Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 28:9
The LORD shall establish thee a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
9. holy ] See Deu 7:6, and note on Holiness, p. 108. Here (as the context shows) the meaning is not ethical, but = set apart for Himself, therefore inviolate; cp. Jer 2:3.
if thou shalt keep ] Rather, for ( ex hypothese) thou wilt be keeping. Cp. Dri.; Marti.: in case thou shalt. So there is no need to omit the clause with Steuern. and Staerk.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto himself] This is the sum of all blessings, to be made holy, and be preserved in holiness.
If thou shalt keep, c.] Here is the solemn condition if they did not keep God’s testimonies, taking them for the regulators of their lives, and according to their direction walking in his ways, under the influence and aids of his grace, then the curses, and not the blessings, must be their portion. See De 28:15, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, i.e. shall confirm and establish his covenant with thee, by which he separated thee to himself as a holy and peculiar people, and shall publicly own thee for such, as it follows, Deu 28:10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself,…. Having separated them from all others, for his service, honour, and glory, should continue them as such, and settle them in the land, and confirm all their privileges, natural, civil, and religious. The Targum of Jonathan is,
“the Word of the Lord shall establish thee, c.”
he that brought them out of Egypt, through the Red sea and wilderness, to the land of Canaan:
as he hath sworn unto thee: and to their fathers see De 7:12;
if thou shall keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways; by which tenure they held the land of Canaan, and their settlement and continuance in it, and enjoyment of all the good things thereof; see Isa 1:19.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 9-14:
Jehovah promised to establish Israel as His own holy people. All He asked in return was that they obey His commandments and walk in the ways He had established for them.
Israel enjoyed the unique distinction of being known by the Name of Jehovah. No other nation in history can make this claim.
Material prosperity, and a peace in which to enjoy it, is a byproduct of obedience.
As Israel obeyed God’s laws regarding the cultivation of their fields, the land itself prospered. Rain came at the proper seasons. The crops were bountiful.
As Israel obeyed God’s laws regarding their livestock, their flocks increased.
As Israel’s natural bounty increased, so did their material wealth. This all came about because they obeyed God’s laws regarding their daily living.
Israel’s prosperity meant that other nations would seek them out, to share in their wealth. Israel would become a leading banking and lending nation, but would not herself be forced to borrow from anyone.
Obedience to God’s commands assured Israel of the role of leading nation among the world community of nations.
Obedience to God and application of His righteous principles guarantees prosperity today. This prosperity may not be reflected in one’s statement of net worth, but it may consist of spiritual prosperity and godly character. Compare verse 14 with Deu 5:32-33; and Deu 11:26-28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
9. The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto himself. This refers indeed to earthly blessings, as if Moses said, that by them would be manifested God’s love towards His chosen people; still it rises higher, so that the Israelites, led on by degrees, should learn to embrace God alone, and to trust in Him according to the covenant which He had made with Abraham, “I am thy exceeding great reward.” (Gen 15:1.) For the children of Abraham were set apart and chosen to be a holy people, not only in order that, being well fed, and with a full belly, they should aspire to nothing but earthly things, but that they might be confidently assured that they would be blessed in death as well as life. Although their adoption was gratuitous, still, inasmuch as they were called unto purity, it is not without reason that God promises that what He had spoken should be sure, if by keeping the Law the Israelites themselves should continue in the covenant; as much as to say, that their sanctification (215) should be firm and perpetual if they walked in the commandments of the Law. When He adds that it should be manifest “to (216) all people of the earth that the name of God was called upon them,” it is equivalent to saying, that it should be known that they were under God’s defense and patronage, and that thus they should always be safe and secure in His protection.
(215) “Leur election.” — Fr.
(216) “And all the people of the earth shall see that those are called by the name of the Lord.” — A. V. “And all peoples of the earth shall see that the name of Jehovah is called upon thee,” i. e. , “thou art called by his name.” — Ainsworth.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) The Lord shall establish thee an holy peoplei.e., shall maintain thee in that position or shall raise thee up into it, and exalt thee to it, in its fullest sense. The word here employed has branched out into two lines of thought. In Jewish literature it has taken the sense of permanence and perpetuity. Through the LXX. translation it has given birth to the New Testament word for resurrection. (See Note on Deu. 18:18, and comp. Act. 3:26; 2Sa. 7:12; 1Ch. 17:11.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Deu 28:9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
Ver. 9. The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto himself. ] This is more and better than all the former: he shall “bless thee with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly things, in Christ Jesus.” Eph 1:3 He is rich, not that hath the world, but that can contemn it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
holy. See note on Exo 3:5.
as = according as.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
establish: Deu 7:6, Deu 26:18, Deu 26:19, Deu 29:13, Gen 17:7, Exo 19:5, Exo 19:6, Psa 87:5, Isa 1:26, Isa 62:12, 2Th 3:3, Tit 2:14, 1Pe 2:9-11, 1Pe 5:10
sworn: Deu 7:8, Deu 13:17, Deu 29:12, Exo 19:5, Exo 19:6, Jer 11:5, Heb 6:13-18
Reciprocal: Gen 5:22 – General Deu 14:2 – General Zec 14:2 – gather
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 28:9-10. Establish thee Shall confirm his covenant with thee, by which he separated thee to himself as a holy and peculiar people. Called by the name of the Lord That you are in truth his people and children: a most excellent and glorious people, under the peculiar care and countenance of the great God.