Deuteronomy 30

1 cum ergo venerint super te omnes sermones isti benedictio sive maledictio quam proposui in conspectu tuo et ductus paenitudine cordis tui in universis gentibus in quas disperserit te Dominus Deus tuus

2 reversus fueris ad eum et oboedieris eius imperiis sicut ego hodie praecipio tibi cum filiis tuis in toto corde tuo et in tota anima tua

3 reducet Dominus Deus tuus captivitatem tuam ac miserebitur tui et rursum congregabit te de cunctis populis in quos te ante dispersit

4 si ad cardines caeli fueris dissipatus inde te retrahet Dominus Deus tuus

5 et adsumet atque introducet in terram quam possederunt patres tui et obtinebis eam et benedicens tibi maioris numeri esse te faciet quam fuerunt patres tui

6 circumcidet Dominus Deus tuus cor tuum et cor seminis tui ut diligas Dominum Deum tuum in toto corde tuo et in tota anima tua et possis vivere

7 omnes autem maledictiones has convertet super inimicos tuos et eos qui oderunt te et persequuntur

8 tu autem reverteris et audies vocem Domini Dei tui faciesque universa mandata quae ego praecipio tibi hodie

9 et abundare te faciet Dominus Deus tuus in cunctis operibus manuum tuarum in subole uteri tui et in fructu iumentorum tuorum in ubertate terrae tuae et in rerum omnium largitate revertetur enim Dominus ut gaudeat super te in omnibus bonis sicut gavisus est in patribus tuis

10 si tamen audieris vocem Domini Dei tui et custodieris praecepta eius et caerimonias quae in hac lege conscriptae sunt et revertaris ad Dominum Deum tuum in toto corde tuo et in tota anima tua

11 mandatum hoc quod ego praecipio tibi hodie non supra te est neque procul positum

12 nec in caelo situm ut possis dicere quis nostrum ad caelum valet conscendere ut deferat illud ad nos et audiamus atque opere conpleamus

13 neque trans mare positum ut causeris et dicas quis e nobis transfretare poterit mare et illud ad nos usque deferre ut possimus audire et facere quod praeceptum est

14 sed iuxta te est sermo valde in ore tuo et in corde tuo ut facias illum

15 considera quod hodie proposuerim in conspectu tuo vitam et bonum et e contrario mortem et malum

16 ut diligas Dominum Deum tuum et ambules in viis eius et custodias mandata illius et caerimonias atque iudicia et vivas ac multiplicet te benedicatque tibi in terra ad quam ingredieris possidendam

17 sin autem aversum fuerit cor tuum et audire nolueris atque errore deceptus adoraveris deos alienos et servieris eis

18 praedico tibi hodie quod pereas et parvo tempore moreris in terra ad quam Iordane transmisso ingredieris possidendam

19 testes invoco hodie caelum et terram quod proposuerim vobis vitam et mortem bonum et malum benedictionem et maledictionem elige ergo vitam ut et tu vivas et semen tuum

20 et diligas Dominum Deum tuum atque oboedias voci eius et illi adhereas ipse est enim vita tua et longitudo dierum tuorum ut habites in terra pro qua iuravit Dominus patribus tuis Abraham Isaac et Iacob ut daret eam illis

Deuteronomy 30 Commentary

Chapter 30

Mercies promised to the repentant. (1-10) The commandment manifest. (11-14) Death and life set before them. (15-20)

Verses 1-10 In this chapter is a plain intimation of the mercy God has in store for Israel in the latter days. This passage refers to the prophetic warnings of the last two chapters, which have been mainly fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and in their dispersion to the present day; and there can be no doubt that the prophetic promise contained in these verses yet remain to come to pass. The Jewish nation shall in some future period, perhaps not very distant, be converted to the faith of Christ; and, many think, again settled in the land of Canaan. The language here used is in a great measure absolute promises; not merely a conditional engagement, but declaring an event assuredly to take place. For the Lord himself here engages to "circumcise their hearts;" and when regenerating grace has removed corrupt nature, and Divine love has supplanted the love of sin, they certainly will reflect, repent, return to God, and obey him; and he will rejoice in doing them good. The change that will be wrought upon them will not be only outward, or consisting in mere opinions; it will reach to their souls. It will produce in them an utter hatred of all sin, and a fervent love to God, as their reconciled God in Christ Jesus; they will love him with all their hearts, and with all their soul. They are very far from this state of mind at present, but so were the murderers of the Lord Jesus, on the day of Pentecost; who yet in one hour were converted unto God. So shall it be in the day of God's power; a nation shall be born in a day; the Lord will hasten it in his time. As a conditional promise this passage belongs to all persons and all people, not to Israel only; it assures us that the greatest sinners, if they repent and are converted, shall have their sins pardoned, and be restored to God's favour.

Verses 11-14 The law is not too high for thee. It is not only known afar off; it is not confined to men of learning. It is written in thy books, made plain, so that he who runs may read it. It is in thy mouth, in the tongue commonly used by thee, in which thou mayest hear it read, and talk of it among thy children. It is delivered so that it is level to the understanding of the meanest. This is especially true of the gospel of Christ, to which the apostle applies it. But the word is nigh us, and Christ in that word; so that if we believe with the heart, that the promises of the Messiah are fulfilled in our Lord Jesus, and confess them with our mouth, we then have Christ with us.

Verses 15-20 What could be said more moving, and more likely to make deep and lasting impressions? Every man wishes to obtain life and good, and to escape death and evil; he desires happiness, and dreads misery. So great is the compassion of the Lord, that he has favoured men, by his word, with such a knowledge of good and evil as will make them for ever happy, if it be not their own fault. Let us hear the sum of the whole matter. If they and theirs would love God, and serve him, they should live and be happy. If they or theirs should turn from God, desert his service, and worship other gods, that would certainly be their ruin. There never was, since the fall of man, more than one way to heaven; which is marked out in both Testaments, though not with equal clearness. Moses meant that same way of acceptance, which Paul more plainly described; and Paul's words mean the same obedience, on which Moses more fully treated. In both Testaments the good and right way is brought near, and plainly revealed to us.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 30

This chapter contains some gracious promises of the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, of their calling things to mind that have befallen them, of their repentance, and the circumcision of their hearts to love the Lord, of the return of them to their own land, and of the great increase of them, and of their enjoyment of plenty of good things, De 30:1-10; in it is an account of the Gospel, or word of faith, which at this time should be brought near to the Jews, and be received by them, De 30:11-14; and for the present Moses desires them to consider what he now set before them, and what would be the consequences of receiving or rejecting it, and so what it would be most proper for them to make choice of, De 30:15-20.