Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 33:26
[There is] none like unto the God of Jeshurun, [who] rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
26. like the God of Jeshurun ] So Sam., LXX., Targ., Vulg.; but Heb. reads like the God, O Y e shurun. Parallels to this line are found in J, Exo 8:10; Exo 9:14; in the Poem, Exo 15:11 ; 2Sa 7:22, and above Deu 4:35; Deu 4:39, Deu 32:39.
excellency ] Rather loftiness, exaltation. Geddes sees an allusion to the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Of the divine sublimity only here and Psa 68:34 (35); also there with skies.
skies ] Or less probably fine clouds; Geddes: ‘the subtile air.’ The word occurs only in the Second Isaiah, the late Jer 51:9, Job, Proverbs and Psalms, many of which are certainly late.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
26 29. The Epilogue
26 None like the God of Y e shurun!
Riding the heavens to thy help,
And the skies in His loftiness.
27 The Eternal God is thy refuge,
And beneath are the arms everlasting.
He drove out before thee the foe,
And He said, Destroy!
28 So Israel dwelt securely,
Secluded the fount of Jacob,
On a land of corn and wine,
His heavens too dropped with dew.
29 Happy thou Israel! Who is like thee?
A people saved by the Lord.
[He is] the shield of thy help,
And the sword that exalts thee;
Till thy foes come to thee fawning,
But thou on their heights dost march.
This section follows closely on to Deu 33:2-5, with which it may have been originally one poem.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Rather, There is none like unto God, O Jeshurun! See marginal reference and note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Deu 33:26-29
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun.
The God of Jeshurun
Are we to understand this passage as revoking all the threatened judgments previously denounced against Israel? No. But Moses saw, amidst all the rebellion with which Israel as a nation was to be chargeable, and amidst all the reverses which they were consequently to experience, that the true Israel would be preserved, defended, and cared for. That in these words Moses addresses the true Israel, the spiritual seed of Abraham, is evident from the name he gives them Jeshurun, upright, or righteous. He begins by exalting the God of Jeshurun above all other gods; and he does so in language fitted to impress them with a conviction of the utter impotency of the gods of the nations.
1. The description conveys the idea of glorious majesty, absolute sovereignty, power infinitely beyond comprehension or resistance. But while thus reminding them of this view of the Divine character, he introduces it in a connection fitted to awaken confidence. He does not merely tell them that the God of Jeshurun rideth on the heaven, but that He does so as Jeshuruns help; and that if He revealed His own excellence and glory, it was in working out their deliverance, and making bare His holy arm for their protection. There as none like, etc. What peace should this truth inspire! What patience should it inspire! What confidence should it awaken and keep alive, even in circumstances the most gloomy and perplexing! If it does not produce this effect, must it not be because they are remaining contentedly in doubt whether they have really been justified and accepted with God, or are culpably insensible to the value of their privileges in having all their best interests bound up with the manifestation of His own glory?
2. The security of Gods justified people is still further set forth. God is declared to be their refuge, or rather dwelling place–not a temporary, but a perpetual refuge; and they are reminded that He is the eternal God, unchangeable in His being, and equally unchangeable in His purpose. They might feel at times as if they were altogether unequal to any new conquest over the adversaries which still remained to be subdued; but God Himself was to thrust out the enemy from before them, and to say, Destroy them. So it is, and has always been, in regard to the spiritual conflict of believers. The Scripture saints, in relating their experience–their fears and hopes, dangers and deliverances, seasons of depression and times of triumph, painful struggles with temptation and the strength by which they successfully resisted it–employ the very language which might have been appropriately used to describe the conflicts and conquests of Israel in Canaan (Psa 27:3; Psa 72:5; Psa 91:1-4). To all who know anything experimentally of the spiritual warfare of the believer, such language will be not only intelligible, but faithfully descriptive of what they have experienced, and in so far as they have been enabled to contend successfully with the risings of a corrupt nature within, the temptations of a sinful world without, the suggestions of Satan–with everything that would have brought their spiritual interests into jeopardy, everything that would have marred their peace and robbed them of their comfort–and in so far as they can now cherish the good hope of ultimately gaining the victory over all these, their spiritual enemies, it is because they have experienced the faithfulness of this declaration.
3. From this description of the conflict of Gods people, Moses proceeds to foretell their final and glorious triumph. Israel then shall dwell, etc. Viewing this prediction merely as referring to the settlement of Israel in Canaan, it was, in the first instance at least, only partially fulfilled. Israel did not so conquer the land as to dwell either in safety or alone. Through their unbelief, the command, Destroy, which otherwise would have been accompanied by a Divine power, was not fully carried into effect. But even had Israel literally dwelt alone and in safety, yet it would have been but a type of the still more glorious state of things to which Moses was instructed to direct the faith and hope of the Church. Nothing short of the glory of the latter day can exhaust the meaning of this passage. Many generations, indeed, have passed away, and we, too, may follow them, and still the prediction remain unfulfilled. But we have in Moses an example of the satisfaction and delight with which the saints of old contemplated the future prosperity of the Church, even when they should be gathered to their fathers; for though he was not to enter on the promised land, or participate in the rich blessings which awaited Israel there, yet could any one of them, even the man who had the prospect of sharing the longest and the most largely in these blessings, have expressed himself more joyously and with warmer gratitude in that prospect than Moses did in his last words to Israel? (R. Gordon, D. D.)
Israels God and Gods Israel
I. Israels God. Truly, when Moses looked upon the gods of Egypt–a country so superstitious that the satirist wrote of them, O happy nation, whose gods grow in their own gardens–when he heard the wild mythology of their idolatry, he might well say, There is none among them that is like unto the God of Jeshurun, Perhaps Moses had seen those vast catacombs of idolised animals which Egyptian discoverers have lately opened, where the crocodiles, cats, and birds, which had been worshipped in life, were afterwards carefully consigned. Wise as Egypt professed to be, she preserved her dead gods in myriads. Truly, the fancies of the most civilised nations have invented no deity comparable for a moment to the living God who made the heavens and the earth. Moses, in the particular words here used, seems to intimate that there is none like the God of Jeshurun as the ground of our confidence, Now, ye who have trusted in God, remember there is room for you to trust Him still more; and the more you shall confide in Him, the more emphatically will you declare, There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun. If we rely upon men, we put trust in fickleness itself. Fall back upon yourselves, lean upon your fellow creatures, trust upon earth-born confidences, and ye fall Upon a rotten foundation that shall give way beneath you; but rest upon your God alone, and the stars in heaven shall fight for you, and things present and things to come, and heights, and depths, and all the creatures subservient to the will of the omnipotent Creator, shall work together for good to you seeing that you love God and are depending upon His power.
II. Israels safety. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Two sentences, with a little variation of expression, containing essentially the same sense. God is first said to be the refuge of His people, that is, when they have strength enough to fly to Him He protects them; but it is delightfully added, underneath are the everlasting arms, that is, when they have not strength enough to flee to Him, but faint where they stand, there are His arms ready to bear them up in their utmost extremity. I will mention some times when a Christian needs these arms peculiarly. These are when he is in a state of great elevation of mind. Sometimes God takes His servants and puts them on the pinnacle of the temple. Satan does it sometimes; God does it too–puts His servants up on the very pinnacle, where they are so full of joy that they scarce know how to contain themselves, whether in the body or out of the body they cannot tell. Well, now, suppose they should fall! for it is so easy for a man, when full of ecstasy and ravishment, to make a false step and slip. Ah! but, in such moments, underneath are the everlasting arms. They are safe enough, as safe as though they were in the valley of humiliation, for underneath are the arms of God. Sometimes He puts a man in such a position in service–there must be leaders in the Lords Church, captains and mighty men of war–and the Lord sometimes calls a man and says to him, Now, be Moses to this people. Such positions are fraught with temptation; but is Gods servant in greater danger than an ordinary Christian? Yes, he is, if left to himself; but he will not be left to himself, for God does not treat His captains as David treated Uriah, and put them in the forefront of the battle, to leave them, that they may be slain by the enemy. No, if our God calls a man to tread the high places of the field, that man shall say with Habakkuk, He will make my feet like hinds feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places. Underneath are the everlasting arms. Another period of great need is after extraordinary exaltations and enjoyments, when it often happens that Gods servants are greatly depressed. In the wilderness, all alone, you hear Elijah cry, Let me die, I am no better than my fathers. Yes, the man who never was to die at all, prayed that he might die. Just so, high exaltations involve deep depressions. But what was under Elijah when he fell down in that fainting fit under the juniper tree? Why, underneath were the everlasting arms. So shall it be with you who are called thus to fall into the depths of depression; the eternal arms shall be lower than you are.
III. Israels future. You have seen a man in our streets with a telescope, through which you may see Venus, or Saturn, or Jupiter. Now, if that gentleman, instead of revealing the stars, could fix up a telescope, and undertake that everybody who looked through it could see his future life, I will be bound to say he would make his fortune very speedily, for there is a great desire amongst us all to know something of the future. Yet we need not be so anxious, for the great outlines of the future are very well known already. We have it on the best authority, that in the future as in the past, we shall meet with difficulties, and contend with enemies. My text, like the telescope, reveals to those who trust in God what will become of their difficulties, and we see that they are to be overcome. God will work, and you will work. He shall thrust out your enemies, and He shall say to you, Destroy them. It is a grand thing to go straight on in the path of duty, believing that God will clear the road. Like the priests, when they came to the edge of Jordan, and saw the billows rolling up, yet on they went, and not so much as one of them was touched by the waves, for as they put down their feet the waters receded. Oh, it must have been grand to be the first man in that march–to see the waters flow away before your feet! So shall it be with you: the water shall come up to where you are, yet it shall not touch you; you shall find it disappear as you by faith advance.
IV. Israels blessedness.
1. Israel then shall dwell alone. Dwelling with God in communion, having with Him one object, one affection, one desire, we dwell apart from the rest of mankind, coming out daily more and more from them, and desiring to be nearer and nearer to Christ, and farther and farther from men. Here we dwell safely; nowhere safe except when alone with God, but always safe then.
2. Abundant provision. The fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine. Gods people are to be supplied from a fountain, and around that fountain there shall always be a superabundance of corn for their necessities, and of wine for their comfort and their luxury. Those who come to God receive no stinted allowance, they are gentlemen commoners upon the bounty of God. There is a daily portion allotted to them, and it is measured on a princely scale, equal to the dignity of the new birth. We drink from an ever overflowing fountain.
3. Celestial unction. Also His heavens shall drop down dew. How we want this! How dry we get, how dull, how dead, unless the Lord visit us! The Oriental knew the value of dew. When he saw the green pastures turn brown and at last dry up, till they were nothing but dust and powder, how he sought for the shower, and the dew; and when it came, how thankful was he! When that dew of the Holy Spirit is gone from us, what dead prayers, what miserable songs, what wearisome preaching, what wretched hearing! Oh, there is death everywhere when the Holy Spirit is denied us; but we need not be without Him, for He is in the promise–His heaven shall drop down dew. The words read as if there were much dew, superabundance of moisture. So, indeed, we may have the Holy Spirit most copiously if we have but faith enough. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The God of Jeshurun
I. The appellation given to Jehovah. The term Jeshurun is a collective term used, just as Israel, Jacob, etc., to designate the covenant people–the people who, like Israel of old, have received a Divine call to come out from the world and be separate; who, in obedience to this Divine call, have separated themselves unto the Lord, and have entered into a solemn and public covenant with Him in which they have engaged to be His, and in which He has been graciously pleased to receive them, so that they now constitute His peculium. Jeshurun is, in other words, a symbolical designation of the Church. The text, therefore, represents God as sustaining to those who are members of the Church a relation that He does not and cannot sustain to one who is outside its fold. But there must be special reason for using this particular term to designate the Church. Viewed etymologically we find Jeshurun seems to be the plural diminutive of the word upright. It may, therefore, probably be best translated the children of uprightness. This is Gods designation of the Church, indicative of its true character and mission in the world. Its mission is through the power of Divine grace to set upright that which has fallen. Its first work is to lift truth out of the dust; to free it from the incubus of error and superstition under which it has been borne down; to vindicate it, to defend it against all assaults of error, and to preserve it pure from all the inventions and sophistries of men. Broader, even yet, is the mission of the Church in establishing and maintaining uprightness in the earth. It is designed of God to be the great conservator of virtue, the great bulwark of morality, the efficient safeguard of the rights and liberties, of the intelligence and virtue, of the beneficence and charity that now beautify and gladden the world.
II. The action ascribed to Jehovah. Who rideth upon the heaven. It is the same bold figure, so often used by the inspired Psalmist, as when he represents Jehovah as making the clouds His chariot, or as riding upon the wings of the wind. It is the glory of natural law that it is the power which God wields, the chariot upon which God rides. The more majestic modern science shows it to be, the more do our hearts rejoice in it as a fitting vehicle for the triumphant progress of our King. Let the agnostic blindly worship the material chariot if he will, his eye dazzled with the effulgence of its glittering wheels, and his ear fascinated with its music as it glides over the celestial pavement; be it ours to pay our homage to Him who rides upon it, whose eye of intelligence looks down into ours, whose heart of love beats in sympathy with ours, and whose firm hand upon the rein assures us that all things are working together for our eternal good.
III. The object of Jehovah in thus doing. This riding of the God of Jesburun upon the heaven is in His peoples help. The chariot was the most formidable of all the implements of ancient warfare. The celerity with which it swept across the field of action; the momentum with which it crushed its way over the prostrate forms of opposing hosts; the vantage it afforded to the warrior by its elevated platform and protecting rail, and the carnage wrought by the sharp blades upon its axles as they hewed their way through the masses like scythes through the ripened grain: these made it of all engines of war the most effective and the most terrible. The children of Israel fled in dismay as they heard the rumble of Pharaohs chariot wheels. When intercepted by the waters of the Red Sea they stood cowering with affright as they saw the gleam of the chariots in the sunlight. Moses, therefore, introduces an element of encouragement peculiarly appropriate to the circumstances and experiences of the people when he represents Jehovah as an infinite charioteer riding majestically forth upon the heaven, keeping ever near His people in their wilderness journey, and ready in the hour of their conflict and peril to appear for their relief and for the discomfiture of their foes. It was just the assurance needed by a host who felt the inferiority of their equipment and resources to those of the enemies with whom they would have to contend. But without discarding from our view the special symbolism of the text, what can be more inspiring to the Church in this age, and in the midst of her present conflicts, than this thought of her Jehovah-Jesus, sitting upon the circle of the heavens, holding in His hands the reins of Gods providential government; keeping pace in the march of His providence with the progress of the Church; then always nearest when she is in her times of greatest peril; holding all the powers of heaven, earth, and hell in subjection to Himself, and plucking His grandest victories over the powers of darkness out of the very jaws of apparent defeat? (T. D. Witherspoon, D. D.)
God and the true
1. The last words of a truly great man.
2. Referring to subjects of the highest moment.
I. The incomparable God of the good.
1. His activity. Never slumbers or sleeps. The universe moves because He moves.
2. His grandeur.
3. His eternity.
II. The incomparable blessedness of the good.
1. None are so well protected from the perils of life.
2. None are so well supported under the trials of life.
3. None are so certain of conquering the enemies of life.
4. None are so enriched with the enjoyments of life,
These they shall possess–
(1) in safety;
(2) in rich variety;
(3) under the guardianship of God. (Homilist.)
The last words of Moses
Moses the man of God (who had as much reason as ever any mere man had to know both) with his last breath magnifies both the God of Israel and the Israel of God, They are both incomparable in his eye; and we are sure, in this his judgment of both, his eye did not wax dim.
I. No God like the God of israel.
1. This was the honour of Israel. Every nation boasted of its God, but none had such a God to boast of as Israel had.
2. It was their happiness that they were taken into covenant with such a God. Two things he notes as proofs of the incontestable preeminence of the God of Jeshurun–
(1) His sovereign power and authority (verse 26).
(2) His boundless eternity (verse 27).
II. No people like the Israel of God.
1. Never was people so well seated and sheltered (verse 27).
2. Never was people so well supported and borne up. The everlasting arms shall support–
(1) The interests of the Church in general, that they should not sink or be run down.
(2) The spirits of particular believers; so that, though they may be oppressed, they shall not be overwhelmed by any trouble.
3. Never was people so well commanded and led on to battle.
4. Never was people so well secured and protected (verse 28). Israel then shall dwell in safety alone.
(1) Though alone; though they contract no alliances with their neighbours, nor have any reason to expect help or succour from any of them, yet they shall dwell in safety, they shall really be safe, and they shall think themselves so.
(2) Because alone; they shall dwell in safety as long as they continue pure and unmixed with the heathen, a singular, and peculiar people. Their distinction from other nations, though it made them like a speckled bird (Jer 12:9), and exposed them to the ill-will of those about them, yet it was really their preservation from the mischief their neighbours wished them, as it kept them under the Divine protection. All that keep close to God shall be kept safe by Him. It is promised that in the kingdom of Christ Israel shall dwell safely (Jer 23:6).
5. Never was people so well provided for. The fountain of Jacob, i.e. the present generation of that people, which is as the fountain to all the streams that shall hereafter descend and be derived from it, shall now presently be fixed upon a good land. The eye of Jacob (so it might be read, for the same word signifies a fountain and an eye) is upon the land of corn and wine, i.e. where they now lay encamped they had Canaan in their eye; it was just before their faces, on the other side the river; and they would have it in their hands and under their feet quickly.
6. Never was people so well helped (verse 26). They that are added to the Gospel Israel are such as shall be saved (Act 2:47).
7. Never was people so well armed. God Himself was the shield of their help, by whom they were armed defensively, and sufficiently guarded against all assailants; and He was the sword of their excellency, by whom they were armed offensively, and made both formidable and successful in all their wars. God is called the sword of their excellency, because, in fighting for them, He made them to excel other people; or, because in all He did for them He had an eye to His sanctuary among them, which is called the excellency of Jacob (Psa 47:4; Eze 24:21; Amo 6:8). Those in whose hearts is the excellency of holiness, have God Himself for their shield and sword, are defended by the whole armour of God; His word is their sword, and faith in it is their shield (Eph 6:16-17).
8. Never was people so well assured of victory over their enemies. They shall be found liars unto thee, i.e. shall be forced to submit to thee sore against their will, so that it will be but a counterfeit submission. Yet the point shall be gained, for thou shalt tread upon their necks (so the Seventy), which we find done (Jos 10:24). (Matthew Henry, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 26. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun] We have already seen the literal meaning of Jeshurun, De 32:15; but besides its literal meaning, it seems to be used as an expression of particular affection: hence Calmet understands it as a diminutive of the word Israel. We know that , sons, in the mouth of St. John, signifies much less than , which, properly translated, would be beloved children, a term which at once shows the helplessness of the offspring, and the tender affection of the parent. So Jeshurun may be understood here: and hence the Septuagint seem to have apprehended the full force of the word by translating it , the beloved one, the object of God’s especial delight.
Israel’s God, and God’s Israel, have no fellows. What were all the gods of the nations, even supposing they were real beings, in comparison of the Almighty? And what nation under heaven could be compared to the Israel of God? It was, however, from God’s excellence that they derived theirs.
Rideth upon the heaven, &c.] Unites heaven and earth in thy defence and support, and comes with irresistible velocity to succour and defend thee, and to discomfit thine adversaries.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Upon the heaven, i. e. upon the clouds, to succour thee from thence, by sending thunder and lightning upon thine enemies. See Psa 18:7; 68:34, &c.
In his excellency, or,
in his magnificence, i.e. magnificently, gloriously, and with great majesty as well as power.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26-29. There is none like unto theGod of JeshurunThe chapter concludes with a congratulatoryaddress to Israel on their peculiar happiness and privilege in havingJehovah for their God and protector.
who rideth upon the heaven inthy helpan evident allusion to the pillar of cloud and fire,which was both the guide and shelter of Israel.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
[There is] none like unto the God of Jeshurun,…. Or Israel, as all the three Targums; for this is one of the names of the people of Israel; [See comments on De 32:15]; and the Lord was their God in a special sense, having chosen, redeemed them, and made a covenant with them; and there is no God like him for the perfections of his nature, his purity and holiness, his goodness, wisdom, power, faithfulness, c. and for the wonderful works of nature, providence, and grace, done by him and for the blessings of goodness, temporal and spiritual, he bestows on men. The tribes being particularly blessed, the whole body of the people are pronounced happy, and whose happiness is enlarged on in
De 33:26;
[who] rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky; which he has the sovereign rule and disposal of, and can and does dispose of all the artillery therein, as illustrious proofs of his glory and excellency, and for the help of his people, and the destruction of their enemies; as when he sent forth hail, thunderings, and lightnings, upon the Egyptians, and frightened them; and cast down hailstones upon the Canaanites, and slew many of them; and when the stars in their course fought against Sisera; see Ps 68:4 Jud 5:20.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The conclusion of the blessing corresponds to the introduction. As Moses commenced with the glorious fact of the founding of the kingdom of Jehovah in Israel, as the firm foundation of the salvation of His people, so he also concludes with a reference to the Lord their eternal refuge, and with a congratulation of Israel which could find refuge in such a God.
Deu 33:26-27 “ Who is as God, a righteous nation, who rides in heaven to thy help, and in His exaltation upon the clouds. Abiding is the God of olden time, and beneath are everlasting arms: and He drives the enemy before thee, and says, Destroy.” The meaning is: No other nation has a God who rules in heaven with almighty power, and is a refuge and help to his people against every foe. Jeshurun is a vocative, and the alteration of into , “as the God of Jeshurun,” according to the ancient versions, is to be rejected on the simple ground that the expression “ in thy help,” which follows immediately afterwards, is an address to Israel. Riding upon the heaven and the clouds is a figure used to denote the unlimited omnipotence with which God rules the world out of heaven, and is the helper of His people. “In thy help,” i.e., as thy helper. This God is a dwelling to His people. , like the masculine in Psa 90:1, and Psa 91:9, signifies “dwelling,” – a genuine Mosaic figure, to which, in all probability, the houseless wandering of the people in the desert, which made them feel the full worth of a dwelling, first gave rise. The figure not only implies that God grants protection and a refuge to His people in the storms of life (Psa 91:1-2, cf. Isa 4:6), but also that He supplies His people with everything that can afford a safe abode. “The God of old,” i.e., who has proved Himself to be God from the very beginning of the world (vid., Psa 90:1; Hab 1:12). The expression “ underneath” is to be explained from the antithesis to the heaven where God is enthroned above mankind. He who is enthroned in heaven above is also the God who is with His people upon the earth below, and holds and bars them in His arms. “Everlasting arms” are arms whose strength is never exhausted. There is no need to supply “thee” after “underneath;” the expression should rather be left in its general form, “upon the earth beneath.” The reference to Israel is obvious from the context. The driving of the enemy before Israel is not to be restricted to the rooting out of the Canaanites, but applies to every enemy of the congregation of the Lord.
Deu 33:28 “ And Israel dwells safely, alone the fountain of Jacob, in a land full of corn and wine; his heavens also drop down dew.” Because the God of old was the dwelling and help of Israel, it dwelt safely and separate from the other nations, in a land abounding with corn and wine. “The fountain of Jacob” is parallel to “Israel;” “ alone (separate) dwells the fountain of Jacob.” This title is given to Israel as having sprung from the patriarch Jacob, in whom it had its source. A similar expression occurs in Psa 68:27. It completely destroys the symmetry of the clauses of the verse to connect the words, as Luther does, with what follows, in the sense of “ the eye of Jacob is directed upon a land.” The construction of with , to dwell into a land, may be explained on the ground that the dwelling involves the idea of spreading out over the land. On the “ land of corn,” etc., see Deu 8:7 and Deu 8:8. is emphatic: yea his heaven, i.e., the heaven of this land drops down dew (vid., Gen 27:28). Israel was to be congratulated upon this.
Deu 33:29 “ Hail to thee, O Israel! who is like thee, a people saved in the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who (is) the sword of thine eminence. Thine enemies will deny themselves to thee, and thou ridest upon their heights.” “Saved;” not merely delivered from danger and distress, but in general endowed with salvation (like Zec 9:9; see also Isa 45:17). The salvation of Israel rested in the Lord, as the ground out of which it grew, from which it descended, because the Lord was its help and shield, as He had already promised Abraham (Gen 15:1), and “the sword of his eminence,” i.e., the sword which had fought for the eminence of Israel. But because the Lord was Israel’s shield and sword, or, so to speak, both an offensive and defensive weapon, his enemies denied themselves to him, i.e., feigned friendship, did not venture to appear openly as enemies (for the meaning “feign,” act the hypocrite, see Psa 18:45; Psa 81:16). But Israel would ride upon their heights, the high places of their land, i.e., would triumph over all its foes (see at Deu 32:13).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. 27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. 28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. 29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
These are the last words of all that ever Moses, that great writer, that great dictator, either wrote himself or had written from his dictation; they are therefore very remarkable, and no doubt we shall find them very improving. Moses, the man of God (who had as much reason as ever any mere man had to know both), with his last breath magnifies both the God of Israel and the Israel of God. They are both incomparable in his eye; and we are sure that in this his judgment of both his eye did not wax dim.
I. No God like the God of Israel. None of the gods of the nations were capable of doing that for their worshippers which Jehovah did for his: There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, v. 26. Note, When we are expecting that God should bless us in doing well for us we must bless him by speaking well of him: and one of the most solemn ways of praising God is by acknowledging that there is none like him. Now, 1. This was the honour of Israel. Every nation boasted of its god; but none had such a God to boast of as Israel had. 2. It was their happiness that they were taken into covenant with such a God. Two things he takes notice of as proofs of the incontestable pre-eminence of the God of Jeshurun above all other gods: (1.) His sovereign power and authority: He rides upon the heavens, and with the greatest state and magnificence on the skies. Riding on the heavens denotes his greatness and glory, in which he manifests himself to the upper world, and the use he makes of the influences of heaven, and the productions of the clouds, in bringing to pass his own counsels in this lower world: he manages and directs them as a man does the horse he rides on. When he has any thing to do for his people he rides upon the heavens to do it; for he does it swiftly and strongly: no enemy can either anticipate or obstruct the progress of him that rides on the heavens. (2.) His boundless eternity; he is the eternal God, and his arms are everlasting, v. 27. The gods of the heathen were but lately invented, and would shortly perish; but the God of Jeshurun is eternal: he was before all worlds, and will be when time and days shall be no more. See Hab. i. 12.
II. No people like the Israel of God. Having pronounced each tribe happy, in the close he pronounces all together very happy, so happy in all respects that there was no nation under the sun comparable to them (v. 29): Happy art thou, O Israel, a people whose God is the Lord, on that account truly happy, and none like unto thee. If Israel honour God as a non-such God, he will favour them so as to make them a non-such people, the envy of all their neighbours and the joy of all their well-wishers. Who is like unto thee, O people? Behold, thou art fair, my love, says Christ of his spouse. To which she presently returns, Behold thou art fair, my beloved. What one nation (no, not all the nations together) is like thy people Israel? 2 Sam. vii. 23. What is here said of the church of Israel and the honours and privileges of it is certainly to be applied to the church of the first-born, that are written in heaven. The Christian church is the Israel of God, as the apostle calls it (Gal. vi. 16), on which there shall be peace, and which is dignified above all societies in the world, as Israel was.
1. Never were people so well seated and sheltered (v. 27): The eternal God is thy refuge. Or, as the word signifies, “thy habitation, or mansion-house, in which thou art safe, and easy, and at rest, as a man in his own house.” Every Israelite indeed is at home in God; the soul returns to him, and reposes in him as its resting-place (Ps. cxvi. 7), its hiding-place, Ps. xxxii. 7. And those that make him their habitation shall have all the comforts and benefits of a habitation in him, Ps. xci. 1. Moses had an eye to God as the habitation of Israel when they were wandering in the wilderness (Ps. xc. 1): Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. And now that they were going to settle in Canaan they must not change their habitation; still they will need, and still they shall have, the eternal God for their dwelling-place; without him Canaan itself would be a wilderness, and a land of darkness.
2. Never were people so well supported and borne up: Underneath are the everlasting arms; that is, the almighty power of God is engaged for the protection and consolation of all that trust in him, in their greatest straits and distresses, and under the heaviest burdens. The everlasting arms shall support, (1.) The interests of the church in general, that they shall not sink, or be run down; underneath the church is that rock of ages on which it is built, and against which the gates of hell shall never prevail, Matt. xvi. 18. (2.) The spirits or particular believers, so that, though they may be oppressed, they shall not be overwhelmed by any trouble. How low soever the people of God are at any time brought, everlasting arms are underneath them to keep the spirit from sinking, from fainting, and the faith from failing, even when they are pressed above measure. The everlasting covenant, and the everlasting consolations that flow from it, are indeed everlasting arms, with which believers have been wonderfully sustained, and kept cheerful in the worst of times; divine grace is sufficient for them, 2 Cor. xii. 9.
3. Never were people so well commanded and led on to battle: “He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee by his almighty power, which will make room for thee; and by a commission which will bear thee out he shall say, Destroy them.” They were now entering upon a land that was in the full possession of a strong and formidable people, and who, being its first planters, looked upon themselves as its rightful owners; how shall Israel justify, and how shall they accomplish, the expulsion of them? (1.) God will give them a commission to destroy the Canaanites, and that will justify them, and bear them out in it, against all the world. He that is sovereign Lord of all lives and all lands not only allowed and permitted, but expressly commanded and appointed the children of Israel both to take possession of the land of Canaan and to put the sword to the people of Canaan, which, being thus authorized, they might not only lawfully but honourably do, without incurring the least stain or imputation of theft by the one or murder by the other. (2.) God will give them power and ability to destroy them; nay, he will in effect do it to their hands: he will thrust out the enemy from before them; for the very fear of Israel shall put them to flight. God drive out the heathen to plant his people, Ps. xliv. 2. Thus believers are more than conquerors over their spiritual enemies, through Christ that loved them. The captain of our salvation thrust out the enemy from before us when he overcame the world and spoiled principalities and powers on the cross; and the word of command to us is, “Destroy them; pursue the victory, and you shall divide the spoil.”
4. Never were people so well secured and protected (v. 28): Israel shall then dwell in safety alone. Those that dwell in God, and make his name their strong tower, dwell in safety; the place of their defence is the munitions of rocks, Isa. xxxiii. 16. They shall dwell in safety alone. (1.) Though alone. Though they contract no alliances with their neighbours, nor have any reason to expect help or succour from any of them, yet they shall dwell in safety; they shall really be safe, and they shall think themselves so. (2.) Because alone. They shall dwell in safety as long as they continue pure, and unmixed with the heathen, a singular and peculiar people. Their distinction from other nations, though it made them like a speckled bird (Jer. xii. 9), and exposed them to the ill-will of those about them, yet was really their preservation from the mischief their neighbours wished them, as it kept them under the divine protection. All that keep close to God shall be kept safely by him. It is promised that in the kingdom of Christ Israel shall dwell safely, Jer. xxiii. 6.
5. Never were people so well provided for: The fountain of Jacob (that is, the present generation of that people, which is as the fountain to all the streams that shall hereafter descend and be derived from it) shall now presently be fixed upon a good land. The eye of Jacob (so it might be read, for the same word signifies a fountain and an eye) is upon the land of corn and wine, that is, where they now lay encamped they had Canaan in their eye, it was just before their faces, on the other side the river, and they would have it in their hands and under their feet quickly. This land upon which they had set their eye was blessed both with the fatness of the earth and the dew of heaven; it was a land of corn and wine, substantial and useful productions: also his heavens (as if the heavens were particularly designed to be blessings to that land) shall drop down dew, without which, though the soil were ever so good, the corn and wine would soon fail. Every Israelite indeed has his eye, the eye of faith, upon the better country, the heavenly Canaan, which is richly replenished with better things than corn and wine.
6. Never were people so well helped. If they were in any strait, God himself rode upon the heavens for their help, v. 26. And they were a people saved by the Lord, v. 29. If they were in danger of any harm, or in want of any good, they had an eternal God to go to, an almighty power to trust to; nothing could hurt those whom God helped, nor was it possible that the people should perish which was saved by the Lord. Those that are added to the gospel Israel are such as shall be saved, Acts ii. 47.
7. Never were people so well armed. God himself was the shield of their help by whom they were armed defensively, and sufficiently guarded against all assailants: and he was the sword of their excellency, by whom they were armed offensively, and made both formidable and successful in all their wars. God is called the sword of their excellency because, in fighting for them, he made them to excel other people, or because in all he did for them he had an eye to his sanctuary among them, which is called the excellency of Jacob,Psa 47:4; Eze 24:21; Amo 6:8. Those in whose hearts is the excellency of holiness have God himself for their shield and sword–are defended by the whole armour of God; his word is their sword, and faith in it is their shield, Eph 6:16; Eph 6:17.
8. Never were people so well assured of victory over their enemies: They shall be found liars unto thee; That is, “shall be forced to submit to thee sorely against their will, so that it will be but a counterfeit submission; yet the point shall be gained, for thou shalt tread upon their necks” (so the LXX.), which we find done, Josh. x. 24. “Thou shalt tread down their strong-holds, be they ever so high, and trample upon their palaces and temples, though esteemed ever so sacred. If thy enemies be found liars to thee” (so some read it), “thou shalt tread upon their high places; if they will not be held by the bonds of leagues and treaties, they shall be broken by the force of war.” Thus shall the God of peace tread Satan under the feet of all believers, and shall do it shortly, Rom. xvi. 20.
Now lay all this together, and then you will say, Happy art thou, O Israel! Who is like unto thee, O people! Thrice happy the people whose God is the Lord.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 26-29:
This is the conclusion of Moses’ benediction upon Israel. In it he eulogizes Jehovah as the eternal Refuge and Help of His people.
The grammatical structure of the first clause of verse 26 calls for the translation: “There is none like Elohim, O Jeshurun.” This is further indicated by “thy help,” denoting that Israel is meant.
Jeshurun, see verse 5, and Deu 32:15; also Isa 44:2.
“Refuge,” meonah, “habitation, den,” also translated dwelling place in Psa 76:2.
The eternal God is also Israel’s source of sustenance, security, blessing, and victory over her enemies.
“Fountain,” ayin, “spring;” see Deu 8:7; Gen 16:7; Num 33:9. The term denotes a copious; flowing spring of pure water. The expression, “fountain of Jacob” is parallel to Israel in the first part of verse 26.
“Happy,” ashere (Makariios, LXX), also translated “blessed,” see Psa 1:1; Psa 21:12; Psa 31:1; et. al. The term denotes prosperity, wealth, a condition to be envied, and the Biblical emphasis is upon spiritual prosperity.
“Thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee,” means, “your enemies shall come fawning and cringing, and submit feigned obedience to you,” with the idea of obtaining favor with you.
“Thou shalt tread upon their high places,” denotes. Israel’s complete triumph over her enemies. Moses’ benediction looks forward to the ultimate role of Israel, fully realized in the Millennial Reign of’ Jesus upon earth, see Eze chapters 38-48.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
26. There is none like unto the God. Moses proceeds from the parts to the whole, and now comes to speak of the whole body, which consisted of the twelve families. All that he says tends to the same end, viz., that the people of Israel were happy as being taken by God under this faithful guardianship: for nothing is more to be desired with regard to our best interests, than that our welfare should be intrusted to the hand of God. But, since this inestimable blessing of being protected by the care of God is often but lightly prized, Moses exclaims in admiration, that there is none to be compared to the God of Israel. We know that all nations had their tutelary gods or patrons, and foolishly gloried in their respective idols; although they often found from experience, that whatever confidence they placed in them was vain and frivolous. Moses, therefore, separates from this imaginary multitude of false gods the God of Israel, like whom, he says, none can be anywhere found. He also extols His power, because He rides gloriously on the heavens and clouds, which is tantamount to all high things being subject to His dominion. But, whereas it would be of little profit to reflect on his infinite power except; in its connection with ourselves, Moses expressly reminds us that God is not strong for Himself, but in order that He may help His people.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
k. BLESSINGS UPON ALL ISRAEL (Deu. 33:26-29)
26
There is none like unto God, I Jeshurun
Who rideth upon the heavens for thy help,
And in his excellency on the skies.
27
The eternal God is thy dwelling-place,
And underneath are the everlasting arms:
And he thrust out the enemy from before thee,
And said, Destroy.
28
And Israel dwelleth in safety
The fountain of Jacob alone,
In a land of grain and new wine;
Yea, his heavens drop down dew,
29
Happy art thou, O Israel:
Who is like unto thee, a people saved by Jehovah,
The shield of thy help,
And the sword of thy excellency!
And thine enemies shall submit themselves unto thee;
And thou shalt tread upon their high places.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 33:2629
601.
What a promise of assurance and protection!: The eternal God is thy dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms:why was Israel ever defeated with such a One for their God?
602.
From victory to victory God promised to lead Israelhow sad that it was not trueis there meaning in this for us?
AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 33:2629
26 There is none like God, O Jeshurun [Israel], Who rides through the heavens to your help, and in His majestic glory through the sky.
27 The eternal God is your refuge and dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He drove the enemy before you and thrust them out, saying, Destroy!
28 And Israel dwells in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone in a land of grain and new wine; yest His heavens drop dew.
29 Happy are you, O Israel, and blessing is yours! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, the sword that exalts you! Your enemies shall come fawning and cringing, and submit feigned obedience to you, and you shall march on their high places.
COMMENT 33:2629
This passage comprises a beautiful song of praise to God as well as the assurance of his blessing. As we have seen again and again in Deuteronomy, the continuence of such promises are contingent upon Israels faithfulness. We see no reason to discard this principle in the present instance.
JESHURUN (Deu. 33:26)Israel. See Deu. 32:15, note.
THE FOUNTAIN OF JACOB ALONE (Deu. 33:28)That is, the issue or offspring of Jacob (Israel), as the special recipient of Gods favor, rested solely upon his might. He would fight for them (Deu. 1:30) and he would not fail them or forsake them (Deu. 31:6-8, Jos. 1:5-9). They were therefore in a happy and blessed condition (Deu. 33:29), saved by Jehovah, their shield.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(26) There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun.Their rock is not as our Rock. For Jeshurun, see note on Deu. 32:15.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun A better translation is, O Jeshurun, (or righteous nation,) there is none like God.
Who rideth upon the heaven in thy help More literally rendered, riding through the heavens to thy help.
And in his excellency on the sky Better, and in his majesty upon the clouds.
Deu 33:26
There is none like to God, O Jeshurun,
Who rides on the heavens for your help,
And in his excellency on the skies.
Israel is now assured that that what Moses has spoken of will be theirs, for there is no god like their God. He is king in Jeshurun (Deu 33:5), and now He is their God. He is supreme and alone in majesty. He rules them from above and can come to their help from there at any time. For this compare Psa 68:33-34 where a similar idea is expressed. See also Psa 104:3; Isa 19:1 ; 2Sa 22:10-11; Psa 18:9-10. He rides the Heavens in order to come to their aid, and is supreme in the skies.
Baal, a prominent god both in Canaan and in Baal worship in Egypt, was described as ‘the rider of the clouds’, and Moses wants it to be quite clear that the clouds are in fact part of Yahweh’s sphere. It is rather He Who rides the clouds.
Ver. 26-29. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun Moses, having made an end of declaring to each tribe some of the particular circumstances which would distinguish them from the rest, and having prayed for their respective prosperity, as far as the holy spirit suffered him, now concludes the whole with a general benediction. This beautiful ode begins with representing God Almighty, who had vouchsafed to become the tutelary Deity of Israel, as being far superior to any local gods: for the heavens and all the creation obeyed him; and though he was so highly exalted, yet he condescended to assist them, and humbled himself so far as to reside among them in symbols, that they might be satisfied that they were under his more immediate care. God is next described as the leader of the armies of his chosen people; and, after having openly declared his approbation of their valour, he puts them in possession of the enemies’ country, a country in which they would live separate from the rest of the world, and might rest secure under his protection, without soliciting any foreign aid; a country, moreover, remarkable for its excellent fountains, fruitful dews and showers, and abounding in all manner of corn, wine, and oil. Here Moses, unable to conceive greater temporal blessings for any race of men, breaks out into pathetic exclamations, reminds them of their inexpressible happiness, and peculiar privileges in being the subjects of an Almighty LORD; and as he knew them to be a rebellious people, too forgetful of God’s goodness, he concludes the whole with repeating, that as God was their friend, their patron, and protector, they might rest assured, that they would conquer their enemies, and triumph in the possession of their land. I render the whole passage thus: Ver. 26. “There is none like God, O Jeshurun,riding on the heavens to thy help,and on the clouds in his excellency.27. Thou art the habitation of the eternal God,and under his everlasting arms;and he shall drive the enemy before thee,and shall say, He hath destroyed, and he shall dwell.28. Israel is alone in safety;the fountain of Jacob is upon a land of corn and wine, (and oil;)and his heavens shall drop down dew.29. O happy Israel! who is like thee,O people saved by the LORD? Who is the shield of thy help.and who is the sword of thine excellency:and thine enemies shall submit themselves to thee;and thou shalt tread on their high places.” In the 27th verse, I render mouneh, habitation, as God is frequently said in Scripture to have his habitation among the Israelites; sometimes in Jerusalem, and sometimes in Sion; and he had at that time his dwelling, if I may use the expression, among them. Hence the Israelites are called the habitation of justice, Jer 31:23. See Psa 90:1. Durell.
It is remarkable, how holy men of old, when under the SPIRIT of the LORD, break out in the midst of their office of blessing his people, with blessing the GOD of his people. Thus dying Jacob, in the midst of blessing his children, cries out, I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD. Gen 49:18 . And here Moses breaks out in a commendation of the GOD of Jeshurun. Reader! observe with me how very sweet and striking this, and the following three last verses of Moses are, in praising the GOD of Israel, and in commending the Israel of GOD. They are the last word’s of this great man, and the last words of great men, are always particularly to be attended to. In this verse, he pours out his praises upon Israel’s GOD. There is none like him, saith Moses. And he instanceth this, in those two grand distinctions of character, his sovereignty, and his glory. How sweet, how very sweet and dear are those perfections to the contemplation of his people. By the one, they are secured in his power, and by the other, in his love. Oh! that you and I, Reader, may know our covenant GOD in CHRIST, in both.
Deu 33:26 [There is] none like unto the God of Jeshurun, [who] rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
Ver. 26. Who rideth upon the heaven. ] Having the celestial creatures for his cavalry, and the terrestrial for his infantry; how then can his want help?
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Deu 33:26-29
26There is none like the God of Jeshurun,
Who rides the heavens to your help,
And through the skies in His majesty.
27The eternal God is a dwelling place,
And underneath are the everlasting arms;
And He drove out the enemy from before you,
And said, ‘Destroy!’
28So Israel dwells in security,
The fountain of Jacob secluded,
In a land of grain and new wine;
His heavens also drop down dew.
29Blessed are you, O Israel;
Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord,
Who is the shield of your help
And the sword of your majesty!
So your enemies will cringe before you,
And you will tread upon their high places.
Deu 33:26-29 These verses are a transition section which praises YHWH’s uniqueness and power! Jeshurun is used as a designation for Israel (cf. Deu 32:15). These verses (i.e., Deu 33:26 line b & c; Deu 33:28 line c &d; Deu 33:29 :line f) use phrases that commonly referred to the fertility god, Ba’al, implying that all the things that had been said about Ba’al were not true about him, but were true of YHWH. YHWH is the only God.
Deu 33:26 There is none like the God Sees note at Deu 4:35. See Special Topic: Monotheism .
Deu 33:27 The eternal God Elohim is often combined with attributes:
1. the eternal Elohim, here
2. the everlasting Elohim, Isaiah 26
3. the true Elohim, 2Ch 15:3; Isa 65:16
4. the Elohim of all flesh, Jer 32:27 (similar to Num 16:22; Num 27:16)
5. the Elohim of heaven, Gen 24:3; Gen 24:7; 2Ch 36:23; Ezr 1:2; Neh 1:4-5; Neh 2:4; Neh 2:20
6. a Elohim at hand (or near), Jer 23:23
7. Elohim of my (or our) salvation, Psa 18:46; Psa 24:5; Psa 25:5; Psa 27:9; Psa 65:5; Psa 79:9; Psa 85:4; Isa 17:10
8. Elohim of my righteousness, Psa 4:1
9. Elohim who is my rock, 2Sa 22:3; Psa 18:2
10. Elohim who is my stronghold, Psa 43:2
11. Elohim who is my praise, Psa 109:1
(This list is from BDB p. 44, #4, b.)
NASBdwelling place
NKJVyour refuge
NRSVyour dwelling place
TEV——–
NJBthe well-spring of Jacob is chosen out
This term (BDB 733) can refer to an animal’s lair (cf. Job 37:8; Job 38:40; Amo 3:4) or a metaphor for the refuge offered by God for His people (only here). A similar concept is found in Psa 71:3; Psa 91:9.
And underneath are the everlasting arms This is a metaphor for:
1. YHWH’s fighting on their behalf (cf. line c, Deu 33:29)
2. YHWH’s perpetual care and attention
YHWH is the God who acts! It is possible that this is an allusion to Gen 49:24 (lines b & c).
Destroy This VERB (BDB 1029, KB 1552, Hiphil IMPERATIVE) means to exterminate. It is part of the terminology of holy war, cf. Deu 1:27; Deu 2:22; Deu 6:15; Deu 9:20; Jos 7:12; Jos 9:24. If Israel is obedient to the covenant He will fight for them, but if not, He will fight against them!
The Israelites were expected to dress for battle and take the field against her enemies, but it was YHWH who won the battle!
Deu 33:28
NASBThe fountain of Jacob secluded
NKJVthe fountain of Jacob alone
NRSVuntroubled in Jacob’s abode
TEV———–
NJBthe well-spring of Jacob is chosen out
Fountain (BDB 745 II) means spring and refers to descendants. The term secluded (BDB 94, alone) is a metaphor for security.
Deu 33:29 This verse uses holy war terminology to describe YHWH’s deliverance from Egypt, from the desert, and from the Canaanites!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Why could Moses not enter the Promised Land?
2. Why are there so many translations of Deu 33:2-3?
3. Why is Simeon not listed in blessings?
4. Is there a Messianic reference in these blessings?
none like. See note on Exo 15:11.
GOD. Hebrew. ‘El. See App-4.
Jeshurun = Upright, i.e. the ideal Israel (Compare Deu 33:29) as the “upright” nation, possessing all these laws. See note on first occurrence, Deu 32:15.
rideth. Compare Psa 68:4, Psa 68:33.
none: Exo 15:11, Psa 86:8, Isa 40:18, Isa 40:25, Isa 43:11-13, Isa 66:8, Jer 10:6
Jeshurun: Deu 32:15
rideth: Psa 18:10, Psa 68:4, Psa 68:33, Psa 68:34, Psa 104:3, Isa 19:1, Hab 3:8
Reciprocal: Gen 9:26 – Blessed Gen 15:1 – and thy Exo 8:10 – there is none Exo 15:7 – the greatness Deu 32:13 – ride 1Ki 8:53 – as thou 1Ch 17:20 – none 1Ch 17:21 – what one Job 37:4 – the voice Psa 8:9 – General Psa 18:9 – He bowed Psa 25:13 – His soul Psa 113:5 – like Pro 2:8 – and Isa 27:3 – do keep Isa 41:13 – will hold Isa 46:9 – and there is none like Jer 31:3 – I have Eze 16:7 – excellent ornaments Hos 13:9 – but Amo 8:7 – sworn Mic 7:18 – a God Mal 2:11 – profaned Heb 13:6 – The Lord
Deu 33:26. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun These are the last words that ever Moses wrote, perhaps the greatest writer that ever lived upon the earth. And this man of God, who had as much reason to know both as ever any mere man had, with his last breath magnifies both the God of Israel, and the Israel of God. Having blessed every particular tribe, he concludes with declaring the happiness of the whole nation, especially in this, that their God was not like the vain and foolish gods of other nations, but that eternal and infinite Being, who is matchless and inimitable in all perfections, and who had undertaken to be their protector, provider, and saviour, notwithstanding and in defiance of all their enemies. Who rideth upon the heavens in, or to, thy help Who, in sending thee help, rides upon the heavens with the greatest state and magnificence, and makes them subservient to his will, by employing thunder, lightning, hail- stones, and all the artillery of the skies in thy behalf. His riding on the heavens denotes the greatness and glory in which he manifests himself to the upper world, and the use he makes of the influences of heaven and the products of the clouds, in bringing to pass his own counsels in this lower world. All these he manages and directs, as a man doth the horse he rides on. In his excellency on the sky Or, In his magnificence on the clouds; that is, when he is pleased to display his grandeur and awful majesty in thy behalf, he rides upon the clouds, raises such storms and tempests as demonstrate those parts of nature to be entirely under his power and control.
The blessing closes by returning to consider Israel’s God again (cf. Deu 33:2-5). Moses pictured Him as a God great enough to give the tribes all He had just promised them. [Note: For a critical study of this chapter, see I. L. Seeligmann, "A Psalm from Pre-Regal Times," Vetus Testamentum 14 (1964):75-92.] The key to Israel’s blessing was her God and her relationship to Him.
"As we might expect, here at the end of the book, Moses pictures Israel’s dwelling in the land as a reversal of the events of the early chapters of Genesis, when Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 478.]
The Lord has fulfilled these predictions in part, but He will fulfill them completely in the future. This will occur when Israel repents and He brings her back into her land (i.e., during the Millennium).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)