John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 8:12

"lest, when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;" — Deuteronomy 8:12 (ASV)

Lest when thou hast eaten and art full. He more fully explains what we have already observed, namely, that it might happen, in the gradual course of time, that they should fail in their fear of God and honor for His Law, and therefore should take the greater care lest continual peace and joy should bring this callousness upon them. We should diligently note the cause of departure which he points out, namely, the pride by which riches and abundance ordinarily puff up men’s minds. The examples of moderation in prosperity are rare; rather, as soon as men perceive themselves to be in a flourishing state, they begin to swell with arrogance, and so admire their exaltation that they despise even God Himself. On this ground Paul charges

the rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches (1 Timothy 6:17).

Indeed, we ought, the more kindly we are dealt with by God, to submit ourselves the more meekly to His rule. However, as I have said, the depravity of our nature hurries us quite the other way, so that we grow insolent under God’s indulgence, which should bend us to submission. And if this does not happen immediately, still, whenever prosperity flows on uninterruptedly, its delights gradually corrupt even the best of us, so that they at last degenerate from themselves. If, then, we desire to steer a straight course, we ought to strive after the healing of this most deadly disease of pride.

Again, since by the wiles of Satan continued prosperity softens and ensnares us, let us learn to beware not only for a day, but to keep watch through the whole course of our lives. Moses wisely anticipates their pride by reminding the Israelites of their original condition.

For from where does it arise that those who seem to themselves and others to be happy in the world are puffed up with self-confidence and pride, except because they do not reflect on their origin, but despise everyone but themselves, just as if they had come down from the clouds? For there are few like Codrus, who, after gaining a kingdom, always ingenuously confessed that his father had been a potter.

God here presents a remedy to this vice (which is too widespread) by presenting to the Israelites their former state and commanding them to reflect that they were rescued from it by His special blessing. Nothing but the recollection of their deliverance could tame their arrogance.

For what could be more unreasonable than that they should be insolent—they who were formerly the slaves of a most haughty nation, who had not acquired their liberty by their own efforts but, contrary to their hope and deserts, had obtained it by God’s mere favor, and who then had wandered in exile through the wilderness, and at length, under God’s guidance, had entered the land promised them?

In a word, God deals with them just as if one should reproach a man (who, having become suddenly rich, conducted himself intemperately) with his former beggary and want.

Moreover, since they were too slow of heart to receive this admonition promptly and cheerfully, Moses elaborates on the Divine benefits they had experienced in the wilderness. For it was incredible that this mixed multitude of men, women, children, and slaves should have lived so many years, not only among wild beasts, but among scorpions and vipers, and all that is most venomous in the serpent tribe.

God’s goodness also shone forth still more brightly in that sudden miracle by which He supplied water to them in their thirst from what was before an arid rock.²⁶⁵ But since he reminds them in the next verse how they had manna for their bread or food, I will join these two things together.

²⁶⁵ The following sentence is omitted in the French.