But now this way of thinking is by no means the way of the world. Chapter 12 . Biblical Commentary Deuteronomy 34:1-12 COMMENTARY: THE CONTEXT: The broad context for this story is the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, which together tell the story of Moses and the leadership role assigned to him by Yahweh. The temples erected for the worship of them by the Canaanites, of which there were many, as appears by the various names of places given them from the temples in them, as Bethshemesh, Bethbaalmeon, Bethpeor, and others: upon the high mountains and upon the hills: which they chose to worship on, being nearer the heavens, and which they thought most acceptable to their gods; and some of them had their names from hence, as Baalpeor, in like manner as Jupiter Olympius was called by the Greeks; see Jeremiah 2:20. and under every green tree; which being shady and solitary, and pleasant to the sight, they fancied their gods delighted in, and this notion prevailed among other nations; and there is scarcely any deity but what had some tree or another devoted to it; as the oak to Jupiter, the laurel to Apollo, the ivy to Bacchus, the olive to Minerva, the myrtle to Venus, &c. see Jeremiah 2:20. Deuteronomy 12. It prepares and trains us for everlasting happiness in heaven. Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day. We must deal with things as they are, not as they ought to be. The priests and the Levites, what was their portion, so Aben Ezra; but the people also are included, and by what follows seem chiefly designed, who were to eat their part of the sacrifices, particularly of the tithes and peace offerings, in the holy place that should be chosen and appointed; see Deuteronomy 14:22. and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto; in all the labours of their hands, and what they got thereby, which they were cheerfully to enjoy, and express their thankfulness for it in this way; see Ecclesiastes 5:18. ye and your households; their wives, sons, daughters, men and maid servants; yea, with them Levites, strangers, fatherless, and widows, were to partake of some of their freewill offerings, Deuteronomy 16:10. wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee; and these offerings were eucharistical, and by way of thanksgiving for the blessing of God upon their labours, for it is that which maketh rich, Proverbs 10:22. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. Moses comes to the statutes he had to give in charge to Israel; and begins with such as relate to the worship of God... View the entire commentary. Meilah, c. 4. sect. Not sacrifice to him on hills and mountains, and under green trees; though the Jews commonly refer this to the destruction of the names of God, and of any thing appertaining to the temple; that though the temples and the altars of the Heathens were to be overthrown, yet not a stone was to be taken from the house of God, or that belonged to it, nor any of his names to be blotted out; so the Targum of Jonathan and MaimonidesF26Yesode Hattorah, c. 6. sect. Numbers 15:32 no less than the mutinous attempt to wrest the priesthood from Aaron's family. It happened in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the He is as fond of having his own way, of doing what is right in his own eyes, as any of you. These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. You must not relinquish this to … Here — Where the inconveniency of the place, and the uncertainty of our abode, would not permit exact order in sacrifices and feasts and ceremonies, which therefore God was then pleased to dispense with; but, saith he, he will not do so there. And this very circumstance He mentions as a blessing; as the very reason why, coming to Him, the weary and heavy laden might find rest (Matthew 11:28). We are all, he says, to blame. We should have continued all our lives, as many do to this day, doing “every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes”; because we should have had no motive or inducement to do otherwise. Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest; but in the place which Jehovah shall choose in one of thy tribes, there shalt thou offer thy burnt-offerings, and there shalt thou do all that I command thee.". 25., Numbers v. 2., and Leviticus xv. 8. MaimomidesF2Moreh Nevochim, par. Deuteronomy 12 Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Biblical Commentary Deuteronomy 5:12-15 COMMENTARY: THE CONTEXT: The book of Deuteronomy begins by saying, "These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness…. Deuteronomy 12 Commentary, this verse-by-verse commentary contain gems of information found nowhere outside the ancient Jewish writings Which may be said to be eaten before him, being eaten in the place where his sanctuary stood, in which he dwelt: thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates; who were all to come with him to this place; See Gill on Deuteronomy 12:12. and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thine hand unto; cheerfully make and keep this feast in the manner directed to, rejoicing with his family and his friends, with the Levites and with the poor, expressing his thankfulness to God for his blessing on his labour. The “rest and safety” of Canaan is significantly laid down Deuteronomy 12:10-11 as the indispensable condition and basis for an entire fulfillment of the Law: the perfection of righteousness coinciding thus with the cessation of wanderings, dangers, and toils. Some have thought that because Deuteronomy 12:6 mentions your tithes, that this is an additional tithe which was commanded of Israel, on top of the tithe commanded in Numbers 18. The narrow context takes us back to … l. 4. c. 3. , this custom of sacrificing a fine boy to Saturn was received by the Carthaginians from their founders (the Tyrians and Phoenicians), and which they continued even to the destruction of their city. (1-4) The place of God's service to be kept. e. People in general like nothing so much as having their own choice in all things. Outline of Deuteronomy 12 Monuments of idolatry to be destroyed. But it was further said, that this temper of not choosing for ourselves leads directly to our everlasting inheritance in the other world, as well as making sure of our rest and refreshment in this. Some confine this to the sacrifices, which each person might offer, where he thought proper, till the ark was fixed at Silo. he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about: which was done when the land was subdued, and divided among the tribes of Israel, Joshua 22:4 and which confirms the sense of Canaan being the rest; though this was more completely fulfilled in the days of David, when he and Israel had rest from all their enemies round about, 2 Samuel 7:1 and who brought the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem; and into whose heart the Lord put it to prepare to build a temple at Jerusalem for him, and which was erected and finished in the days of his son Solomon: so that ye dwell in safety; from their enemies, as they more especially did in the reigns of David and Solomon; which seems plainly to describe the time when the place not named should appear to be chosen by the Lord to put his name in, as follows. 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