Deut. 29 The manifold works and mercies of God a motive to obedience, Deut. 29:1–9. Moses solemnly engageth them to keep covenant with God, Deut. 29:10–17. Unbelief, careless contempt, and breach of covenant shall be severely punished, Deut. 29:18–28.

These are the words of the covenant; these are the term, or conditions upon which God hath made, i.e. renewed covenant with you. Beside the covenant, i.e. that entering into or striking of covenant. The covenant was but one in substance, but various in the time and manner of its dispensation.

This verse comes in by way of correction or exception to the foregoing clause in this manner, I said indeed, Ye have seen, &c., Deut. 29:2, and thine eyes have seen, &c., but I must recall my words, for in truth you have not seen them; in seeing you have not seen, and perceiving you have not…

So far that it was necessary for you to throw them away, and to get new ones. See on “Deut. 8:4”.

Not eaten bread, i.e. common bread purchased by your own money, or made by your own hands, but heavenly and angelical bread, Deut. 8:3, Ps. 78:24–25. You have subsisted without bread, the staff of life. Neither wine or strong drink, but only water out of the rock.

Before the Lord your God; in his presence, who sees your hearts and carriages; and before his tabernacle, where it is probable they were now called together, and assembled for this work. See Deut. 29:2.

Thy stranger; such strangers as had embraced their religion. From the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water; all sorts of persons, yea, even the meanest of them, such as these were, Josh. 9:27, all sorts and ranks of servants.

Into covenant, and into his oath, i.e. into covenant or agreement, confirmed by a solemn oath.

i.e. With your posterity; for so the covenant was made at first with Abraham and his seed, by which, as God engaged himself to continue the blessing of Abraham upon his posterity, so he also engaged them to the same duties and conditions which were required of Abraham.

In the land of Egypt, where you have seen their idolatries, and learned too much of them, as the golden calf showed, and therefore need to renew your covenant with God; where also we were in dreadful bondage, whence God alone hath delivered us, to whom therefore we are deeply obliged, and have all…

What sorry tools they are, what senseless and ridiculous deities; so that you have great reason to value your God, and to cleave to him in covenant, and to take heed of such abominable idolatries.

Lest there should be; or take heed or beware lest there be; for it seems to be an ellipsis, or defect of a verb, which is usual in Scripture, and which we have in a case parallel to this. Gen. 3:22. And now we must take care lest he put forth, &c. Or this particle lest may be joined with Deut.

When he, i.e. that root or that man mentioned Deut. 29:18. Of this curse, i.e. of that oath mentioned Deut. 29:12, wherein he swore that he would keep covenant with God, and that with a curse pronounced against himself if he did not perform it.

Shall smoke, i.e. shall burn and break forth with flame and smoke as it were from a furnace. Compare Ps. 18:8. Blot out his name from under heaven, i.e. destroy his person and memory from amongst men.

Unto evil, i.e. unto some peculiar and exemplary plague; he will make him a monument of his displeasure to the whole land. According to all the curses of the covenant; he intimates that the covenant of grace, which God made with them, hath not only blessings belonging to it, as this foolish person…

The words following, Deut. 29:24–25;c.

Is brimstone, and salt, and burning, i.e. is burnt up and made barren, as with brimstone and salt. See Judg. 9:45, Ps. 107:34, Jer. 17:6, Ezek. 47:11.

i.e. Whom God had not given or divided to them, as their portion, or for their worship, but hath divided them unto all nations, as it is said, Deut. 4:19, not for their worship, but for their use and service.

Having now mentioned the dreadful and amazing judgments of God upon the whole land and people of Israel, and foreseeing by the Spirit of prophecy the utter extirpation and destruction which would come upon them for their wickedness, he breaks out into this pathetical exclamation, either to bridle…