Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 4:34
Or hath God attempted to go [and] take him a nation from the midst of [another] nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
34. Or hath God assayed ] Rather, hath a god. The verb nissah is rendered in Deu 28:56 adventured. It is also used for the tempting or testing of Israel by God, Deu 8:2; Deu 8:16, Deu 13:3 (4) (also in E), or of God by Israel, Deu 6:16 (also in JE).
to go ] Heb. to come, which is better, meaning to come upon earth.
by temptations, by signs, and by wonders ] Deu 7:19, Deu 29:2 (partly Deu 6:22, Deu 11:3). Temptations, rather tests, provings or experiments, massth (from the verb explained in previous note), such as those applied to Phara‘oh; not only to prove him, but to offer him proofs that God was with Israel so in the account of the plagues in JE, especially Exo 8:9 ff; Exo 9:27. Signs or evidences, ’othth, in the widest sense, any distinguishing mark (e.g. blood on the doorposts of the Israelites, Exo 12:13; a family mark or ensign, Num 2:2); but usually of an action or event attached to an oracle, either to illustrate or enforce its meaning (Isaiah stripped and barefoot, Isa 20:3) or to prove its divinity (Isa 7:3, etc.). These last, though startling, were not necessarily miraculous; cp. 1Sa 2:34, the death of Eli’s sons, Isa 8:18, the prophet’s sons with the ominous names and as above, Isa 20:3; but as in the cases before us they might be so. Orientals make no distinction, except, of degree, between one kind and another. Wonders, mph e thm (usually with signs; in addition to deuteronomic passages quoted above, and Deu 13:1 (2), see Isa 8:18; Isa 20:3), rather portents, more closely attached to the idea of the extraordinary than sign is. Also with the particular sense of foreshadowing, prodigium; cp. Zec 3:8. See also Driver’s Exodus p. 59.
by war ] To ask whether this implies a supernatural element, or simply the inspiration of Israel’s armies, is to ignore the fact that Israel themselves made no such distinction. Jehovah himself was their warlord. J, Exo 14:14, Jehovah shall fight for you, ye shall hold your peace; E, id. Exo 14:24 b, He discomfited the Egyptian host; J, id. Exo 14:25, He took off their chariot-wheels so that the Egyptians said, Jehovah fighteth for them. But in other cases Israel themselves also fought.
by a mighty hand ] In D 10 times, both with Sg. and Pl.; Deu 3:24, thy mighty hand; followed by outstretched arm, as here, Deu 5:15, Deu 7:19, Deu 11:2, Deu 26:8; alone, Deu 6:21, Deu 7:8, Deu 9:26; followed by great terrors, Deu 34:12. In JE (?), Exo 3:19; Exo 6:1, alone; cp. Deu 13:14; Deu 13:16, strength of hand.
and by a stretched out arm ] In D 6 times both with Sg. and Pl.; of which five times (as above) with a mighty hand, and once Deu 9:29 with great power. Elsewhere in the Hex. only in P, Exo 6:6, which also uses the verb stretch forth in Exo 7:5.
by great terrors ] Heb. mra’m, terrifying things. LXX , mar’m, accepted by Geiger; but it is weaker than the other. Cp. Deu 10:21, great and terrible things.
for you ] LXX omits and for your God gives our God. The only plurals in this section; probably editorial.
before your eyes ] Heb. thine eyes; the your of both EVV shows how easy it is to change the original forms of address under the influence of attraction: there is a similar instance in A.V. Deu 4:3 you for thee.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 34. From the midst of another nation] This was a most extraordinary thing, that a whole people, consisting of upwards of 600,000 effective men, besides women and children, should, without striking a blow, be brought out of the midst of a very powerful nation, to the political welfare of which their services were so essential; that they should be brought out in so open and public a manner; that the sea itself should be supernaturally divided to afford this mighty host a passage; and that, in a desert utterly unfriendly to human life, they should be sustained for forty years. These were such instances of the almighty power and goodness of God as never could be forgotten.
In this verse Moses enumerates seven different means used by the Almighty in effecting Israel’s deliverance.
1. TEMPTATIONS, massoth, from nasah, to try or prove; the miracles which God wrought to try the faith and prove the obedience of the children of Israel.
2. SIGNS, othoth, from athah, to come near; such signs as God gave them of his continual presence and especial providence, particularly the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, keeping near to them night and day, and always directing their journeys, showing them when and where to pitch their tents, c., c.
3. WONDERS, mophethim, from yaphath, to persuade persuasive facts and events, says Parkhurst, whether strictly miraculous, and exceeding the powers of nature, as Ex 7:9; Ex 11:9-10; or not, as Isa 20:3; Eze 12:6; Eze 12:11. It probably means typical representations: in this signification the word is used, Zec 3:8. Joshua, the high priest, and his companions were anshey mopheth, typical men, raised up by God as types of Christ, and proofs that God would bring his servant THE BRANCH. All the dealings of God with this people, and even the people themselves, were types-present significators of distant facts and future occurrences.
4. WAR, milchamah, hostile engagements; such as those with the Amalekites, the Amorites, and the Bashanites, in which the hand of God was seen rather than the hand of man.
5. A MIGHTY HAND, yad chazakah; one that is strong to deal its blows, irresistible in its operations, and grasps its enemies hard, so that they cannot escape, and protects its friends so powerfully that they cannot be injured. Neither stratagem nor policy was used in this business, but the openly displayed power of God.
6. A STRETCHED-OUT ARM, zeroa netuyah; a series of almighty operations, following each other in quick astonishing succession. Let it be noted that in the Scriptures,
(1) The finger of God denotes any manifestation of the Divine power, where effects are produced beyond the power of art or nature.
(2) The hand of God signifies the same power, but put forth in a more signal manner.
(3) The arm of God, the Divine omnipotence manifested in the most stupendous miracles.
(4) The arm of God stretched out, this same omnipotence exerted in a continuation of stupendous miracles, both in the way of judgment and mercy. In this latter sense it appears to be taken in the text: the judgments were poured out on the Egyptians; the mercies wrought in favour of the Israelites.
7. GREAT TERRORS, moraim gedolim; such terror, dismay, and consternation as were produced by the ten plagues, to which probably the inspired penman here alludes: or, as the Septuagint has it, , with great or portentous sights; such as that when God looked out of the cloud upon the Egyptians, and their chariot wheels were taken off, Ex 14:24-25. More awful displays of God’s judgments, power, and might, were never witnessed by man.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By temptations; by tribulations and persecutions, which are commonly called temptations, which are here fitly mentioned as one great occasion first of their cries unto God, and then of Gods coming for their rescue. Or, temptations is the general title, which is explained by the following particulars,
signs and wonders, & c., which are called temptations, because they were trials both to the Egyptians and Israelites, whether thereby they would be induced to believe and obey God or no.
Great terrors, raised in the minds of the Egyptians, as the history showeth; compare Deu 2:25; 34:12; or by terrible things done among them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation,…. As he now had done, namely, the nation of Israel out of the nation of the Egyptians; this he not only had assayed to do, but had actually done it; whereas no such instance like it could be produced, and especially as done in the manner this was:
by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war; the word “temptations” may be considered as a general word, as Aben Ezra thinks, and may signify the temptations by signs, c. or the various essays and trials, ways, means, and methods taken by the Lord to bring about the event by “signs” may be meant those which were required of Moses, and done by him before the people of Israel, and before Pharaoh, as proofs of his mission from the Lord, Ex 4:1 and by “wonders”, the ten plagues of Egypt, which were done by a supernatural and miraculous operation, and were amazing things; see Ps 78:11; and by “war”, either the slaying of the firstborn, with the destruction of the judges and gods of Egypt, as Aben Ezra; or the Lord’s fighting for Israel at the Red sea, as Jarchi; he saved them and destroyed the Egyptians, and showed himself to be a man of war, Ex 14:14
and by a mighty hand and stretched out arm; phrases frequently used when this affair is spoken of, and are expressive of the mighty power of God in the above instances, and in the issue of them, bringing Israel out of Egypt; though Aben Ezra interprets it of the pillar of fire and cloud in which the Lord went before them:
and by great terrors; which the same writer interprets of the drowning of Pharaoh and his host in the sea, and dividing it for Israel; but may be understood not only of the terrors which possessed him and his people then, but at other times, especially at the time of the thunder and lightning, and when they sat in thick darkness, and particularly when all their firstborn were slain; see De 26:8,
according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes; among the men of Egypt, as the above writer, Pharaoh and his courtiers: the above things were done as before them for their terror, so before Israel for their encouragement.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ver. 34. Hath God assayed, &c. Another prodigy; that God, by the ministry of two men like Moses and Aaron, should deliver his people from the midst of a nation so powerful as the Egyptians. This might be rendered, more properly, perhaps, Or who besides God hath assayed? or, hath any god assayed? because the expression, hath God assayed, sounds somewhat harsh, when applied to the true God, who never assays to do, but actually does whatever he pleases. In what follows of this verse, Moses attributes the deliverance of the Israelites to seven different means employed by God: these were, 1st, Temptations; or, as Onkelos renders it, miracles, by which God used to try, or to endeavour to bend to his obedience the Egyptians, as well as the Israelites. Indeed, the word miracles, with the two following, which we may render signs and prodigies, are found joined together in more than one place of the New Testament, Act 2:22. Heb 2:4. 2Co 12:12; 2Co 12:21. Houbigant understands by temptations, the adversities, in general, which the Israelites experienced both in Egypt and in the desart, and which were the trials whereby God proved the faith of his people. 2nd, Signs, mentioned Exo 9:3 rdly, Wonders, or prodigies, by which we may particularly understand the ten plagues of Egypt. 4thly, War; see Exo 14:27; Exo 28:5 thly, A mighty hand: not by the wiles and stratagems of war, but by a force superior to another, Exo 6:6 thly, A stretched-out arm, Exo 6:6 by redoubled strokes, or by the hand of the destroying angel. 7thly, Great terrors; such as he spread over the souls of the greater part of the enemies of his people, Exo 9:20; Exo 10:7; Exo 12:30.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
hath . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
God: or, a god.
from, the midst. Here we have the whole of Exodus, compare Jer 32:21.
temptations = trials, or, provings.
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6), in this verse.
war = fightings. Exo 14:25.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
take him: Exo 1:9, Exo 3:10, Exo 3:17-20
temptations: Deu 7:19, Deu 29:3, Exo 9:20, Exo 9:21, Exo 10:7
by signs: Exo 7:3, Psa 78:12, Psa 78:48-53
by a mighty: Deu 5:15, Deu 6:21, Deu 7:8, Deu 7:9, Exo 6:6, Exo 13:3, 1Pe 5:6
and by great: Deu 26:8, Deu 34:12, Exo 12:30-33
Reciprocal: Exo 3:20 – smite Exo 6:1 – with a strong Exo 11:1 – Yet will Exo 33:16 – separated Deu 4:37 – with his Deu 6:22 – showed Deu 9:29 – which thou Deu 11:3 – General Deu 34:11 – In all the signs Jos 24:7 – your eyes Jdg 2:1 – I made 1Ki 8:42 – thy strong hand 1Ki 8:53 – separate 1Ch 17:21 – greatness Neh 9:10 – showedst Psa 65:5 – terrible Psa 68:7 – O God Psa 75:1 – wondrous Psa 76:1 – In Judah Psa 77:10 – the years Psa 78:43 – How Psa 86:8 – neither Psa 89:10 – thy strong arm Psa 105:27 – They Psa 106:21 – which Psa 135:9 – sent tokens Isa 64:3 – thou didst Jer 2:20 – For of Jer 32:20 – hast set Lam 1:7 – all her Eze 20:5 – and made Dan 4:3 – great Mic 6:4 – I brought Luk 1:51 – showed Act 4:30 – By stretching Act 13:17 – and with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:34 Or hath God assayed to go [and] take him a nation from the midst of [another] nation, by {y} temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
(y) By so manifest proofs that none could doubt of it.