, so they, by their present conduct, had made a breach in the covenant, and broken the laws of their Maker and Sovereign.

I fell down

The transgressions of the people rendered this second forty days' fasting necessary to Moses. Their pardon was indeed in some sense obtained before he ascended the mount; yet probably much of the time which he spent there was employed in supplication: and when he descended the second time, with the tables of the law in his hands, the pardon was, as it were, ratified and sealed.

9, Exodus 32:10-14, 34:28, 2 Samuel 12:16, Psalms 106:23

For I

8, Exodus 32:10,11, Nehemiah 1:2-7, Luke 12:4,5

But the

10:10, Exodus 32:14, 33:17, Psalms 99:6, 106:23, Amos 7:2,3,5,6, James 5:16,17

Exodus 32:2-5,21,35, Hebrews 7:26-28

I took

Exodus 32:20, Isaiah 2:18-21, 30:22, 31:7, Hosea 8:11

the brook

This was the stream which flowed from the rock that Moses smote with his rod, (Ex 17:6,) and to which the Psalmist alludes in Ps 78:16-20; 105:41. Philo relates, that upon Moses' striking the rock, the water poured out like a torrent, affording not only a sufficient quantity for allaying their present thirst, but to fill their water vessels, to carry with them on their journey.

Taberah

Numbers 11:1-5

Massah

Exodus 17:7

Kibroth-hattaavah

Numbers 11:4,34

Likewise

1:19-33, Numbers 13:1-33

ye rebelled

Numbers 14:1-4,10-41, Isaiah 63:10

ye believed

1:32,33, Psalms 78:22, 106:24,25, Hebrews 3:18,19, 4:2

6,7, 31:27, Acts 7:51

16,18

prayed

Exodus 32:11-13, 34:9, Numbers 14:13-19, Psalms 99:6, 106:23, Jeremiah 14:21

thine inheritance

1 Kings 8:51

which thou hast redeemed

29, 32:9, Psalms 74:1,2, Isaiah 63:19

which thou hast brought forth

7:8, 13:5, 15:15, 21:8, 26:7,8, Exodus 15:13, 2 Samuel 7:23, Nehemiah 1:10, Psalms 77:15, 107:2, Isaiah 44:23, Micah 6:4, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:12, Revelation 5:9

Remember

Exodus 3:6,16, 6:3-8, 13:5, 32:13, Jeremiah 14:21

look not

Exodus 32:31,32, 1 Samuel 25:25, Psalms 78:8, Proverbs 21:12, Isaiah 43:24,25, Jeremiah 50:20, Micah 7:18,19

the land: Genesis 41:57; Exodus 6:6-8; 1 Samuel 14:25

Because: Deuteronomy 32:26, Deuteronomy 32:27; Exodus 32:12; Numbers 14:15, Numbers 14:16; Joshua 7:7-9; Psalm 115:1, Psalm 115:2; Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 48:9-11; Jeremiah 14:7-9; Ezekiel 20:8, Ezekiel 20:9, Ezekiel 20:14; Daniel 9:18, Daniel 9:19

Yet they

26, 4:20, 1 Kings 8:15, Nehemiah 1:10, Psalms 95:7, 100:3, Isaiah 63:19

which thou

26, 4:34