Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 32:5
They have corrupted themselves, their spot [is] not [the spot] of his children: [they are] a perverse and crooked generation.
5. The text of the first line is corrupt; lit. he has dealt corruptly (as in Deu 9:12, cp. Deu 31:29) with him, not his sons, their blemish. Sam. LXX: they dealt corruptly not his sons, blameworthy things. Possible emendations, they dealt corruptly with him sons of blemish; his sons have corrupted their faithfulness to him; or as above. The line is overloaded. On blemish in physical sense see Deu 15:21, Deu 17:1.
twisted and crooked ] Or tortuous; cp. Deu 5:20.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Deu 32:5
They have corrupted themselves.
Man corrupting his way
If we consider what this people seemed once to be, and thought themselves to be, we may easily know how they corrupted themselves. If ye look on them at one time (Exo 19:8; Deu 5:27) ye would call them children. There was never a fairer undertaking of obedience. But compare all this peoples practice with this profession, and you shall find it exceeding contrary; they indeed corrupted themselves, though they got warning to take heed of it (Deu 4:15). But, alas! it was within them that destroyed them; there was not such a heart in them as to hear and obey; but they undertake, being ignorant of their own deceitful hearts, which were desperately wicked. And therefore behold what corruption followed upon such a professed resolution: they never sooner promised obedience but they disobeyed; they did abominable works and did no good, and this is to corrupt their way (Psa 14:1). We may make this song our own. We have corrupted ourselves. Once we had a fair show of zeal for God, of love and desire of reformation of life, many solemn undertakings were that we should amend our doings. But what is the fruit of all? Alas! we have corrupted ourselves more than Israel promised, but we vowed to the most High amendment of life. Lay this rule to our practices, and are we not a perverse generation? Oh! that we were more affected with our corruptions, and were more sensible of them; then we could not choose but mourn for our own and the lands departing from God. There is a great noise of a public reformation of ordinances and worship; but, alas! the deformation of life and practice outcries all that noise. Every man useth to impute his faults to something beside himself. Ere men take with their own iniquity, they will charge God that gave no more grace. But if men knew themselves, they would deduce their corruption and destruction both from one fountain, that is, from themselves. What was the fountain of this peoples corruptions and apostatising from their professions? The Lord hints at it (Deu 5:25). Oh, that they had such a heart! Alas! poor people, ye know not yourselves that speak so well; I know thee better than thou dost thyself. I will declare unto thee thy own thought: thou hast not such a heart as to do what thou sayest. If thou knewest this fountain of original corruption thou wouldst despair of doing, and say, I cannot serve the Lord. Why is our way corrupted? Because our hearts within were not cleansed, and because they were not known. If we had dried up the fountain, the streams had ceased; but we did only dam it up, and cut off some streams for a season. We set up our resolutions and purposes as an hedge to hold it in, but the sea of the hearts iniquity, that is above all things, hath overflowed it, and defiled our way more than in former times. Times do not bring evils along with them, they do but discover what was hid before. All the evils and corruptions you now see among us, where were they in the day of our first love, when we were as a beloved child? Have all these risen up of late? No, certainly; all that you have seen and found were before, though they did not appear. Before they were in the root, now you see the fruit. Now, so it is with us; we have corrupted ourselves still more. Backsliding cometh on as grey hairs, here and there, and is not perceived by beholders. No man becometh worst at first. There are many steps between that and good. Corruption comes on mens way as in fruits; some one part beginneth to alter, and then it groweth worse, and putrifieth and corrupteth the rest of the parts. An apple rots not all at once, so it is with us. Men begin at leisure, but they run post or all be done. (H. Binning.)
Not the spot of His children.
The secret spot
There are frequently great difficulties in identifying the persons of men, even when they have been distinctly seen. Our police courts have given us most serious evidence that men may be utterly deceived as to the identity of individuals. Turning to the moral universe, identity there is far more difficult to be made out, for both the moral and religious world swarm with pretenders. You cannot know to a certainty who among your acquaintances is a Christian and who is not. You see the text talks about certain secret spots. These are tokens in which men cannot so readily deceive as to their identity. The mother will be able to tell whether this is her child or not by the spot which is known to none but herself. The pretender may be very like her child: the voice may be the voice of Jacob, and the hands may not be dissimilar, and he may be able to relate many things concerning his youth which it would seem that none but the real child could know; but the mother recollects that there was a secret spot, and if that be not there, she turns aside the pretender; but ii she discovers that private token, she knows the claimant to be her child. There are secret marks upon every Christian, and if we have not the spot of Gods child too, it will little avail us how fairly in our outward garb and manner we may conform ourselves to the members of the heavenly family.
I. First, then, at the mention of private spots which are to be the insignia of the regenerate, there are thousands who say, We do not shirk that examination. Truly, the signs of saints are in us also! Are others Israelites? so are we: we challenge an investigation. Be it so, then! Let us commence a minute examination. I am not now to deal with anything that is public. We are not speaking now about actions or words, but concerning those secret things which men have judged to be infallible marks of their being saved. Here is a friend before us, and as he lays bare his heart he indicates to us the spot which he thinks proclaims him to be a child of God. I will describe it. The man has embraced sound doctrine. Wherever he goes, his whole talk is of his favourite Shibboleth, The truth! The truth! Not that the aforesaid truth has ever renewed his nature; not that it has at all made him a better husband or a kinder father; not that it influences him in trade. Now, sir, we do not hesitate to say concerning you, although you will not be best pleased with us for it, that Four spot is not the spot of the children of God. No form of doctrine, however Scriptural, can ever save the soul if it be only received by the head, and does not work in its mighty energy upon the heart. Ye must be born again, is the Saviours word; and unless ye be born again, your carnal nature may hold the truth in the letter without discerning the spirit; and while the truth shall be dishonoured by being so held, you yourself shall not be benefited thereby.
II. What is the true secret spot which infallibly betokens the child of God? As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. Here it is, then: if I have received Christ Jesus into my heart, then I am a child of God. That reception is described in the second clause as a believing on the name of Jesus Christ. If, then, I believe on Jesus Christs name, I am a member of the family of the Most High.
III. The discrimination of defiling spots. The term spot as used in the text will not be read usually as we have read it. It will, no doubt, to most readers suggest the idea of sin, and very properly so–then the text would run thus: the sin of the people mentioned here is not the sin of Gods people. There is a difference between their guilt and the offences of the Lords chosen. There is a discrimination to be made, even as to sinful spots. God forbid that you should imagine that I wish to excuse the sins of believers. In some views, when a believer sins, his sin is worse than that of other men, because he offends against greater light; he revolts against greater love and mercy; he flies in the teeth of his profession; he does despite to the Cross of Christ, and he brings dishonour upon the name of Jesus. Believers cannot sin cheaply. The very least speck on a Christian is more plainly seen than the foulest blot on the ungodly, just as a white dress shows the dirt the sooner. Sin is a horrible thing, and, it is above all things detestable when it lurks in a child of God; yet the sins of Gods people do differ from the sins of other men in many important respects: they do not sin with cool determination, meaning to sin and sinning for its own sake. A sinner in his sins is a bird in the air, but the believer in sin is like the fish that leaps for a while into the air, but must be back again or die. Sin cannot be satisfactory to an immortal spirit regenerated by the Holy Ghost. If you sin, you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; but if you sin and love sin, then you are the servant of sin, and not the child of God. Again, the child of God cannot look back upon sin with any kind of complacency. The ungodly man has this spot, that after the sin he even boasts of it,; he will tell to others that he enjoyed himself greatly in his wicked sport. Ah, saith he, how sweet it is! But no man of God ever sins without smarting.
IV. An exhortation. To make sure work for eternity, and to make it clear to your own consciences that you are the children of God. A famous case is now pending, in which a person claims to be the son of a deceased baronet. Whether he be or not I suppose will ere long be decided by the highest authorities; meanwhile the case is pending, a very weighty case for him, for upon the decision will hang his possession or non-possession of vast estates and enormous property. Now, in your case you, many of you, profess to be the children of God, and heaven hangs upon the question of the truthfulness of your profession. A child of God! Then your portion is eternal life. An heir of wrath, even as others! Then your heritage will be eternal death. Is it uncertain now whether you are a child of God or not? Is it uncertain now whether your spot is the spot of Gods children? Then let not an hour pass over your head till you have said, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The children and the spots
I. Gods children have their spots in this life. How many spots does the holy eye of God observe upon us every day!
II. There is an essential difference between the spots of Gods children and the spots of the unregenerate. Certainly ill the sight of God there is no difference in sin. Its nature is the same. And sin upon one of Gods children, abstractedly considered, is hateful.
1. Unregenerate men sin deliberately and habitually. When did you find a good man that was an habitual sinner?
2. Unregenerate men sin freely: there is no principle in their heart which stands opposed to sin.
3. In unregenerate minds there is always a love to some particular sin; but in the regenerate there is no one sin but he desires the death of it.
4. How different are the feelings of the regenerate and unregenerate, after having committed the same sin, both alike in the sight of men! An unregenerate man may weep bitterly: what is the cause? Shame! Men know it; he is afraid of punishment. But what produces the grief which a believer feels? Because he has given blasphemy among men; because he has offended his God, and has built up a wall between God and his soul. If a child of God has fallen, it will render him watchful and prayerful: if a wicked ,man gain peace, he will go his way, and sin on. (John Hyatt.)
The spot of Gods children
I. Gods people have their spot or distinctive symbol. The term spot is here plainly employed in allusion to the distinctive badge which idolaters were wont to receive upon their foreheads, faces or hands, to show what God they worshipped (Rev 20:4). Now, the Lords worshippers have their distinct mark, impressed not upon their persons, but upon their spirit, temper, principles, conversation, and behaviour, which is holiness unto the Lord (Jer 2:3). This has been the mark of Gods people from the beginning, and is so still (Zec 14:20).
II. The dishonour of those who have not the spot of His children. The marginal reading gives a remarkably important turn to the meaning of the text. They are not His children, this is their blot. That all are not His children who are so accounted, will be readily admitted, seeing the visible Church embraces many who do not exhibit the distinguishing mark. And, if within the pale of the Church are found those who are not Gods children, what estimate shall we form of those who are without? And if all who are not Gods children might be if they would, what a fearful blot is this upon their character!
1. What a reflection on any mans understanding to think lightly of so great a benefit:
2. Again, what must be his peril who is living in this state? What his misery who is without hope and God in the world? Shall such a blot remain long upon any of us? (J. Burdsall.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. Their spot is not the spot of his children] This verse is variously translated and variously understood. They are corrupted, not his, children of pollution. – KENNICOTT. They are corrupt, they are not his children, they are blotted. – HOUBIGANT. This is according to the Samaritan. The interpretation commonly given to these words is as unfounded as it is exceptionable: “God’s children have their spots, i. e., their sins, but sin in them is not like sin in others; in others sin is exceedingly sinful, but God does not see the sins of his children as he sees the sins of his enemies,” c. Unfortunately for this bad doctrine, there is no foundation for it in the sacred text, which, though very obscure, may be thus translated: He (Israel) hath corrupted himself. They (the Israelites) are not his children: they are spotted. Coverdale renders the whole passage thus: “The froward and overthwart generation have marred themselves to himward, and are not his children because of their deformity.” This is the sense of the verse. Let it be observed that the word spot, which is repeated in our translation, occurs but once in the original, and the marginal reading is greatly to be preferred: He hath corrupted to himself, that they are not his children that is their blot. And because they had the blot of sin on them, because they were spotted with iniquity and marked idolaters, therefore God renounces them. There may be here an allusion to the marks which the worshippers of particular idols had on different parts of their bodies, especially on their foreheads; and as idolatry is the crime with which they are here charged, the spot or mark mentioned may refer to the mark or stigma of their idol. The different sects of idolaters in the East are distinguished by their sectarian marks, the stigma of their respective idols. These sectarian marks, particularly on the forehead, amount to nearly one hundred among the Hindoos, and especially among the two sects, the worshippers of Seeva, and the worshippers of Vishnoo. In many cases these marks are renewed daily, for they account it irreligious to perform any sacred rite to their god without his mark on the forehead; the marks are generally horizontal and perpendicular lines, crescents, circles, leaves, eyes, c., in red, black, white, and yellow. This very custom is referred to in Re 20:4, where the beast gives his mark to his followers, and it is very likely that Moses refers to such a custom among the idolatrous of his own day. This removes all the difficulty of the text. God’s children have no sinful spots, because Christ saves them from their sins and their motto or mark is, Holiness to the Lord.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They, i.e. the Israelites, as the following words manifest.
Corrupted themselves: this phrase sometimes in Scripture notes sin, and sometimes destruction. And so the sense may be either,
1. Their wickedness is not from God, but from themselves, and their own choice; they have wilfully and industriously depraved themselves, and sold themselves to sin. Or rather,
2. Their destruction is not from God. who is just and true, &c., as was now said, but wholly and solely from themselves, and from their own wickedness, as it here follows.
Their spot is not the spot of his children, i.e. their blemishes or sins are not committed through ignorance, or frailty, or surprisal, as good men sometimes sin, but they proceed from design and deliberation, are accompanied with malice, and wilfulness, and contempt, and followed with obstinacy, impenitency, and incorrigibleness. So that they carry themselves not like my children and people, as they seem to be and profess to be, but like mine enemies.
They are a perverse and crooked generation; not only some few of them, but the whole body or generation of them, are
perverse, i.e. froward and untractable,
and crooked, i.e. irregular and disorderly, not agreeing with the straight and righteous nature of God and of his law. Compare Isa 42:16.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. They have corruptedthemselvesthat is, the Israelites by their frequent lapses andtheir inveterate attachment to idolatry.
their spot is not the spot ofhis childrenThis is an allusion to the marks which idolatersinscribe on their foreheads or their arms with paint or othersubstances, in various colors and formsstraight, oval, orcircular, according to the favorite idol of their worship.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
They have corrupted themselves,…. This and what follows may seem to be the characters of the enemies of Christ, who lightly esteemed and rejected him, set in a contrast with him; who were not only corrupt by nature, as all men are, but were men of corrupt minds in their tenets and principles; who corrupted the word of God by their traditions, in the times of Christ; and were men of corrupt practices themselves, and corrupters of others:
their spot [is] not [the spot] of his children; of the children of the divine Person before described; Christ the rock has “children” given him by his Father, in whose adoption he has a concern, and by whose Spirit they are regenerated: these have their “spots”; by which are meant sins, and by those men are stained and polluted; so called in allusion to the spots of animals, as leopards; or to spots in faces and garments, through dirt and the like: by nature they are as others, and while in an unregenerate estate, and indeed after conversion; though they are washed from their sins by the blood of Christ, and are justified by his righteousness, and so without spot, yet in themselves they are not without spots or sins, as their confessions and complaints, and all experience testify: but the spots or sins of wicked men are not like theirs; the children of Christ sin through infirmity of the flesh, and the force of temptation, but wicked men through the malignity of their hearts, willingly and purposely; what good men do of this kind they hate, but what Christless and graceless sinners do they love; saints do not continue in sin, but ungodly men do, and proceed to more ungodliness, and wax worse and worse; gracious souls when they sin, are sorry for it, repent of it, are melted for it, and take shame to themselves on account of it; but unconverted men repent not of their wickedness, are hardened in it, and glory of it; see the character of the Jews in Christ’s time, to which this song refers, Joh 8:44; though these clauses may be rendered to another sense, more agreeably to the context, and to the Hebrew accents, as they are by some; “is there any corruption in him? no” n, that is, is there any corruption in the illustrious Person before described, as without iniquity, just, and right? no, none at all in his nature, divine or human; not in his divine nature, being the incorruptible God; nor in his human nature, which is entirely free from that corruption by sin, common to all that des, tend from Adam by natural generation, he being conceived under the power of the Holy Ghost; nor any in his life and conversation, being perfectly agreeable to the pure and holy law of God; nor any in his doctrines, however they may be charged by ignorant and malicious men, a proof of which follows: or “his children are their spot” o; so the clause may be rendered; the spots of the Jewish nation, the most wicked and vilest among them, became his children; not only the lowest and meanest of them, as to civil and worldly things, but the more ignorant and the more wicked, even publicans and harlots; these, and not the righteous, he came to call and save, and did receive; these were regenerated by his grace, and they believed in him; and to them gave he power to become his children: but then did they remain the wicked persons they had been? no, they were made new creatures, they were internally sanctified, and lived holy lives and conversations; a clear proof this, that there was no corruption in Christ, nor in his doctrine, and that he neither by his tenets nor example encouraged sin, but all the reverse; Wisdom is justified of her children, Mt 11:19; but then the rest, and the far greater part of the Jewish nation, in his time, have their character truly drawn, as follows:
[they are] a perverse and crooked generation; men of perverse and crooked natures, tempers, dispositions, ways, and works; who walked contrary to the will and law of God, and were indeed contrary to all men, 1Th 2:15; this is the very character that is given of them, Mt 17:17.
n “an est ipsi corruptio? non”, Cocceius, van Till, Vitringa. o “filii ejus macula eorum”, Van Till; “filii ejus labes ipsorum”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. They have corrupted themselves. Moses now inveighs unhesitatingly against the perfidy of the people, and gives loose to the most unmeasured upbraidings; for if God be just and true, then it was plain enough that the Israelites were a depraved and perverse nation. This perverse nation, he says, has corrupted itself towards Him, namely Him, whom he has just lauded for His perfect justice and faithfulness; and he accuses them of having basely prostituted to every sort of sin the chastity which they had promised to God. There is no doubt but that they were sorely wounded by these epithets, and would have been transported with rage, had they not seen that God’s incomparable servant, when he had now been called upon to die by God’s command, spoke as it were from heaven. The voice, therefore, of the dying man restrained their pride, so that they did not now dare to oppose him as a mortal; and afterwards, when the condemnation had been assented to by public authority, and by general accord, they were less at liberty to vent their madness against it. He introduces, by way of anticipation, the statement that they were not His children; for else they might obviously have made the objection that the sacred race of Abraham, which God had adopted, should be dealt with less reproachfully. Moses, therefore, declares that they are not children, because they are a perverse nation. For although their adoption always stood firm, still its efficacy was restricted to the elect part of them, so that God, without breaking His covenant, might reject the general body. But to explain the matter more clearly, it must be borne in mind that the Spirit, on different grounds, at one time assigns the name of God’s children to hypocrites, at another takes it away; for sometimes it is an aggravation of their criminality, when they are called the children of Abraham and Jacob as well as of God, an instance of which will soon occur. Here, however, in order that they may cease to glory without cause, they are said not to be children, because they are degenerate, and therefore disinherited by God, so as no longer to retain their honorable position. In this sense Moses declares that they are not children, as having cast off God from being their Father. It is added this was done with their spot (or disgrace; (253)) unless it be thought preferable to take it that. they were corrupted by their spots, or by their sins, to which I willingly assent; although I do not reject the other sense, namely, that their alienation from God had rendered them ignominious, or that they had contracted the stain of disgrace by their faithlessness.
(253) Added from the Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5)
He (Israel) hath destroyed himself.
Their undutifulness,[5] that is their blot,
[5] Literally, they are no sons to him. (Comp. Deu. 32:20.)
A froward and crooked generation !
These first two lines are given up as hopeless by many interpreters, not because the words are difficult of translation, but from the great variety of possible interpretations. After careful consideration of the passage with a learned Christian Hebrew,[6] I venture to propound this as the true translation. It is substantially identical with that of the English margin. The Hebrew consists of five words only (1) He-hath-corrupted (2) to-him (3) not (4) his-sons (5) their blemish. That the first two ought to be taken together, if the text is correct, seems certain. The same construction is found in Num. 32:15, ye shall destroy all this people, and also in 1Sa. 23:10, to destroy the city. As to the third and fourth words, we have thought that their true relation is the same which we find in Deu. 32:21, a not-God, and a not-people, and also in Deu. 32:5, not-wise. In like manner Israel are in this verse called not-sons of His. Their not-sonship, their unfilial, undutiful, ungodly behaviour to Him who is the perfection of truth and sincerity, a very Rock of fidelity to them, that is their great blemish. He has said, Israel is my son, even my firstborn. But all Israels behaviour gives Him the lie. The contrast between the two descriptionsthe faithful God of Deu. 32:4, and the unfaithful children of Deu. 32:5is the cardinal point in the verse. In the form of the expression, lo–bnv is strictly parallel to the Lo-ammi of Hos. 1:9. The froward and crooked generation supplies two words to Psa. 18:26, with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward Compare also the context of the two passages. Many other interpretations have been proposed, and some have altered the text. I believe the text to be correct, and that this is the true meaning.
[6] Mr. Bernhard Maimon, to whom I desire once for all to express my great obligations for assistance in this and many other difficulties.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. They have corrupted themselves A striking contrast is now presented. Jehovah, their God, is perfect, is unchangeable. The nation for the prophet looks down the future and sees the rebellion and apostasy of Israel becomes corrupt.
Their spot is not the spot of his children It is not easy to render the Hebrew of this passage. Literally it is, not his children, their blemish. Instead of being Jehovah’s true children they are of such a character that they stain the family. Compare the figure used 2Pe 2:13, where false teachers and false brethren are called “spots” and “blemishes” in the Church.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Charge Is Made Against the Covenant Breakers ( Deu 32:5 ).
Deu 32:5
“They have dealt corruptly with him,
Not his children,
The result of their blemish;
A perverse and crooked generation.”
In contrast with Yahweh’s faithfulness and reliability are His people. They have dealt corruptly with him, being deceitful, unreliable and untrustworthy. They are ‘not His children’ (compare Hos 1:10; Hos 2:23), that is, not behaving like Him or revealing Him in their lives. As a result of their blemish, which is in contrast with His perfection, they are a perverse and crooked generation, unreliable and twisted, not fit to be seen as His children. For ‘blemish’ (disfiguring spot) compare Job 11:15; Job 31:7; Pro 9:7.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 5. They have corrupted themselves, &c. Is there corruption in Him? no: but of his children the spot is theirs. Dr. Waterland. Houbigant renders it:
They are corrupt: they are not his children: They are blotted: a wicked, and perverse generation.
In which version he follows the Samaritan and several others. Dr. Lowth, though he gives, as we shall soon see, a different interpretation, and as good a one, perhaps, as can be offered of the Hebrew text, yet rather agrees with Houbigant in approving the Samaritan. “There are one or two particulars,” says this elegant writer, “in this remarkable poem, which, being frequent in Scripture, and sometimes difficult to be explained, require an attentive disquisition. The first thing to be observed, in general, taking the present passage for an example, is, the sudden and frequent change of persons, and that in addresses. Moses having proclaimed, in the beginning of this song, the most inviolable truth and justice of GOD, thence takes occasion, on a sudden, to inveigh against the perfidy and wickedness of the ungrateful people.” He first speaks of them as if absent:
Their wickedness hath corrupted the children for Him, Now no longer His.
Corrupit illi filios non jam suos ipsorum pravitas:
And then immediately he addresses them,
Perverse and crooked generation! Do ye thus requite the Lord, O perverse and foolish generation! Is He not thy Father and Redeemer? Hath He not made thee, and established thee?
Afterwards his indignation, in some measure, cooling, and tracing the subject higher, he beautifully amplifies the indulgence of God towards the Israelites, and his more than paternal affection perpetually declared towards them; and all this in words not directed to the Israelites: thence he wonderfully exaggerates the stupidity of this ungrateful and impious people; which again raising his indignation, he thus breaks forth:
Ver. 15. But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked: Thou art waxen fat, grown thick, covered with fatness. And he forsook his Creator, And lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation:
Where, in one short sentence, the discourse, abruptly turned to the Israelites, and then immediately from them, has great force. It is fervid, vehement, pointed, and full of indignation. That fine passage of Virgil, though less glowing, is however very grand; but especially the fine apostrophe, in which the traitor is reproached for his crime, and the king vindicated from the charge of cruelty:
Haud procul inde citae Metium in diversa quadrigae Distulerant, (at tu dictis, Albane, maneres,) Raptabatque viri mendacis viscera Tullus Per silvam, et sparsi rorabant sanguine vepres. AEn. viii. l. 642.
Not far from thence the rapid chariots driv’n, Flew diverse, and the traitor Metius tore; (Thou, Alban, should’st have kept thy plighted faith:) Him Tullus thro’ the woods rent piecemeal dragg’d, The sprinkled bramble, dropping with his blood. TRAPP.
The Hebrew poetry, which is animated, bold, and rapid, abounds with frequent instances of this sudden change of the persons, which often adds great beauty, and is always carefully to be observed.
A second thing to be remarked in this poem, is the change of the tenses, very different frequently from the common mode: the design of this, for the most part, is the more evident representation of things in narrations or descriptions; therefore, in all languages, both in poetry and prose, the announcing of things, either past or future, in the present tense is common; by which means, what is explained in words, is placed, as it were, before the view; nor is there need so much to look back to the past, or forward to the future, as to behold what is placed before our eyes: but in this particular, the manner of the Hebrew language is peculiar; for the Hebrew verbs have no form by which the present imperfect, or an action now instant, can be expressed. This is done only by a participle, or by the substantive verb understood: the neuter of which, in these places, is commonly used, or may always properly be admitted: they attain, therefore, the same end another way, frequently expressing future things, for the sake of illustration, in the form of the past tense, or rather the present perfect; as if those things had been already fulfilled and completed. On the other hand, they express things past in the future, as if they were now to be done, and were hastening to their event. Of the former construction, namely, where things future are expressed in the form of the present tense, an example will best shew us the manner and effect. Moses, by the divine inspiration, perceiving that nefarious dereliction of the divine worship into which the perverse nation of Israel would hereafter fall, speaks of their crimes in such a manner as if they were committed in his own sight and presence:
Their wickedness hath corrupted the children for Him, Now no longer His.
He speaks as if he himself were witness of their impiety, and present at those infamous rites by which they were hereafter to corrupt the religion divinely instituted by him. Nothing can be more efficacious than this anticipation, to shew things clearly and evidently, and almost to bring them to immediate view; and therefore, in the prophetic poetry, the use is most frequent. As in all other things, so in this, Isaiah is admirable. See particularly ch. Isa 10:28-30; see also Joe 1:6-10. Lowth. Praelect. Poet. 15 and the note on ver. 10.
REFLECTIONS.The greatness of God is here enlarged upon, and several particulars of his glorious character opened, to awaken our reverence, fear, and love.
1. He is a rock, He is God, strong to support the hopes of all who trust in him; an everlasting foundation that cannot be moved. Such is Jesus to the sinner who flies to him. His work is perfect, whether of creation, or providence, and especially his work of redemption. Nothing is wanting for the complete and eternal salvation of the faithful. All his ways are judgment, planned with infinite wisdom, and so executed as to make the most glorious displays of his righteousness. He is a God of truth, faithful to all his promises, who neither has failed, nor can fail those who trust him. Without iniquity, whom none can complain of as deceiving or injuring them. Just and right is he in his rewards and punishments, giving to every man according as his work is. A glorious character, most deserving of our regard, and demanding our devotion and service.
2. The character of Israel is sadly the reverse. They have corrupted themselves, in opposition to all his warnings and mercies; he is just, but they are altogether become abominable, and can blame none for their ruin but themselves. Their spot is not the spot of children; it was wilful deliberate sin, which they chose, delighted in, and did not repent of. They are a perverse and crooked generation, disposed to evil, and impatient of restraint, who will neither be influenced by love, nor deterred by fear.
3. Moses expostulates with them on their folly and wickedness. What obligations were they not under? How had God regarded them as the tenderest father, and bought them at the price of Egypt’s plagues? How ungrateful then to forget and forsake such a God! yea, how unwise to provoke him, whose judgments are as awful as his mercies are great! Note; (1.) Sin is the basest ingratitude to our father, as well as insolent disobedience to our Lord and master. (2.) None will appear such egregious fools at the judgment day, as those who have forsaken God for the sake of divers lusts and pleasures. (3.) If Jewish ingratitude for temporal mercies deserved such rebuke, of how much sorer condemnation shall he be thought worthy who rejects redeeming love, and basely sins against that Saviour who bought us with his blood?
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Alas! what a striking difference, when we look into our own nature, there is between our corruptions and the LORD’S purity. Observe, the charge is, not that GOD made man corrupt, for GOD made man upright, but that he hath destroyed himself. Ecc 7:29 ; Hos 13:9 . Their spot is not the unavoidable spot, which compared to the unsullied holiness of GOD, all-created excellence hath but it is the spot of sinful fallen nature. Oh! The happiness of those children of our GOD, who have been washed in that fountain which taketh out all spots! 1Jn 1:7 ; Rev 7:14 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Deu 32:5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot [is] not [the spot] of his children: [they are] a perverse and crooked generation.
Ver. 5. Their spot is not the spot. ] Saints also have their spots, but not ingrained; not leopards’ spots, that are not in the skin only, but the flesh and bones, in the sinews, and the most inner parts, and so cannot be cured by any art, or washed away with any water. It is of incogitancy that the saints fall; put them in mind, and they mend all: it is of passion, and passions last not long. They are preoccupated, taken at unawares, &c. Gal 6:1 They have ever God for their chief end, and will not forego him upon any terms: only they err in the way, as thinking they may fulfil such a lust, and God keep too; but there is no way of wickedness found in them. Though shaken, yet they are rooted as trees, and though they wag up and down, yet they remove not, – as a ship at anchor. Sin stings the wicked, as the fiery serpents did the Israelites: the sins of the saints are but like the viper on Paul’s hand, that hurt him not. Sin makes wicked men the object of God’s hatred, the saints of his pity: as we hate poison in a toad, but we pity it in a man; in the one it is their nature, in the other their disease.
Perverse and crooked.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
They have, &c. The Nom., “generation”, is put last by Figure of speech Hyperbaton (App-6), for emphasis, in contrast with “the Rock” of Deu 32:4, which is there put first. Compare Deu 32:20. Render the verse thus: “A perverse and crooked generation hath corrupted itself: [To be] no sons of His is their blemish. “
spot = blemish.
children = sons.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
They have corrupted themselves: Heb. He hath corrupted to himself, Deu 4:16, Deu 31:29, Gen 6:12, Exo 32:7, Jdg 2:19, Isa 1:4, Hos 9:9, Zep 3:7, 2Co 11:3
their spot: etc. or, that they are not his children, that is their blot, Joh 8:41
a perverse: Deu 9:24, Psa 78:8, Isa 1:4, Mat 3:7, Mat 16:4, Mat 17:17, Luk 9:41, Act 7:51, Phi 2:15
Reciprocal: Lev 13:6 – a scab Deu 9:7 – from the day Deu 9:12 – corrupted Deu 32:20 – a very Pro 2:15 – General Jer 7:29 – generation Eze 9:9 – The iniquity
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 32:5. They have corrupted themselves Notwithstanding that God hath fully displayed these excellences in his dealings with the Israelitish nation, yet how corrupt and ungrateful hath been their behaviour! Their spot The wickedness with which they are stained; is not of his children Plainly shows they are not his children, but of their father the devil, Joh 8:44. Gods children have no such spot. Indeed, the text does not affirm that they have any spot at all. The Hebrew lo banau, mumam, may be properly rendered as in the margin, or, as Le Clerc has it, according to the Samaritan version, the sons of pollution are not his. The true characteristic of the sons of God is to imitate and resemble God, 1Jn 3:10. It is true they are not without infirmities of various kinds, from which none dwelling in flesh are exempt. But they do not give that name to known sin, which they are always careful to avoid, and to walk in all well-pleasing before God. On the contrary, the Israelites are here denominated a perverse and crooked generation; froward and untractable; irregular and disorderly. In opposition to such characters the sons of God are described (Php 2:15) as being blameless and harmless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, shining as lights in the world, and holding forth the word of life.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Israel, on the other hand, was "perverse and crooked" (Deu 32:5). Moses also called God the Father of the Israelites (Deu 32:6) whom His people had repaid with corrupt behavior for His many gifts. Such a response was despicable in the ancient East.