John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 29:16

"(for ye know how we dwelt in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which ye passed;" — Deuteronomy 29:16 (ASV)

For you know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt. We know how greatly people's minds are intrigued by novelty; and this might occur to the Israelites when, upon entering the land of Canaan, they would see many forms of idolatry previously unknown, which would be so many snares to entangle them.

Therefore, even though they were not yet accustomed to such corruptions, he exhorts them to beware by former instances. For they were not ignorant that God had held in abomination the superstitions of Egypt, and also of other nations, which He had punished in terrible ways.

Consequently, Moses reminds them that there was no reason why the people should be carried away to imitate the rites of the Gentiles with which they were unacquainted, since they knew by extraordinary proofs that whatever imaginations had been invented by heathen nations were hateful to God. This argument, then, is drawn from experience, by which the Israelites had been abundantly admonished, that they should in the future beware of all delusions. But, when he passes from individual men and women to families and tribes, he indicates that those who are associated with others in sin seek to excuse themselves in vain by their numbers, since a whole nation is as much to be condemned as a single person.

The conclusion of verse 18, “lest there should be among you a root,” etc., seems to be inadequately explained by some,²⁶⁷ as meaning lest there should be venomous men, who should produce bitter fruits to God. For by the word root I rather understand the hidden sources of sins, which, unless they are prevented promptly, spring up with gathered strength and grow prominent; for indulgence in sin increases by concealment and connivance.

And to this the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews seems to allude when he exhorts believers lest, through their negligence, “any root of bitterness, springing up, trouble them, and thereby many be defiled.” (Hebrews 12:15). Therefore, as soon as anyone should try to incite his brothers to worship false gods, God commands him to be uprooted, lest the poison should burst forth, and the bitter root should produce its natural fruits in the corruption of others. Wormwood²⁶⁸ (absinthium) is here used, as often elsewhere, in a bad sense, on account of its unpleasant taste, unless perhaps it is some other herb, as is more probable.

²⁶⁷ Amongst others, De Lyra, whose gloss is, “Some one corrupted by idolatry, who should further corrupt others by his wicked persuasions.” Dathe says, “It is a proverbial expression, and its meaning is: lest there should be any rebel against the primary law of worshipping one God, and he should think within himself the things which follow in the next verse.”

²⁶⁸ “The word לענה certainly denotes an extremely disagreeable and bitter plant; and that it was wormwood is a well-supported and probable interpretation. We therefore give a cut of the Artemisia absinthium. It must be confessed, however, that the Scripture seems to attribute to the לענה stronger effects than the wormwood of Europe will produce. We may therefore understand that some more hurtful species is intended: unless, as suggested by Gesenius, in the strong passages which seem to call for such an explanation, the name of the plant is employed figuratively to express poison.” — Illust. Comment. on Proverbs 5:4