Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Deuteronomy Ch.2 / 34 Ch.s
DE:2
* The Edomites to be spared. (1-7) The Moabites and Ammonites to
be spared. (8-23) The Amorites to be destroyed. (24-37)
#1-7 Only a short account of the long stay of Israel in the
wilderness is given. God not only chastised them for their
murmuring and unbelief, but prepared them for Canaan; by
humbling them for sin, teaching them to mortify their lusts, to
follow God, and to comfort themselves in him. Though Israel may
be long kept waiting for deliverance and enlargement, it will
come at last. Before God brought Israel to destroy their enemies
in Canaan, he taught them to forgive their enemies in Edom. They
must not, under pretence of God's covenant and conduct, think to
seize all they could lay hands on. Dominion is not founded in
grace. God's Israel shall be well placed, but must not expect to
be placed alone in the midst of the earth. Religion must never
be made a cloak for injustice. Scorn to be beholden to Edomites,
when thou hast an all-sufficient God to depend upon. Use what
thou hast, use it cheerfully. Thou hast experienced the care of
the Divine providence, never use any crooked methods for thy
supply. All this is equally to be applied to the experience of
the believer.
#8-23 We have the origin of the Moabites, Edomites, and
Ammonites. Moses also gives an instance older than any of these;
the Caphtorims drove the Avims out of their country. These
revolutions show what uncertain things wordly possessions are.
It was so of old, and ever will be so. Families decline, and
from them estates are transferred to families that increase; so
little continuance is there in these things. This is recorded to
encourage the children of Israel. If the providence of God has
done this for Moabites and Ammonites, much more would his
promise do it for Israel, his peculiar people. Cautions are
given not to meddle with Moabites and Ammonites. Even wicked men
must not be wronged. God gives and preserves outward blessings
to wicked men; these are not the best things, he has better in
store for his own children.
#24-37 God tried his people, by forbidding them to meddle with
the rich countries of Moab and Ammon. He gives them possession
of the country of the Amorites. If we keep from what God
forbids, we shall not lose by our obedience. The earth is the
Lord's and the fulness thereof; and he gives it to whom he
pleases; but when there is no express direction, none can plead
his grant for such proceedings. Though God assured the
Israelites that the land should be their own, yet they must
contend with the enemy. What God gives we must endeavour to get.
What a new world did Israel now come into! Much more joyful will
the change be, which holy souls will experience, when they
remove out of the wilderness of this world to the better
country, that is, the heavenly, to the city that has
foundations. Let us, by reflecting upon God's dealings with his
people Israel, be led to meditate upon our years spent in
vanity, through our transgressions. But happy are those whom
Jesus has delivered from the wrath to come. To whom he hath
given the earnest of his Spirit in their hearts. Their
inheritance cannot be affected by revolutions of kingdoms, or
changes in earthly possessions.