Charles Ellicott Commentary Deuteronomy 30
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Deuteronomy 30
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Deuteronomy 30
"And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither Jehovah thy God hath driven thee," — Deuteronomy 30:1 (ASV)
When all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse. —The curse is still upon them, and therefore this chapter contemplates the possibility of a restoration still to come. Some would go much further than this. But this much is undeniable.
And thou shalt call them to mind. —An awakening among the people themselves must precede their restoration.
"that then Jehovah thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the peoples, whither Jehovah thy God hath scattered thee." — Deuteronomy 30:3 (ASV)
The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity.—The word “turn” is not active as we should expect (in Hebrew), but neuter. Upon this fact, the Rabbis have based the following observation: “In some way, the Shechinah abides with Israel during the stress of their captivity, and whenever they are redeemed, He has prescribed redemption for Himself, in that He will return with them.”
Furthermore, they observe that the day of the gathering of the captivity is great and attended with difficulty, as if He Himself must be there to take visible hold of the hand of each one and bring him from his place, as it is said, And ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel (Isaiah 27:12).
But it is observed that the same form of the verb is used in Jeremiah with respect to Moab (Jeremiah 48:47). This note at least shows that the Jewish people look for the fulfilment of this prophecy as something still to come.
"If [any of] thine outcasts be in the uttermost parts of heaven, from thence will Jehovah thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:" — Deuteronomy 30:4 (ASV)
If any of thine be driven out. —In the Septuagint, "If your dispersion is."
Unto the outmost parts of heaven. —The Septuagint version of these words is traceable in Matthew 24:31, From the one end of heaven to the other.
"and Jehovah thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers." — Deuteronomy 30:5 (ASV)
Into the land which your fathers possessed. —It is very difficult to interpret these words of any land except Palestine. Compare Jeremiah 29:13-14, for their fulfilment in the first restoration, from Babylon.
"And thou shalt return and obey the voice of Jehovah, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day." — Deuteronomy 30:8 (ASV)
And thou shalt return and ... do all his commandments. —It is as certain as anything can be in this world that the laws of Deuteronomy have never been kept perfectly. The minute observances of the Talmudical system took the heart and spirit out of the law of Moses. Christians do not profess to obey any commandments but those which are called moral. If the Law itself is to be fulfilled, a restoration of Israel would seem to be necessary.
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