some later writer, probably Samuel or Ezra, or some prophet that succeeded him. They were admitted by Ezra as authentic, and we have no reason to question the fidelity of this account. Another and equally satisfactory solution of this difficulty is the following: viz. that what now forms the last chapter of Deuteronomy, was formerly the first of Joshua, but was removed thence, and joined to the former by way of supplement. This opinion will not appear improbable, when it is considered that sections and other divisions, as well as points and pauses, were invented long since these books were written for, in those early ages, several books were connected together, and followed each other on the same roll. The beginning of one book might therefore be easily transferred to the end of another, and in process of time be considered as its real conclusion, as in the case of Deuteronomy; especially as this supplemental chapter contains an account of the last transactions and death of the great author of the Pentateuch.1 II. The scope of the book of Deuteronomy is, to repeat to the Israelites, before Moses left them, the chief laws of God which had been given to them; that those who were not born at the time when they were originally delivered, or were incapable of understanding them, might be instructed in these laws, and excited to attend to them, and consequently be better prepared for the promised land upon which they were entering. With this view the sacred historian recapitulates the various mercies which God had bestowed upon them and their fore-fathers, from their departure out of Egypt; the victories which by divine assistance they had obtained over their enemies; their rebellion, ingratitude, and chastisements. The moral, ceremonial, and judicial laws are repeated with additions and explanations and the people are urged to obedience in the most affectionate manner, from the consideration of the endearing promises made to them by God, which he would assuredly perform, if they did not frustrate his designs of mercy by their own wilful obstinacy. That no person might thereafter plead ignorance of the divine law, he commanded that it should be read to all the people at the end of every seventh year; and concluded his ministerial labours among the Israelites by a most admirable ode, which he commanded every one to learn, and by giving his prophetic benediction to the twelve tribes. III. This book contains only one PROPHECY RELATIVE TO THE MESSIAH, viz. Deut. xviii. 15. 18, 19. which was fulfilled fifteen hundred years after it had been delivered, and is expressly applied to Jesus Christ in Acts iii. 22, 23. and vii. 37.;2 it also comprises several very remarkable predictions relative to the Israelites, some of which are fulfilled before our eyes. "These prophecies," it has 1 Alexander's Hebrew and English Pentateuch, cited by Dr. Clarke on Deut. xxxiv. who is of opinion that this chapter should constitute the first chapter of the book of Joshua. 2 On the accomplishment of this prediction, see Vol. I. pp. 604-606, Bishop Newton's Sixth Dissertation, and Dr. Jortin's Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, vol. i. pp. 130-149. edit. 1769. been justly remarked, "become more numerous and distinct towards the close of his life. His denunciations with respect to the future state of the Israelites; the sufferings, the dispersions, and the devastations to which they were to be subject; the prophetic blessings which he pronounced on the different tribes by name; the clear foresight which he had of the rapid victories of their invaders, and of the extreme miseries which they were to experience when besieged; his express predictions relating to the future condition of the Jews, which we see accomplished in the present day: all these circumstances, when united, bear ample testimony to the truth and authenticity of this sacred book, and present to our minds a memorable instance of the divine justice." IV. The Jews divide this book into ten parasches or chapters: in our Bibles it consists of thirty-four chapters, the contents of which may be arranged under the four following heads: PART I. A repetition of the history related in the preceding books, comprising, SECT. 1. A relation of the events that took place in the wilderness, from their leaving mount Horeb until their arrival at Kadesh. (Deut. i.) SECT. 2. Their journey from Kadesh till they came to the land of the Amorites, and the defeat of Sihon their king, and of Og king of Bashan, together with the division of their territories among the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. (ii. iii.) - an SECT. 3. An exhortation to obey the divine law, and to avoid idolatry, founded on their past experience of the goodness of God. (iv.) PART II. A repetition of the moral, ceremonial, and judicial law; containing, SECT. 1. A repetition of the moral law or ten commandments (v. 1— 22.) and its effect upon the people of Israel (v. 22—33.) ; exposition of the first commandment, with an exhortation to love God with all their hearts (vi.); - an exposition of the second commandment against idolatry, prohibiting any intercourse with the idolatrous nations, and enjoining the extirpation of the Canaanites and every vestige of their idolatry (vii.); strong motives to obedience, arising from a review of their past mercies, and from the consideration that Jehovah was about to conduct them into the promised land, not on account of their own righteousness, but of his great mercy. (viii. ix. x. xi.) SECT. 2. A repetition of the ceremonial law (xii-xvi.) ; — a command to abolish all idolatry, and regulations for the worship of God (xii.) ; — laws against false prophets, and idolatrous cities (xiii.); — prohibition against disfiguring themselves in mourning (xiv. 1-2.); a recapitulation of the law concerning clean and unclean animals (xiv. 3—21.), — and the payment of tithes to the Levites (xiv. 22-29.); -regulations concerning the year of release (xv.) ;· concerning the stated annual feasts, the Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles (xvi. 1—17.), 1 By Mr. Hewlett, Introd. to Deut. in vol. i. of his Commentary on the Bible, 4to. edit. the election of judges, and administration of justice (xvi. 1820.); - a prohibition against planting groves or setting up idols near the altar of God. (xvi. 21, 22.) SECT. 3. A repetition and exposition of the judicial law (xvii-xxvi.); -a command to put idolaters to death, regulations for determining difficult controversies, and concerning the election and qualifications of a king (xvii.) ; the maintenance of the priests and Levites (xviii. 1-8.); - cautions against following the abominations of the Gentile nations, especially divination (xviii. 9—14.) ; — a prediction relative to the great prophet that should arise (xviii. 15-19.); — criteria for distinguishing false prophets from true ones (xviii. 20-22.); - laws relative to the cities of refuge (xix. 1-10.), the treatment of murderers (xix. 11-13.), and the evidence of witnesses (xix. 15-21.); - laws concerning war and the treatment of the Canaanites (xx.); the expiation of uncertain murder, marriage with captives, rights of the first-born, punishment of a disobedient son, &c. (xxi.); regulations concerning things lost or strayed, the distinguishing of the sexes by their apparel, punishment of adultery, &c. (xxii.) ; - who may or may not enter into the congregation prohibition against all uncleanness-regulations concerning usury, vows, and trespasses (xxiii.); — of divorces, the privileges of newly married men, pledges, man-stealing, wages, the execution of justice, and gleanings (xxiv.) ; — concerning law-suits and punishments, weights and measures, &c. (xxv.); ceremonies to be observed in offering first-fruits (xxvi. 1-15.); — the covenant between God and the Israelites. (xxvi. 16-19.) - - PART III. The confirmation of the law; for which purpose the law was to be written on stones, and set up on mount Ebal (xxvii.); prophetic promises to the obedient, and curses against the disobedient (xxviii.); an exhortation to obedience from a review of their past mercies, and to dedicate themselves and their posterity to God (xxix.);-promises of pardon to the repentant (xxx. 1—14.) ; — good and evil set before them. (xxx. 15-20.) PART IV. The personal history of Moses, until his death, containing, SECT. 1. His appointment of Joshua to be his successor (xxxi. 1 ---8.); and his delivery of a copy of the law to the priests, to be deposited in the ark, and publicly read every seventh year (xxxi. 9—14.) ; — a solemn charge given to Joshua, &c. (xxxi. 15-27.) SECT. 2. The people convened to hear the prophetical and historical ode of Moses (xxxi. 28-30.), which occupies nearly the whole of chapter xxxii. SECT. 3. His prophetic blessing of the twelve tribes, and their peculiar felicity and privilege in having Jehovah for their God and protector. (xxxiii.) SECT. 4. The death and burial of Moses. (xxxiv.) V. "The book of Deuteronomy and the epistle to the Hebrews contain the best comment on the nature, design, and use of the law: 1 On the prophecies contained in this chapter, see Bishop Newton, vol. i. diss. vii the former may be considered as an evangelical commentary on the four preceding books, in which the spiritual reference and signification of the different parts of the law are given, and given in such a manner as none could give, who had not a clear discovery of the glory which was to be revealed. It may be safely asserted that very few parts of the Old Testament Scriptures can be read with greater profit by the genuine Christian than the book of Deuteronomy." 1 The prophetic ode of Moses is one of the noblest compositions in the sacred volume; it contains a justification on the part of God against the Israelites, and an explanation of the nature and design of the divine judgments. The exordium, Bishop Lowth remarks, is singularly magnificent: the plan and conduct of the poem is just and natural, and well accommodated to the subject, for it is almost in the order of an historical narration. It embraces a variety of subjects and sentiments; it displays the truth and justice of God, his paternal love, and his unfailing tenderness to his chosen people; and, on the other hand, their ungrateful and contumacious spirit.-The ardour of the divine indignation, and the heavy denunciations of vengeance, are afterwards expressed in a remarkable personification, which is not to be paralleled from all the choicest treasures of the muses. The fervour of wrath is however tempered with the mildest beams of lenity and mercy, and ends at last in promises and consolation. The subject and style of this poem bear so exact a resemblance to the prophetic as well as to the lyric compositions of the Hebrews, that it unites all the force, energy, and boldness of the latter, with the exquisite variety and grandeur of the former.2 1 Dr. A. Clarke, Pref. to Deut. p. ii. in vol. i. of his Commentary. VOL. IV. CHAPTER II. ON THE HISTORICAL BOOKS. SECTION I. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE HISTORICAL BOOKS. THIS division of the sacred writings comprises twelve books, viz. from Joshua to Esther inclusive: the first seven of these books are, by the Jews, called the former prophets, probably because they treat of the more antient periods of Jewish history, and because they are most justly supposed to be written by prophetical men. The events recorded in these books occupy a period of almost one thousand years, which commences at the death of Moses, and terminates with the great national reform effected by Nehemiah, after the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity. It is evident, from an examination of the historical books, that they are collections from the authentic records of the Jewish nation: and it should seem, that though the substance of the several histories was written under divine direction, when the events were fresh in memory, and by persons who were evidently contemporary with the transactions which they have narrated, yet that under the same direction they were disposed in the form, in which they have been transmitted to us, by some other person, long afterwards, and probably all by the the same hand, and about the same time. Nothing indeed is more certain than that very ample memoirs or records of the Hebrew republic were written from the first commencement of the theocracy, to which the authors of these books very frequently refer. Such a practice is necessary in a well constituted state; we have evidence from the sacred writings that it antiently obtained among the heathen nations (compare Esther ii. 23. and vi. 1.): and there is evident proof that it likewise prevailed among the Israelites from the very beginning of their polity. (See Exod. xvii. 14.) Hence it is that we find the book of Jasher referred to in Josh. x. 13. and 2 Sam. i. 18. and that we also find such frequent references to the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and Judah in the books of Samuel and Kings, and also to the books of Gad, Nathan, and Iddo. This conjecture is further strengthened by the two following circumstances, namely, first, that the days when the transactions took place are sometimes spoken of as being long since past, and secondly, that things are so frequently mentioned as remaining to this day, (as stones,3 names of places, rights and possessions, customs and usages ;) which clauses 5 1 On the Jewish Divisions of the Canon of Scripture, see Vol. II. p. 142. 2 Thus, in 1 Sam. ix. 9., "he that is now called a prophet was beforetime called a seer." 3 See Josh. iv. 9. vii. 26. viii. 29. x. 27. 1 Sam. vi. 18. 4 See Josh. v. 9. vii. 26. Judg. i. 26. xv. 19. xviii. 12. 2 Kings xiv. 7. 5 See Judg. i. 21. and 1 Sam. xxvii. 6. 6 See 1 Sam. vi. 5. and 2 Kings xvii. 41. |