Deuteronomy 8

1 All the commaundmentes which I commaunde the this daye ye shal kepe for to do them, that ye maye lyue and multiplye and goo and possesse the londe whiche the Lorde sware vnto youre fathers.

2 And thinke on all the waye which the Lorde thy God led the this .xl. yere in the wildernesse, for to humble the ad to proue the, to wete what was in thine herte, whether thou woldest kepe his commaundmentes or no,

3 He humbled the and made the hongre and fed the with man which nether thou nor thy father knewe of. to make the know that a man must not lyue by bred only: but by al that procedeth out of the mouth of the Lorde must a man lyue.

4 Thy rayment waxed not olde vppon the, nether dyd thy fete swell thys xl. yere.

5 Vnderstonde therfore in thine herte, that as a man nurtereth his sonne, euen so the Lorde thy God nurtereth the.

6 Kepe therfore the commaundmentes of the Lorde thy God that thou walke in his wayes and that thou feare him

7 For the Lorde thy God bringeth the in to a good lande, a londe of riuers of water, of foutens and of springes that springe out both in valayes and hylles:

8 a londe of whete and of barly, of vynes, figtrees and pomgranates, a lond of olyuetrees with oyle and of honye:

9 a lande wherin thou shalt not eate bred in scarcenesse, and where thou shalt lacke nothinge, a londe whose stones are yerne, and out of whose hylles thou shalt dygge brasse.

10 When thou hast eaten therfore and filled thy selfe, then blesse the Lord for the good lond which he hath geuen the.

11 But bewarre that thou forgett not the Lorde thy God, that thou woldest not kepe his comaundmentes, lawes and ordinaunces which I commaunde the this daye:

12 yee and when thou hast eate ad filled thy selfe ad hast bylt goodly housses ad dwelt therin,

13 ad when thy beesse ad thy shepe are waxed manye ad thy syluer ad golde is multiplied

14 ad all that thou hast encreased, then bewarre lest thine herte ryse ad thou fotgett the Lorde thy God which brought the out of the londe of Egipte the housse of bondage,

15 ad which led the in the wildernesse both greate ad terreble with firye serpentes ad scorpios ad thurste where was no water which brought the water out of the rocke of flynt:

16 whiche fed the in the wildernesse with Man where of thy fathers knewe not, for to humble the and to proue the, that he might doo the good at thy later ende.

17 And beware that thou saye not in thine herte, my power and the might of myne awne hade hath done me all these actes:

18 But remembre the Lorde thy God, how that it is he which gaue the power to do mafully, for to make good the promesse which he sware vnto thy fathers, as it is come to passe this daye,

19 For yf thou shalt forget the Lorde thy god and shalt walke after straunge goddes and serue them and worsheppe them, I testyfye vnto you this daye, that ye shall surely perysh.

20 As the nacyons whiche the Lorde destroyeth before the, euen so ye shall peryshe, because ye wolde not herken vnto the voyce of the Lord youre God.

Deuteronomy 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

Exhortations and cautions, enforced by the Lord's former dealings with Israel, and his promises. (1-9) Exhortations and cautions further enforced. (10-20)

Verses 1-9 Obedience must be, 1. Careful, observe to do; 2. Universal, to do all the commandments; and 3. From a good principle, with a regard to God as the Lord, and their God, and with a holy fear of him. To engage them to this obedience. Moses directs them to look back. It is good to remember all the ways, both of God's providence and grace, by which he has led us through this wilderness, that we may cheerfully serve him and trust in him. They must remember the straits they were sometimes brought into, for mortifying their pride, and manifesting their perverseness; to prove them, that they and others might know all that was in their heart, and that all might see that God chose them, not for any thing in them which might recommend them to his favour. They must remember the miraculous supplies of food and raiment granted them. Let none of God's children distrust their Father, nor take any sinful course for the supply of their necessities. Some way or other, God will provide for them in the way of duty and honest diligence, and verily they shall be fed. It may be applied spiritually; the word of God is the food of the soul. Christ is the word of God; by him we live. They must also remember the rebukes they had been under, and not without need. This use we should make of all our afflictions; by them let us be quickened to our duty. Moses also directs them to look forward to Canaan. Look which way we will, both to look back and to look forward, to Canaan. Look which way we will, both to look back and to look forward will furnish us with arguments for obedience. Moses saw in that land a type of the better country. The gospel church is the New Testament Canaan, watered with the Spirit in his gifts and graces, planted with trees of righteousness, bearing fruits of righteousness. Heaven is the good land, in which nothing is wanting, and where is fulness of joy.

Verses 10-20 Moses directs to the duty of a prosperous condition. Let them always remember their Benefactor. In everything we must give thanks. Moses arms them against the temptations of a prosperous condition. When men possess large estates, or are engaged in profitable business, they find the temptation to pride, forgetfulness of God, and carnal-mindedness, very strong; and they are anxious and troubled about many things. In this the believing poor have the advantage; they more easily perceive their supplies coming from the Lord in answer to the prayer of faith; and, strange as it may seem, they find less difficulty in simply trusting him for daily bread. They taste a sweetness therein, which is generally unknown to the rich, while they are also freed from many of their temptations. Forget not God's former dealings with thee. Here is the great secret of Divine Providence. Infinite wisdom and goodness are the source of all the changes and trials believers experience. Israel had many bitter trials, but it was "to do them good." Pride is natural to the human heart. Would one suppose that such a people, after their slavery at the brick-kilns, should need the thorns of the wilderness to humble them? But such is man! And they were proved that they might be humbled. None of us live a single week without giving proofs of our weakness, folly, and depravity. To broken-hearted souls alone the Saviour is precious indeed. Nothing can render the most suitable outward and inward trials effectual, but the power of the Spirit of God. See here how God's giving and our getting are reconciled, and apply it to spiritual wealth. All God's gifts are in pursuance of his promises. Moses repeats the warning he had often given of the fatal consequences of forsaking God. Those who follow others in sin, will follow them to destruction. If we do as sinners do, we must expect to fare as sinners fare.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 8

In this chapter Moses repeats the exhortation to observe the commands of God, and urges the Israelites to it, from the consideration of the great and good things God had done for them in the wilderness, and even in those instances which were chastisements, and were of an humbling nature, De 8:1-6, and on the consideration of the blessings of the good land they were going to possess, De 8:7-9 for which blessings they are exhorted to be thankful, and are cautioned against pride of heart through them, and forgetfulness of God, and of his goodness to them while in the wilderness, and when brought into the land of Canaan, which they were to ascribe to his power and goodness, and not their own, De 8:10-18, and the chapter is concluded with a warning against idolatry, lest they perish through it as the nations before them, De 8:19,20.