Deuteronomy 31:16
WEB
Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers. This people will rise up and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land where they go to be among them, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them.
BSB
And the LORD said to Moses, “You will soon rest with your fathers, and these people will rise up and prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake Me and break the covenant I have made with them.
KJV
¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H559
v — say
Derivation: a primitive root;
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.
vb — utter
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
1. Say
2. Say in the heart (= think)
3. Promise
4. Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
H3068
n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah
Derivation: from 1961;
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God
KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
n.pr.dei — God
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
II.
1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
H413
prep — near, with, among, to
Derivation: (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.
near, with or among; often in general, to
KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).
prep — motion to
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).
1. of motion to or unto a person or place
2. Where the limit is actually entered, into
3. Of direction towards anything
4. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
5. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
6. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
7. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
8. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
9. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
H4872
n-pr-m — Mosheh
Derivation: from 4871; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued;
Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
KJV: Moses.
n.pr.m — Moses
מֹשֶׁה 767 n.pr.m. Moses, the great Hebrew leader, prophet and lawgiver
H2009
dp — lo!
Derivation: prolongation for 2005;
lo!
KJV: behold, lo, see.
H7901
v — lie down
Derivation: a primitive root;
to lie down (for rest, sexual connection, decease or any other purpose)
KJV: × at all, cast down, (lover-)lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.
vb — lie down
שָׁכַב 212 vb. lie down
Qal
1. lie down
2. = lodge (for night)
3. of sexual relations, lie with
4.
a. lie down in death
b. esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers
5. fig. = relax
Niph. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.
Hiph. lay
Hoph. laid
H5973
prep — with, equally with
Derivation: from 6004;
adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)
KJV: accompanying, against, and, as (× long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).
from with
מֵעִם 72 from with or beside
prep — with
עִם prep. with
1. of fellowship and companionship
a. of aid
b. Of actions done jointly with another
c. If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against
d. Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another
e. Of a common lot together with the wicked
f. Of equality or resemblance generally aid
g. Of time, as long as
2. Of a locality, close to, beside
3. Of persons, עִם is spec.
a. in the house or family or service of
b. In possession of
c. In the custody or care of
d. Beside = except
e. With = friendly with
4. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
5. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
H1
n-m — father
Derivation: a primitive word;
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), × patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.
n.m — father
אָב 1101 n.m. father
1. father of individual
2. of God as father of his people
3. head of household, family or clan
4. ancestor
5. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6. fig. of producer, generator
7. fig. of benevolence & protection
8. term of respect & honor
9. specif., ruler, chief (late)
H6965
v — rise
Derivation: a primitive root;
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
KJV: abide, accomplish, × be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, × be dim, endure, × enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, × but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising).
vb — arise
קוּם 628 vb. arise, stand up, stand
Qal 460
1. arise
2. arise, in hostile sense (oft. with idea of suddenness)
3. arise, abs., = become powerful
4. arise = come on the scene, appear, of leader, prophet
5. arise for, i.e. to become
6.
a. arise for action
b. arise (out of inaction), introducing some specific deed
c. esp. arise = start, make a move, to go somewhere
7. stand
Pi.
1. fulfil
2.
a. confirm, ratify
b. confirm, establish
c. impose, an obligation
Pō‛l. raise up
Hithpō‛l. raise oneself, = rise up
Hiph. 146
1. cause to arise, raise
2.
a. raise, set up, stones
b. erect, build
c. fig, of setting up law
3. raise up = bring on the scene
4.
a. raise up = rouse, stir up
b. instigate, build
c. fig, of setting up law
5. raise up = constitute
6. cause to stand
Hoph. be raised up
H5971
n-m — people, tribe, troops, attendants, flock
Derivation: from 6004;
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
KJV: folk, men, nation, people.
n.[m.] — kinsman
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
n.m — people
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
1. a people, nation
2. = smaller units
3. = common people
4. people in gen., persons
5. phrases
H2088
d — this, that
Derivation: a primitive word;
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
KJV: he, × hence, × here, it(-self), × now, × of him, the one...the other, × than the other, (× out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, × thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097, 2098.
demonstr.pron — this
זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here
1. standing alone
2. In appos. to subst.
3. More oft. as pred.
4. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
5. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
6. With prefixes (in special senses)
H2181
v — commit adultery, commit idolatry
Derivation: a primitive root [highly fed and therefore wanton];
to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah)
KJV: (cause to) commit fornication, × continually, × great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.
vb — commit fornication
זָנָה vb. commit fornication, be a harlot
Qal
1. be or act as a harlot
2. fig. of improper intercourse with foreign nations
3. of intercourse with other deities
4. of moral defection
Pu. fornication was not done (in going) after thee
Hiph.
1. cause to commit fornication
2. commit fornication
H310
adv a — the hind part, after
Derivation: from 309;
properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
KJV: after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.
adv — the hinder
אַחַר prop. subst. the hinder or following part
1. adv.
a. of place, behind
b. of time, afterwards
2. prep.
a. of place, behind, after
b. of time, after
3. conj. after that.
H430
n-m — gods, God, magistrates
Derivation: plural of 433;
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV: angels, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.
n.m.pl — gods
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
1. pl. in number.
a. rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
b. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
c. angels
d. gods
2. pl. intensive
a. god or goddess
b. godlike one
c. works of God, or things belongng to him
d. God
3. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
4. אֱלֹהִים = God
H5236
n-m — foreign, foreigner, heathendom
Derivation: ' from 5234;
foreign, or (concretely) a foreigner, or (abstractly) heathendom
KJV: alien, strange ( -er).
n.[m.] — that which is foreign
נֵכָר n.[m.] that which is foreign, foreignness
H776
n-f — earth, land
Derivation: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm;
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
KJV: × common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × natins, way, + wilderness, world.
n. f — earth
אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land
1.
a. earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
b. earth, opp. to heaven, sky
c. earth = inhabitants of earth
2. land =
a. country, territory
b. district, region
c. trial territory
d. piece of ground
e. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
f. = inhabitants of land
g. used even of Shᵉʼôl
3.
a. ground, surface of ground
b. soil, as productive
4. אֶרֶץ in phrases
a. people of the land
b. in measurements of distance
c. the country of the plain, level or plain country
d. land of the living
e. end(s) of the earth
5. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
H834
r — who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that
Derivation: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
KJV: × after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
part. of relation — who
אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.
adv — in which
בַאֲשֶׁר
a. in (that) which
b. adv. in (the place) where
c. conj. in that, inasmuch as
d. on account of whom?
conj — according as
כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when
1. according to that which, according as, as
2. with a causal force, in so far as, since
3. with a temporal force, when
adv — who
מֵאֲשֶׁר
a. from (or than) that which
b. adv. from (the place) where
c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since
H1931
p — he, she, it, self, same, this, that, as, are
Derivation: of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא; he a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular;
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.
m — he
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
1. an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
2. It resumes the subj. with emph.
3. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
4. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
5. As an emph. predicate, of God
6. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
7. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
H935
v — go, come
Derivation: a primitive root;
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
KJV: abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, × certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, × doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.
vb — come in
בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go
Qal
1. come in
2. come (approach, arrive)
3. go, i.e. walk, associate with
4. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
Hiph.
1. cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
2. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
Hoph.
a. be brought in (of pers. and things)
b. be brought
c. be introduced, put
H8033
adv — there, then, thither, thence
Derivation: a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence
KJV: in it, thence, there (-in, of, out), thither, whither.
adv — there
שָׁם adv. there, thither
H7130
n-m — nearest, center
Derivation: from 7126;
properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition)
KJV: × among, × before, bowels, × unto charge, eat (up), × heart, × him, × in, inward (× -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, out of, purtenance, × therein, × through, × within self.
n.[m.] — inward part
קֶ֫רֶב 227 n.[m.] inward part, midst
H5800
v — loosen, relinquish, permit
Derivation: a primitive root;
to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.
KJV: commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, × surely.
vb — leave
עָזַב 213 vb. leave, forsake, loose
Qal
1. leave, c. acc.
2. leave, abandon, forsake
3. let loose, set free, let go
Niph.
1. be left to
2. be forsaken, of house of God
Pu. (or Qal pass.) be deserted, of city
H6565
v — break up, violate, frustrate
Derivation: a primitive root;
to break up (usually figuratively), i.e. to violate, frustrate
KJV: × any ways, break (asunder), cast off, cause to cease, × clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring (come) to nought, × utterly, make void.
vb — split
[פָּרַר] vb. split, divide
Qal Hithpō‛. split or cracked through in the earth
Pō‛êl thou didst divide the sea.
vb — break
[פָּרַר] vb. Hiph. break, frustrate
Hoph.
1. be frustrated
2. be broken
Pilp. he hath shattered me.
H853
prt — self, even, namely
Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].
mark of the accusative
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
H1285
n-f — compact
Derivation: from 1262 (in the sense of cutting [like 1254]);
a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)
KJV: confederacy, (con-) feder(-ate), covenant, league.
n.f — covenant
בְּרִית 285 n.f. covenant
I. between men.
1. treaty, alliance, league
2. constitution, ordinance, between monarch and subjects
3. agreement, pledge
4. alliance of friendship between David and Jonathan
5. alliance of marriage
II. between God and man.
1. alliance of friendship
2. covenant, as a divine constitution or ordinance with signs or pledges
III. Phrases.
1. covenant making
2. covenant keeping
3. covenant violation
H3772
v — cut, destroy, consume, covenant
Derivation: a primitive root;
to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces)
KJV: be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), × lose, perish, × utterly, × want.
vb — cut off
כָּרַת 291 vb. cut off, cut down
Qal
1. cut off
2. cut down
3. hew, timber
4. cut, or make a covenant
Niph.
1. be cut off
2. be cut down
3. be chewed between the teeth
4. be cut off, in a more general sense fail
Pual
1. be cut off
2. be cut down
Hiph.
1. cut off, flattering lips
2. cut off, destroy the life of
3. cut down, destroy, cities
4. take away
5. permit to perish
H854
prep — nearness, near, with, by, at, among
Derivation: probably from 579;
properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.
KJV: against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.
prep — with
אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity
1. Of companionship, together with
2. Of localities
3. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially
a. in one's possession or keeping
b. in one's knowledge or memory
4. מֵאֵת from proximity with
Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.
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Verses 14–21
Deuteronomy 31:14–21
Here, I. Moses and Joshua are summoned to attend the divine majesty at the door of the tabernacle, Deu 31:14. Moses is told again that he must shortly die; even those that are most ready and willing to die have need to be often reminded of the approach of death. In consideration of this, he must come himself to meet God; for whatever improves our communion with God furthers our preparation for death. He must also bring Joshua with him to be presented to God for a successor, and to receive his commission and charge. Moses readily obeys the summons, for he was not one of those that look with an evil eye upon their successors, but, on the contrary, rejoiced in him.
II. God graciously gives them the meeting: He appeared in the tabernacle (as the shechinah used to appear) in a pillar of a cloud, v. 15. This is the only time in all this book that we read of the glory of God appearing, whereas we often read of it in the three foregoing books, which perhaps signifies that in the latter days, under the evangelical law, such visible appearances as these of the divine glory are not to be expected, but we must take heed to the more sure word of prophecy.
III. He tells Moses that, after his death, the covenant which he had taken so much pains to make between Israel and their God would certainly be broken. 1. That Israel would forsake God, v. 16. And we may be sure that if the covenant between God and man be broken the blame must lie on man, it is he that breaks it; we have often observed it, That God never leaves any till they first leave him. Worshipping the gods of the Canaanites (who had been the natives, but henceforward were to be looked upon as the strangers of that land) would undoubtedly be counted a deserting of God, and, like adultery, a violation of the covenant. Thus still those are revolters from Christ, and will be so adjudged, who either make a god of their money by reigning covetousness or a god of their belly by reigning sensuality. Those that turn to other gods (v. 18) forsake their own mercies. This apostasy of theirs is foretold to be the effect of their prosperity (v. 20): They shall have eaten and filled themselves; this is all they will aim at in eating, to gratify their own appetites, and then they will wax fat, grow secure and sensual; their security will take off their dread of God and his judgments; and their sensuality will incline them to the idolatries of the heathen, which made provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it. Note, God has a clear and infallible foresight of all the wickedness of the wicked, and has often covenanted with those who he knew would deal very treacherously (Isa 48:8), and conferred many favours on those who he knew would deal very ungratefully. 2. That then God would forsake Israel; and justly does he cast those off who had so unjustly cast him off (v. 17): My anger shall be kindled against them, and I will forsake them. His providence would forsake them, no longer to protect and prosper them, and then they would become a prey to all their neighbours. His spirit and grace would forsake them, no longer to teach and guide them, and then they would be more and more bigoted, besotted, and hardened in their idolatries. Thus many evils and troubles would befal them. (v. 17, 21), which would be such manifest indications of God's displeasure against them that they themselves would be constrained to own it: Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us? Those that have sinned away their God will find that thereby they pull all mischiefs upon their own heads. But that which completed their misery was that God would hide his face from them in that day, that day of their trouble and distress, v. 18. Whatever outward troubles we are in, if we have but the light of God's countenance, we may be easy. But, if God hide his face from us and our prayers, we are undone.
IV. He directs Moses to deliver them a song, in the composing of which he should be divinely inspired, and which should remain a standing testimony for God as faithful to them in giving them warning, and against them as persons false to themselves in not taking the warning, v. 19. The written word in general, as well as this song in particular, is a witness for God against all those that break covenant with him. It shall be for a testimony, Mat 24:14. The wisdom of man has devised many ways of conveying the knowledge of good and evil, by laws, histories, prophecies, proverbs, and, among the rest, by songs; each has its advantages. And the wisdom of God has in the scripture made use of them all, that ignorant and careless men might be left inexcusable. 1. This song, if rightly improved, might be a means to prevent their apostasy; for in the inditing of it God had an eye to their present imagination, now, before they were brought into the land of promise, Deu 31:21. God knew very well that there were in their hearts such gross conceits of the deity, and such inclinations of idolatry, that they would be tinder to the sparks of that temptation; and therefore in this song he gives them warning of their danger that way. Note, The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of men's hearts, and meets with them strangely by its reproofs and corrections, Heb 4:12. Compare Co1 14:25. Ministers who preach the word know not the imaginations men go about, but God, whose word it is, knows perfectly. 2. If this song did not prevent their apostasy, yet it might help to bring them to repentance, and to recover them from their apostasy. When their troubles come upon them, this song shall not be forgotten, but may serve as a glass to show them their own faces, that they may humble themselves, and return to him from whom they have revolted. Note, Those for whom God has mercy in store he may leave to fall, yet he will provide means for their recovery. Medicines are prepared before-hand for their cure.
Cross-references: Deut 31:14 · Isa 48:8 · Matt 24:14 · Deut 31:21 · Heb 4:12 · 1Cor 14:25