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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Kindness and Humanity. (b. c. 1451.)
KINDNESS AND HUMANITY. (B. C. 1451.) The kindness that was commanded to be shown in reference to an enemy (Exodus 23:4-5, &c.) is here required to be much more done for a neighbour, though he were not an Israelite, for…
Various Prohibitions. (b. c. 1451.)
VARIOUS PROHIBITIONS. (B. C. 1451.) Here are several laws in these verses which seem to stoop very low, and to take cognizance of things mean and minute. Men's laws commonly do not so: De minimis non curat lex—The law t…
The Punishment of Fornication. (b. c. 1451.)
THE PUNISHMENT OF FORNICATION. (B. C. 1451.) These laws relate to the seventh commandment, laying a restraint by laying a penalty upon those fleshly lusts which war against the soul. I. If a man, lusting after another w…
Laws of Separation. (b. c. 1451.)
LAWS OF SEPARATION. (B. C. 1451.) Interpreters are not agreed what is here meant by entering into the congregation of the Lord, which is here forbidden to eunuchs and to bastards, Ammonites and Moabites, for ever, but t…
Moral and Ceremonial Purity Enjoined. (b. c. 1451.)
MORAL AND CEREMONIAL PURITY ENJOINED. (B. C. 1451.) Israel was now encamped, and this vast army was just entering upon action, which was likely to keep them together for a long time, and therefore it was fit to give the…
Protection of Fugitives; The Law Concerning Usury. (b. c. 1451.)
PROTECTION OF FUGITIVES; THE LAW CONCERNING USURY. (B. C. 1451.) Orders are here given about five several things which have no relation one to another:— I. The land of Israel is here made a sanctuary, or city of refuge,…
The Law Concerning Divorce. (b. c. 1451.)
THE LAW CONCERNING DIVORCE. (B. C. 1451.) This is that permission which the Pharisees erroneously referred to as a precept, Matthew 19:7, Moses commanded to give a writing of divorcement. It was not so; our Saviour told…
The Law of Divorce. (b. c. 1451.)
THE LAW OF DIVORCE. (B. C. 1451.) Here is, I. Provision made for the preservation and confirmation of love between new-married people, Deuteronomy 24:5. This fitly follows upon the laws concerning divorce, which would b…
Justice and Generosity. (b. c. 1451.)
JUSTICE AND GENEROSITY. (B. C. 1451.) Here, I. Masters are commanded to be just to their poor servants, Deuteronomy 24:14-15. 1. They must not oppress them, by overloading them with work, by giving them undue and unreas…
Stripes Not to Exceed Forty. (b. c. 1451.)
STRIPES NOT TO EXCEED FORTY. (B. C. 1451.) Here is, I. A direction to the judges in scourging malefactors, Deuteronomy 25:1-3. 1. It is here supposed that, if a man be charged with a crime, the accuser and the accused (…
Marriage of a Brother's Wife. (b. c. 1451.)
MARRIAGE OF A BROTHER'S WIFE. (B. C. 1451.) Here is, I. The law settled concerning the marrying of the brother's widow. It appears from the story of Judah's family that this had been an ancient usage (Genesis 38:8), for…
Amalek to Be Destroyed. (b. c. 1451.)
AMALEK TO BE DESTROYED. (B. C. 1451.) Here is, I. A law against deceitful weights and measures: they must not only not use them, but they must not have them, not have them in the bag, not have them in the house (Deutero…
The Offering of First-Fruits. (b. c. 1451.)
THE OFFERING OF FIRST-FRUITS. (B. C. 1451.) Here is, I. A good work ordered to be done, and that is the presenting of a basket of their first-fruits to God every year, Deuteronomy 26:1-2. Besides the sheaf of first-frui…
Appropriation of Tithes. (b. c. 1451.)
APPROPRIATION OF TITHES. (B. C. 1451.) Concerning the disposal of their tithe the third year we had the law before, Deuteronomy 14:28-29. The second tithe, which in the other two years was to be spent in extraordinaries…
Israel Reminded of the Covenant. (b. c. 1451.)
ISRAEL REMINDED OF THE COVENANT. (B. C. 1451.) Two things Moses here urges to enforce all these precepts:—1. That they were the commands of God, Deuteronomy 26:16. They were not the dictates of his own wisdom, nor were…
The Exhibition of the Law. (b. c. 1451.)
THE EXHIBITION OF THE LAW. (B. C. 1451.) Here is, I. A general charge to the people to keep God's commandments; for in vain did they know them, unless they would do them. This is pressed upon them, 1. With all authority…
The Curses from Ebal. (b. c. 1451.)
THE CURSES FROM EBAL. (B. C. 1451.) When the law was written, to be seen and read by all men, the sanctions of it were to be published, which, to complete the solemnity of their covenanting with God, they were deliberat…
Promises. (b. c. 1451.)
PROMISES. (B. C. 1451.) The blessings are here put before the curses, to intimate, 1. That God is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy: he has said it, and sworn, that he would much rather we would obey and live than…
Threatenings. (b. c. 1451.)
THREATENINGS. (B. C. 1451.) Having viewed the bright side of the cloud, which is towards the obedient, we have now presented to us the dark side, which is towards the disobedient. If we do not keep God's commandments, w…
Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 28:45-68
One would have thought that enough had been said to possess them with a dread of that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. But to show how deep the treasures of…
Mercies Called to Remembrance. (b. c. 1451.)
MERCIES CALLED TO REMEMBRANCE. (B. C. 1451.) Now that Moses had largely repeated the commands which the people were to observe as their part of the covenant, and the promises and threatenings which God would make good (…
The Covenant Renewed. (b. c. 1451.)
THE COVENANT RENEWED. (B. C. 1451.) It appears by the length of the sentences here, and by the copiousness and pungency of the expressions, that Moses, now that he was drawing near to the close of his discourse, was ver…
Promises to the Penitent. (b. c. 1451.)
PROMISES TO THE PENITENT. (B. C. 1451.) These verses may be considered either as a conditional promise or as an absolute prediction. I. They are chiefly to be considered as a conditional promise, and so they belong to a…
The Advantages of Revelation. (b. c. 1451.)
THE ADVANTAGES OF REVELATION. (B. C. 1451.) Moses here urges them to obedience from the consideration of the plainness and easiness of the command. I. This is true of the law of Moses. They could never plead in excuse o…