Deut. 4 An exhortation to obey the law, Deut. 4:1–13; and warning against idolatry, Deut. 4:14–24; from the mischief of it upon themselves and children, Deut. 4:25–28; God’s promise upon their repentance, Deut. 4:29–31; and from God’s wonders towards them, Deut. 4:32–40.

The statutes; the laws which concern the worship and service of God. The judgments; the laws concerning your duties to men. So these two comprehend both tables, and the whole law of God.

Ye shall not add, by devising other doctrines or ways of worship than what I have taught or prescribed; see Num. 15:39–40, Deut. 12:8, Deut. 12:32, 1 Kings 12:33, Prov. 30:6, Matt.

For though the generality of heathen people in the latter and degenerate ages of the world, did, through inveterate prejudices, and for their own lusts and interest, condemn the laws of the Hebrews as foolish and absurd, yet it is most certain that divers of the wisest heathens did highly approve…

God nigh unto them, by glorious miracles, by the pledges of his special presence, by the operations of his grace, and particularly, as it here follows, by his readiness to hear our prayers, and to give us those succours which we call upon him for.

Whereby he implies that the true greatness of a nation doth not consist in pomp or power, or largeness of empire, as commonly men think, but in the righteousness of its laws.

Some of them stood in Horeb in their own persons, though then they were but young; the rest stood then in the loins of their parents, in whom they may well be said to stand there, because they are said to have entered into covenant with God, because their parents did so in their name and for their…

Flaming up into the air, which is oft called heaven; and the midst or the heart of it is not only that which is strictly and properly the middle part, but that which is within it, though but a little way, in which sense places or persons or things are said to be in the heart of the sea, Ex.

i.e. No resemblance or representation of God, whereby either his essence or properties or actions were represented, such as were usual among the heathens.

Statutes and judgments, i.e. the ceremonial and judicial laws, which are here distinguished from the moral, or the ten commandments, Deut. 4:13.

By which caution he insinuates man’s great proneness to the worship of images. God, who in other places and times did appear in a similitude, in the fashion of a man, now in this most solemn appearance, when he comes to give eternal laws for the regulation and direction of the Israelites in the…

i.e. Lest ye corrupt your minds with mean and carnal thoughts of God. Or, corrupt your ways or courses, by worshipping God in a corrupt manner, or by falling into idolatry. A graven image, to wit, for worship, or for the representation of God, as it is explained Deut.

Whereby the heathen nations did represent and worship God, some by an ox, some by a goat, or a hen, or a serpent, or a fish, &c.

Driven to worship them, i.e. strongly inclined, and in a manner constrained, partly by the glory of these heavenly bodies, which may seem to be made for higher purposes than to enlighten this lump of earth; partly from that natural propension which is in men to idolatry.

i.e. The furnace wherein iron and other metals are melted, to which Egypt is fitly compared, not only for the torment and misery which they there endured, but also because they were thoroughly tried and purged thereby, as metals are by the fire.

God hath granted you the favour which he denied to me, which greatly increaseth your obligation to God.

Or, commanded thee, to wit, not to do, which is easily understood by comparing this place with Ex. 20:4–5, and with Gen. 3:11, where this phrase is fully expressed. See more on Lev. 4:2, Deut. 2:37.

A consuming fire; a just and terrible God, who, notwithstanding his special relation to thee, will severely punish and destroy thee if thou provokest him by idolatry, or other ways.

In the sight of the Lord: these words are here added, either, 1. As a caution. Your idolatry, though possibly secretly and cunningly managed, will not be hid from him; he sees it, and he will punish it. Or, 2.

Heaven and earth; either, 1. Figuratively, i.e. God, and angels, and men. Or rather, 2. Properly; it being usual in Scripture to call in the senseless creatures as witnesses in such cases, as Deut. 32:1, Isa. 1:2, Jer. 2:12.

i.e. Idols. You shall be compelled by men, and given up by me to idolatry. So that very thing which was your choice shall be your punishment; it being just and usual for God to punish one sin by giving them up to another, as is manifest from Rom. 1:24–25.

If thou seek him; if thou desirest his help and favour. See Deut. 30:2, Isa. 45:6. With all thy heart, i.e. sincerely and fervently.

In the latter days; either in general, in succeeding ages and generations; or particularly, in the days of the Messias, which are commonly called in Scripture the latter, or last days, as Isa. 2:2, Hos. 3:5, Mic. 4:1, Dan. 2:44, Heb. 1:2, Heb. 1:9:26.

i.e. Made with thy fathers, including their posterity, as Gen. 17:7.

From the one side of heaven, i.e. of the earth under heaven. Ask all the inhabitants of the world. Compare Matt. 24:31, with Mark 13:27.

i.e. And was not overwhelmed and consumed by such a glorious appearance. See Ex. 24:11, Ex. 33:20

By temptations; by tribulations and persecutions, which are commonly called temptations, which are here fitly mentioned as one great occasion first of their cries unto God, and then of God’s coming for their rescue.

Out of heaven, i.e. out of the air, above Mount Sinai. See Ex. 19:9, Ex. 20:18, Ex. 20:22. Upon earth; at the top of Mount Sinai.

In his sight; keeping his eye fixed upon him, as the father doth on his beloved child. Or, with his presence, i.e. he did not send them forth by Moses, but he himself was present with them, and as it were marched along with them, in the pillar of cloud and fire.

As God had commanded him Num. 35:6, Num. 35:14

Which hath been generally intimated already, but is more particularly and punctually expressed in the following chapter, to which these words are a preface.