On the book of Deuteronomy

Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 “These words were spoken by Moses to the host of Israel concerning the land of the Jordan, in the desert plain near the Red Sea, between Paran and Tophol (Tophel), and Lobon (Lavan)... and Ashiroth, and Dizagab” (Deut. 1:1). What was partially written in three books, Moses now combines and sets out in order in one book of Deuteronomy. The lazy could be excused by the difficulty of finding laws, but even for the diligent, finding them would be tedious; Therefore, Moses collected them from three books into one, so that those who wanted to know the laws could easily benefit for themselves. The Law is given to the Jews twice. Since they lost the law given the first time by worshiping the calf, this second law was given to them. But if they had obeyed and kept the first law, there would have been no need for the second. Moreover, all those who heard the first law, according to the judgment that took place on them, were no longer alive when the second law was given. “The journey from Horeb is one ten days to Mount Seir” (Deut. 1:2). The second law was spoken and explained after eleven days of travel from Horeb to Mount Seir. This is the secret that at the eleventh hour Emmanuel went out to seek out the lost nations, and taught them the commandments of the New Testament. “Between Paran, and Tothol, and Lovon... and Asyroth, and Dizagab” (Deut. 1:1). There are five of these places, and this indicates the mystery of the fifth century, the image of which in the form of a parable refers to the time of the coming of our Lord, just as, according to what was said in the parable, he went out to hire laborers for His heirloom in the morning, at the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hour (Matthew 20:1-6). “Choose for yourselves wise men..., rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens” (Deut. 1:13, 15). Apostles are called leaders of thousands, prophets are called leaders of hundreds, teachers are called leaders of fifties, and interpreters are called leaders of tens. In another sense, the rulers of thousands mean not only the Supreme Deity, but also Thrones and Dominions, the rulers of hundreds - Archangels, Principalities and Powers, the rulers of fifties - Angels, Powers, Cherubim and Seraphim, the leaders of tens - apostles, prophets, teachers. The first meaning refers to the visible Church, and the second to the intuited Church. For in the visible Church, Emmanuel incarnate has appointed commanders of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and others. “Let us send men before us, and let them spy out the land for us” (Deut. 1:22). Since the spies came, but you did not want to see the fruits of the land and listen to Caleb and Jesus, you upset the Lord with this, and this was the word of His mouth: “Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you... strengthen him, for he will give the land as an inheritance to Israel” (Deut. 1:38). God humiliated Moses by not allowing him to lead the Jews into the Promised Land; but he also exalted him by placing Jesus, who is given precedence over Moses, as a servant before him. For Moses, being greater than Jesus, had to strengthen him. “And command the people, and say: you will pass through the borders of your brethren, the sons of Esau..., but beware in every way. You shall not make war against them; for I would not give you any of their land” (Deut. 2:4–5). I will not allow you to harm the sons of Esau and take away their inheritance from them. This would be both unfair and useless, because the Lord took this land away from the Horites for them and did not give it to them. “And the Horites lived in Sire before, but the sons of Esau took possession of them” (Deut. 2:12). The Lord told us the same thing about the inheritance of the sons of Lot (Moab), and commanded us not to harm them, because the Lord gave them an inheritance, just as he gave us the land of the Canaanites as an inheritance. The Lord told us the same about the inheritance of the sons of Ammon, because the Lord took their land from the giants and gave it to them as an inheritance. us the land of the king of Zion, not because he hated Zion, but because he did evil to the sons of Lot without cause. Just as the Egyptians were avenged, who did evil to us, so was avenged by our hands on the Amorites, who did evil to the sons of Lot. He hardened the heart of Zion (Sigon), just as he hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hardened it justly, because Zion did evil just like Pharaoh; and for this he was destroyed like Pharaoh. Og was also destroyed in the same way, because in everything he was like Zion. “Sixty cities, all the borders of Argob... the open cities were many and great” (Deut. 3:4–5). The sixty cities over which Og reigned represent the mystery of the sixty generations over which death reigned, from Adam to the coming of Immanuel. From Adam to Abraham - twenty generations; from Abraham to the Crucified - forty genera, with the exception of the genera counted according to the law of cohabitation (marriage obligatory due to the kinship between the persons getting married) and mentioned only in Luke. Sixty generations also serve as an image of Solomon's sixty queens and the sixty mighty men who surrounded Solomon's bed (Song 3:7). “I testify to you this day through heaven and earth that you will perish through destruction” (Deut. 4:26) soon if you enter into a commonwealth with pagan peoples. Therefore, do not make a treaty with the pagan nations, for they have not repented, although they promised you this; and meanwhile, the four hundred years of testing that were given to them for repentance had already ended. So, know that they perish in truth. And here I testify about you that if you turn to their deeds, you will perish through destruction. You will perish just like these nations whom the Lord destroyed before you. “Let you scatter their churches, and break down their pillars, and cut down their oak groves” (Deut. 7:5). He commands to destroy the altars of false gods, crush idols, cut down their oak groves, so that the people devoted to idolatry, looking at the beauty of the trees and statues, do not think that there is any power in them. “And behold, for the Lord is your God: a faithful God, keep His covenant and mercy to those who love Him... to a thousand generations” (Deut. 7:9), or in the sense that He rewards the sons with what was promised to their fathers, according to what was said: “in the fourth generation these will return” (Gen. 15:16), - or in the sense that God extends His goodness to distant descendants to a thousand generations for the sake of the pious fathers, according to what was said: “I will save Jerusalem for My sake, and David for My servant’s sake” (2 Kings 19:34). “And recompense those who hate Him in their lives, and I will not tarry” (Deut. 7:10), firstly, so that the number of their sins does not increase and, secondly, so that they do not serve as a bad example for their people and for their sons and, finally, so that their destruction turns to the benefit of others who did not want to benefit from good deeds. “Reward those who hate Him in their lives.” This is said not only about life here, but also about the future life after the resurrection, when sinners will be given over to torment. “The Lord your God will keep your covenant and mercy, as they swore by your father... and will bless... you” (Deut. 7:12-13). The Lord loved the fathers for their good deeds, and chose the seed that remained after them from all nations, warned their sons, and commanded them to be pious. But if they are not pious, then to correct them, he will deliver them into captivity. When they are not brought to their senses by this, then He will reject them for their unbelief, just as He rejected the nations that despised Him for idolatry. “And you were filled with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers.” Here he calls the Flesh of our Lord manna. “Your garment will not wear you” (Deut. 8:3–4). The vestments represent to us the gifts of the Holy Spirit given in Baptism. “The Lord... your God will bring you into a good land... into a land of iron stone” - this is the land of Margas. “And from the mountains thereof thou shalt mine copper,” that is, from the mountains of the land of Palestine, abounding in iron and copper (Deut. 8:7, 9). “When I ascended the mountain... I remained in the mountain forty days and forty nights: I did not eat bread or drink water” (Deut. 9:9). Moses fasted for three days; the first time he passed the law; in the second, when he prayed for the people; in the third, when he prayed for Aaron. For in the Hebrew text the word “prayed” is equivalent to the word “fasted.” “Take note of the strength that blood cannot eat: for blood is soul” (Deut. 12:23), that is, do not dare to explore the nature of God, which is light, and soul, and the life of all rational beings. “If a prophet arises in you, or if you see a dream... the Lord will tempt you by tempting... lead you away, if you love Him” (Deut. 13:1, 3). If he tempts you either with a prophet who speaks a word, or even with a prophet who performs a sign with his hand, then do not listen to his convictions to serve other gods. “Do not cut yourself and lay bald spots between your eyes over the dead” (Deut. 14:1). He commands and decrees by law not to make indelible marks on their bodies with caustic compounds, just as the Egyptians do, marking indelible images of their gods on their bodies. Baldness refers to that state of the soul when it gives in to passions and is mortified by mortal sins. “These livestock you shall eat: the bull... the lamb... the goat... the herd, and the chamois, and the buffalo... and the bison" (Deut. 14:4-5) and others. By these animals we mean those who actually carry out the good that they have planned, whose lips are full of the praise of God; that is why they are called regurgitators (Deut. 14:6); they are perfect in doing righteousness and love righteousness, which is why they are called cloven hooves. “The camel, the hare, the rabbit: they regurgitate their chewing, but do not clove their hooves... let them not be carried off” (Deut. 14:7). By the image of those who regurgitate their chewing, but do not clove their hooves, he means those who “confess to know God, but His works are put aside” (Titus 1:16). And by the image of animals that clove their hooves, but do not regurgitate (Deut. 14:8), we mean those who outwardly appear to be guardians of fasting and reverent, but inwardly are heretics. “Eat of all that is in the water... which are feathers and scales” (Deut. 14:9). This designates those who, having received wings in Baptism, soar through a good life into communion with spiritual beings. Righteous deeds are for them the same as scales for those who live in the water. And those who wallow in lusts and rest in the depths of passions are like reptiles and fish, “having neither feather nor scale” (Deut. 14:10). Due to the burden of their flesh, they do not wear out (do not emerge) from the depths and mud. Pure birds, which the law commands to eat, are mysteriously called those who, out of love for heavenly things, soar to heights with their thoughts and, in order not to fall into the abyss, without inquisitiveness accept what is given from above. Do not eat any bird that is unclean, namely: “the eagle... the vulture... the sea eagle with their kind... the ostrich..., the hawk..., the owl, the fisherman..., the pelican..., the owl..., the swan..., the parrot, the stork, the falcon... with their kind, the bird and... the peacock" (Deut. 14:13-18). Birds flying high, of the first three genera, serve as an image of inquisitive researchers and heretics who will be rejected from a spiritual meal for their inquisitive study of the unexplored (incomprehensible). Strous (ostrich) depicts those who pervert the word of Scripture and interpret it, damaging its meaning. Just as this bird, absorbing pieces and fragments of iron, thins (makes thin) them in its stomach until they turn into droppings, so these interpreters, by the weak will of their souls, pervert the word of the teaching and fear of God and deny its power. The hawk represents those who seduce and kill the souls of ordinary people. The owl is the image of adulterers and thieves. This bird flies at night; so adulterers love darkness. The pelican and the owl portray themselves as seducers and deceitful people. The fisherman serves as an image of the one who attracts the newly baptized to himself, gives them a taste of alien teaching, and thereby destroys them. The swan and the parrot represent idle talkers, talking nonsense without reasoning. This bird attacks reptiles living in unclean places and feeds on them, loves the desert and at all times, without stopping, makes a voice. The stork and the falcon serve as an image of people who, in their thoughts, are satiated with the impurity of passions and the abomination of dead deeds. Vdod (hoopoe) is an image of people who diligently study pagan teachings, diligently spend their nights reading malicious allegories and vile Hellenic stories, and do not think about the peace that the teachings of the Crucified One give. The peacock depicts either intemperate fornicators or lovers of elegant clothes. “Do not boil a kid in its mother’s young” (Deut. 14:21). The kid is the image of the sinner; his mother is his delusion. When he comes to the school of truth, it is indecent for him to stagnate in his previous skills. Otherwise, the kid is an image of Satan’s thoughts; his mother, the soul, must kill him on the very first night and not allow him to feed on pure spiritual milk. “Thou shalt not turn away thine heart; let not clench thy hands before thy brother” (Deut. 15:7). In these words, those who have been entrusted with the word of teaching are commanded not to be arrogant before the ignorant and common people, but to teach everyone with humility and, as much as anyone needs, to communicate the word of teaching they have received. “Close your hands before your brother who demands,” that is, if you are rich, give alms; if you are healthy, serve; if you are righteous, be patient; if you are strong, bear the infirmities of the weak. “Thou shalt not plant oak groves for thyself, nor any tree near the altar” (Deut. 16:21). The pagans had a custom: under every branchy tree and in every beautiful oak grove to build altars and treasuries for their idols. Therefore, one is commanded not to imitate this pagan custom. The heart is called an altar, and evil thoughts are called trees; they are commanded to be uprooted and cast out. The king “let not multiply for himself horses... and... wives... and silver and gold” (Deut. 17:16–17). But King Solomon did all this. “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; listen to him” (Deut. 18:15). Although this was figuratively fulfilled on Joshua, the son of Nun, and on others “as much as you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the meeting” (Deut. 18:16); but in reality this was fulfilled in our Lord. For there has not arisen a prophet like Moses, who gave a covenant and various laws, except our Lord, who gave the New Testament, and laws that raise people to perfection. “If he who cuts a tree raises his hand, and the ax falls from the axe, and his friend takes it and dies, let him flee alone from the cities of refuge.” (Deut. 19:5) “Prepare... the way” (Deut. 19:3) to the cities of refuge, so that it would be easy to escape to them, no obstacles would be encountered, and vengeance could be prevented. “If you come to the city to fight, then I will call you in peace. Do the same to all the cities that are far from you, and that are not from the cities of those seven nations who sacrifice and burn their children. “Let them not teach you to do all their abominations, which you do only with your god” (Deut. 20:10, 15, 18). “If you... take captivity captive... and see a good wife in captivity in appearance, and love her..., take her as your wife... in your house... let him mourn for his father and his mother for thirty days" (Deut. 21:10-13). This is prescribed, firstly, so that the marriage of the captive does not take place on the day of her mourning; and secondly, to protect her from violence. Law commands to delay for thirty days so that the captive will test himself, for if he really wants to have her as a wife, he will abstain for the entire time prescribed by law. And if he knew the captive on the very day of captivity, it would only be out of the inflammation of lust, and not out of love, and it would be easy for him to leave her. “If a husband has two wives, one of them is loved by them, and the other is not loved” (Deut. 21:15). The beloved wife represents the synagogue, who was brought into the house of God first, as the beloved, and the unloved wife is the daughter of the pagans, but she has a firstborn son; therefore, the sons of the Church are the first in the Kingdom, and they are given a special part - the teaching of the apostles and prophets, according to what is said in the law, that the firstborn should receive a double part, even if he were not the son of his beloved wife, but only the firstborn (Deut. 21:17). “If anyone has a disobedient son... let his father and his mother destroy him... and let him say... he drinks voluptuously” (Deut. 21:18-20), and his father and mother lay their hands on his head. The law requires that both father and mother act together. For it is impossible for both of them to be equally unmerciful towards their son, and for the son not to love both his father and mother equally. “If you see your brother’s bull or his sheep going astray in the way, do not despise me” (Deut. 22:1). It has been noticed that because of hatred for the enemy, a person shows his hatred towards his cattle. But if you are commanded to be merciful to cattle, animals and birds, then shouldn’t you be much more merciful to man? And if for the good that you do to the bull and the donkey, good is promised to you yourself, then how much more will you be rewarded with good for all the good that you have done to man? “If you improve a bird’s nest... and the mother sits on the chicks or eggs, do not take her from the chicks” (Deut. 22:6), because the mother, left alive, can have other chicks. But if you leave the chicks, taking their mother, then they will die an evil death. And if you take both the mother and The law prescribes love for birds, but what kind of love does it require from you for humans? At the same time, remember this saying: whoever does not love a murderer cares about the well-being of society; “Let thou build a fence on the roof of thy house” (Deut. 22:8). New home - new gospel; the fence is the commandments of Christ. “Let not you put on a robe... from linen and wool together weave” (Deut. 22:11). The legislator wanted his people, even in their clothing, to be far from the pagan peoples. “If anyone understands the wife... and the cart says to her:... he has not found her as a virgin... and puts accusatory words on her" (Deut. 22:13-14), then if the wife is really guilty of adultery, she must be stoned, and if the husband’s accusation is false, he must pay one hundred shekels of silver. And if the husband is rich, then, having paid, he will be subjected to reproach; and if he is poor, he will be subject to reproach and will give a pledge for himself. And if, because of the impossibility of letting his wife go, he will torture her, then he will be punished for this. But so that the one who cannot put his wife to death on a false accusation does not kill her out of hatred, it is therefore permissible to give a book of absolution. Matthew 19:8–9). “If a man is found lying with a married wife, kill them both together, and take away the evil from yourselves” (Deut. 22:22, 24). Both must be put to death: the wife - because she rejected shame, and especially because, having a husband, she desired another; an adulterer - because he could have been not a fornicator, but the husband of his wife. The one who lies with the betrothed maiden must also be put to death. For the sword thirsts for the blood of the one who drinks “the water of theft... from a strange source” (Prov. 9:17–18). “Let not Ammanite and Moabite come into the church of the Lord: and even to the tenth generation... because Balaam the son of Beor from Bethur from Mesopotamia has come against you, let him curse you” (Deut. 23:3-4). The deceiver Balaam, when he went on his way, cunningly said: “If God puts a word in my mouth, this is a river” (Numbers 22:38). The Ammanite portrays himself as a pagan, and the Moabite as a heretic. It is said about the Edomite: “Let them come in in the third generation,” because the Edomite did not hire anyone to destroy you. It is also said about the Egyptians: “Let them come in in the third generation” (Deut. 23:7-8). Although they have recently caused you a lot of evil, you should remember the good that they did to you during the life of Joseph. “Let them come in in the third generation,” that is, after they will leave the evil customs of their fathers. For it is said: after they have the third generation, and if they leave the pagan customs of their fathers, they will enter in; and if they do not leave, they will not enter into the tenth generation. “And let you have a stigma besides your weapons, and... when you sit down... let them put fossils in them... and... cover your shame” (Deut. 23:13). The stigma means sitting and understanding, or repentance and contrition of heart. A rational soul hides sins, this spiritual impurity, in tears. Weapons are either the commandments or the grace-filled power of the Holy Sacraments, which constitute an irresistible weapon for the soul. “Thou shalt not deliver the servant over to his master” (Deut. 23:15). If any of the pagans, for example the Persian, was in slavery to an Edomite, do not hand him over to his master. From here Solomon borrowed what he said: “Do not betray a slave in the hand of his master, lest he curse you” (Prov. 30:10). In a spiritual sense, this can be understood about the devil and the soul fleeing from him. “Thou shalt not bring bribes of harlots lower than the price of a piece of bread into the house of the Lord thy God” (Deut. 23:18). “The bribe of the harlot” is fasting, prayer and almsgiving of heretics; “the price of the song” is the mercy and offerings of the pagans and Jews. The legislator makes it clear that their vows are displeasing to God. “If you have entered into your neighbor’s grapes, let the grapes be filled, so that your soul may be satisfied, but do not put them into a vessel” (Deut. 23:25). Let your belly be filled to satiety because of hunger, but let your bosom remain empty; and let your thoughts not contain deception. “If you go into your neighbor’s field... gather up your treasures in your hands, but do not lay a sickle on your neighbor’s field” (Deut. 23:24). And here let your hand be stretched out because of hunger, but do not use the sickle, because by doing so you will already show greed. “If anyone understands his wife and lives with her, then lets her go, and she leaves his house, he will not be able” (Deut. 24:1, 4) to return her and bring her into his house, firstly, so that fears are not aroused in her second husband, and this does not create mutual enmity between the first and second husband, and secondly, so that the wife, due to aroused suspicion, is not completely abandoned when one does not hold back he keeps her out of hatred, and the other will not take her in out of fear and apprehension. “Thou shalt not put up the upper and lower stones of the millstone as a pledge" (Deut. 24:6). The lower stone of the millstone calls the Jewish synagogue, and the upper one is the law, which was subsequently taken away from the Jews, or the Father Himself, their Leader, which, as it were, was carried in the teaching of the prophets. “If you reap your field... and forget the sheaf... lest you return to take him” (Deut. 24:19). Leave the sheaf you harvested as food for the poor, so that you yourself may find satisfaction in the harvest you have gathered. “When you gather olive oil” (Deut. 24:20), do not look back to see if there is anything left behind you. Do not want to leave your olive trees without any fruit on them, lest God be pleased to make them unfruitful. God commands you to gather up much and leave behind little; and you, having collected a lot, should leave at least a little to the poor. “If the husband’s brother does not desire... to raise up his brother’s name in Israel... his brother’s wife comes to him... and breaks his boot... and let... say: Let them do unto the man who has not built his brother’s house... And his name shall be called in Israel the house of the boot” (Deut. 25:7, 9-10). This is the image of the Church, which took off (threw off) the spiritual boot of the Jewish people, and gave it to her sons, spat in the face of the Jewish people, because she did not want to create a house for Immanuel, who, having become incarnate from the Virgin, became the brother of the sons of Jacob. “It will be called... the house of om izutago from the boot”; so the Jewish people to this day are called the people of crucifiers. “Let there not be any measure or measure, great or small, in your vagina... let there be a true and just measure for you” (Deut. 25:13, 15). Measures, great and small, are called sincere and complete disposition and love, as well as incomplete and unstable disposition and love. The vagina is the soul for which another love has become incompatible. Under the image of two measures are represented truth and error, or two ways of life, one according to truth and spirit, and the other according to the flesh and error. “And thou shalt mix up some of the firstfruits of the fruit of thy land... and put it in the pot, and arise, and go to the place where the Lord thy God chooseth to call upon His name there. And let the priest take the treasury out of your hand" (Deut. 26:2, 4) "and say: I sought out the holy one from my house, and gave it to the Levite" (Deut. 26:13), that is, I brought a tithe of the firstfruits and gave it to the Levites. "And I did not eat in my illness from them" - because I had nothing to repent of when I ate the produce of the earth; at first I gave the tithe, and then I ate. “I did not bring anything from them when I was unclean.” I was holy when I brought the tithe to the dead” (Deut. 26:14). “When you have passed over the Jordan, build up for yourself a great stone (Deut. 27:2) taken from the Jordan. After crossing the Jordan, Israel is commanded to create an altar from solid stones that were not touched by iron, and then whitewash it with chalk. This altar is Emmanuel, who receives those who are baptized after their Baptism. The stones represent tribes and peoples who, after Baptism, are created into this altar, and in the unity of spirit form a single whole. The chalk points to the white robes in which those who rise from the holy waters are clothed. And by the fact that the stones were not touched by iron, it is meant that the own righteousness of those who are baptized is nothing. “And these shall swear on Mount Ebal... And... say... cursed is the man that maketh the graven image” (Deut. 27:13-15). In the law, curses are placed before blessings, because this is in accordance with the spirit of the law. For the law leads by compulsion to fulfill the commandments. The blessings pronounced after the curses are the image of the new Gospel commandments, because they lead to their fulfillment not by force, and not by fear, but by love. "Blessed are you in the city." This signifies the host of the sons of the Church. “Blessed are you in your village” (Deut. 28:3). By this you mean making disciples of Christ. “Blessed are the offspring of your womb.” Talk about the origins of holy thoughts. "And the fruits of your land." This means the fruition of good deeds. “And herds of oxen.” Understand this about the apostles. “And pasture the sheep” (Deut. 28:4). This indicates the host of believers in the Crucified One. “Blessed am I for your treasure” (Deut. 28:5). This reminds us of the Holy Table and the Flesh taught from it. And the dough is yours. This means the holy kvass. “Blessed are you at your coming.” The entry is the time when the teaching began. “Blessed are you at your coming” (Deut. 28:6). This indicates the time of crowning after the feat. “Your enemies... will come out against you in one way and will flee from before you in seven ways” (Deut. 28:7). Understand this about a gathering of demons who come together to fight and are crushed by the power of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. “And may the Lord send a blessing upon you in your storehouses” (Deut. 28:8). By storehouses is meant the rain of the teachings of church teachers. “May the Lord open to you His good treasure, heaven.” This teaches the doctrine of the descent of the Spirit from the eternal Being. “He will give the rain of your land in its time” (Deut. 28:12). This depicts the revelation of the mysteries. “And give each other tongue to many, but you will not be indebted” (Deut. 28:12). This is a holy people, whose teachings everyone needs, and which itself does not borrow from anyone, because it does not incline its ear to the teachings of the poor. “And the sky above you will be copper.” So it was in the days of Elijah. “And the earth... is iron” (Deut. 28:23). And so it was in the days of his disciple, for under Elisha there was a seven-year famine. “May the Lord strike you down before your enemies” (Deut. 28:27). Moses says: “one of you will marry... thousands” (Deut. 32:30), which was the case in the days of David, “and two moving darkness”, which was the case with Gideon: “the enemies... will come against you in one way and run seven ways”, which was the case in the times of David, Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah (Deut. 28:7). But when the people of God abandoned God, sinned, then the opposite of this happened to him: he fled “seven ways” from his enemies, which was what happened under the judges, in the days of Saul, during the invasion of the Assyrians and Babylonians. “Your field will yield much seed, and you will reap little” (Deut. 28:38). The kor (Hebrew measure of weight) of the seeds will yield satu (the measure of bulk solids). “And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck” (Deut. 28:48), that is, the kings of the pagan nations will rule over them. “And he will bring his tongue against you from afar,” that is, the Babylonians, as the prophet Jeremiah says about this (Jer. 5:15). “He will not leave you any wheat or wine” (Deut. 28:5). This is said about the famine that occurred during the siege, when many died from lack of food. "And take away... the flesh of your sons...." This happened during the same siege, as Jeremiah (Jer. 19:9) and Ezekiel (Eze. 5:10) testify. “And the Lord will turn upon you all the plagues of Egypt and other grave ones written in this book, and you will remain among the Malem” (Deut. 28:60–62), because even before the captivity and death by the sword, many of the Jews died of hunger. “And the Lord will scatter you... into all the nations... and you will serve there as another god” (Deut. 28:64). This was the case in Babylon, where only three men remained with Daniel, clearly preaching that they would not worship graven images or any idol (Dan. 3:18). “And the Lord will give you there a sad heart and a fading hair and a fading soul. And your belly will hang before you... And the Lord will bring you back... to Egypt in ships” (Deut. 28:65-66, 68), - in the ships of enemies who will take you captive, and you will have no salvation. “And the Lord God hath not given you hearts to understand, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear” (Deut. 29:4). The Jews, like Pharaoh and even more than him, turned out to be wicked; and for this, just like Pharaoh, they are condemned. The words: “you will not give” ... and others are put in connection with what was said about clothing and shoes: “your garments were not worn out, and your boots were not worn off on your feet” (Deut. 29:5); and also: “And you went and served another god... whom you did not know” (Deut. 29:26), and which were not assigned to you, that is, the Jews were not intended to serve these gods and glorify them, which seems to give the idea that these other gods were assigned to the pagan peoples. “The secret of the Lord to our God, revealed to us and to our children.” This is said so that the Jews do not labor to search and study the hidden, because it is incomprehensible, but would delve into whether they really listen and follow what is revealed and commanded to them. That’s why he adds: “Do all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29). If you repent, then “though your scattering be from one end of the heaven, even to the end of the heaven, from there he will gather you” (Deut. 30:4). They were scattered during the Babylonian captivity, gathered and returned to their land under Zerubbabel. “I bear witness to you this day by heaven and earth: I have given life and death before you, a blessing and an oath: and choose life... and you shall love the Lord, so that you may live on the earth by which the Lord... gave to your father, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, to give them” (Deut. 30:19-20). Behold, the Lord has accomplished what He promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they loved Him. As evidence of this I present heaven and earth. This is the meaning of the added words: “may you live on the earth by which the Lord ... swears to your father.” “God is faithful, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Deut. 32:4). The Jews did evil to themselves by their apostasy to idols. It was not idols that drove them out of the furnace of iron (Deut. 4:20); it was not they who gave them many blessings in this desert. "Remember the days everlasting". From the days of Adam, God “set the boundaries of the tongues according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deut. 32:7–8); determined that the number of different tribes and languages ​​should be equal to the number of the sons of Israel who entered Egypt with Jacob, numbering seventy souls. He made “honey from the stone” (Deut. 32:13). This signifies such fertility and abundance of the earth that due to the multitude of bees, honey flowed from the stone rocks. According to the explanation of others, this meant that the drink flowing from the stone was for everyone what he wanted; whoever wanted honey, for one it was honey, and for another it was oil, for another it was “butter of a cow or the fat of wheat” (Deut. 32:14). Mysteriously, all this meant Christ. He is the true cornerstone, for the whole world the source of life, for everyone who comes to Him, He is what everyone desires: for one Light, for another the Door, for another the Path, for another Wisdom. He is everything for everyone and for the benefit of everyone. “And oil from the hard rock” (Deut. 32:13). And here Moses refers to oil as either sweet waters drawn from a stone mountain, or manna, which had “the taste of flour yoked with oil” (Num. 11:8), or the fruits of olives growing on the mountains, and after the blessing became even more fruitful. “Israel ate, and offended the Almighty, who saved him” (Deut. 32:5). Instead of repaying Him with gratitude for the blessings received from God, Israel abandoned and offended God, Who made him heir of all nations. “I will send the teeth of beasts into them” (Deut. 32:24) to deprive them of peace. “The sword will destroy their children from without” (Deut. 32:25), that is, their enemies will destroy their children. There is horror in their houses. The persecutors will bring upon them the terror that Cain had. “From the grapes of Sodom their grapes”, and not from Abraham, because in their deeds they became like the Sodomites. “And their rod is from Gomorrah,” and not from Sarah. “Their grapes are clusters of gall” for them, that is, the fruits of their deeds will bring disaster upon them, “their grapes... grapes of sorrow,” that is, their deeds are wicked (Deut. 32:32). “The wrath of serpents” (Deut. 32:33) is their rage. Their rage is like the rage of a serpent that never retreats. And the head of the most evil asp. “Behold, My people are hidden and sealed in treasures,” that is, even with all this they will be preserved here, in their inheritance. For it is said: “For the Lord will judge His people, and He will have compassion on His servants” (Deut. 32:34, 36). “I will take vengeance on My enemies, and I will repay those who hate Me” (Deut. 32:41), that is, I will deliver them into the hands of the Medes, Chaldeans and Assyrians. “Go up to Mount Nebo... and see the land of Canaan” (Deut. 32:49). This represents to us the prophets and the law, who saw the coming of Immanuel in images, but did not live to see the time of the coming; They saw the calling of the Gentiles, but they themselves did not enter the spiritual sheepfold of the Gospel. “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John” (Matthew 11:13). “The Lord has come from Sinai.” There the Lord appeared to me when he sent for me. “And he appeared to us from Siir,” and after that he appeared to all the people in the wilderness “from Mount Parani” (Deut. 33:2): ten thousand saints were with Him, that is, around Him, on the right hand and on the left were angels, when He gave us the law. “He loved the people,” or so he calls the people of Israel, or shows that God does not hate a single work of His hands, and loves all nations. Moses speaks first of Judah, because of his royal dignity, and then of Levi, because of his priesthood. After Levi - about Benjamin, and then about Joseph, because of his superior dignity (Deut. 33:3, 7-8, 12, 16). This explains why Moses counts the “names of the sons of Jacob” out of order. As much as our ignorance allows, we will begin to explain the blessings. “The beloved of the Lord... will dwell in peace” (Deut. 33:12). This indicates the peace into which the descendant of Benjamin, Paul, was brought by the revelation that occurred to him on the way to Damascus. It will overshadow him all day, and in the middle the ramen will rest upon him. This indicates the voice that overshadowed Paul from heaven and showed him the mental heavens. And this is consistent with what God said about Paul to Ananias: “He will bring My name before the tongues... for He is a chosen vessel” (Acts 9:15). The Benjaminite inheritance was within the borders of Jerusalem, Emmanuel overshadowed it all day, when he who was nailed to the cross on Mount Golgotha ​​stretched out His hands until the evening. “And Joseph said: blessed is his land by the Lord in the fruits of the dew of heaven” (Deut. 33:13). In Joseph, as in an image, we see Emmanuel. The earth is His human nature. The fruit is from the dew of heaven above, and from the abyss that lies below. The dew of heaven represents in Him the knowledge of the heavenly, and the earth the knowledge of the earthly and that which is above the earth. The first of the “fruits of the sun” that Moses desires for Joseph, that is, the understanding of the saints, represents the first fruit of the Divine. The fruit that the moon produces is a creature. The fruit of the “eternal hills” is the resurrection for bliss after the Judgment. The fruit of “the earth and its fulfillment” indicates the bliss of the bodies after the resurrection. “The favor of Him who dwells in the bush,” that is, these blessings “may come on the head of Joseph,” on the top of the crown of his brothers, according to the good pleasure of Him who dwells in the bush (Deut. 33:14–16). “The firstborn of the youth is his kindness”; He will not bring anything ordinary as a gift to God, but will tithe (take tithes) and bring as a gift the firstborn younglings. “Rosie the unicorn, roze him: they will gore his tongues together.” Just as a unicorn does not know a yoke, so Ephraim will not be a slave. “These and thousands of Manasseh” (Deut. 33:17). Ephraim depicts the pagan nations who are saved because their faith has increased and multiplied more than the faith of the Jewish people, represented here in the image of Manasseh. “Rejoice, O Zebulun, in thy exodus.” This signifies the joy of the pagan peoples, who came from ignorance to knowledge, from error to the sublime truth. “And Issachar, in your villages” (Deut. 33:18). This indicates the joy of the holy apostles in the heavenly abodes, for they were given abodes from which “sadness will flee.” They will call the nations to the mountain. With the trumpets of the apostles and prophets, the called peoples from the abyss of sin entered the spiritual mountain. “The riches of the sea will reward them, and the treasures hidden in the sand” (Deut. 33:19). This depicts the conversion of all nations by the apostles. Burdened with the weight of sin and mired in uncleanness, they could not enter the spiritual sea; but the apostles paved the way for them, and they entered the intelligent harbour. “Blessed be the expander of Gad.” This points to Emmanuel, who through the apostles opened the entrance to the Kingdom of the Gospel teaching and expanded it. “Like a lion, he crushed the arm and the head” (Deut. 33:20). The muscle is the region of demons, and the head is the devil, who are crushed. The part of the interpreter is hidden there, that is, the part of Moses and the prophets, the interpreters of the mysteries of Christ (Deut. 33:21). “Dan, the skiman of the lions” (Deut. 33:22), sows from Mafnain. Mafnain is an image of sin and hell. The skimen of the lions is Emmanuel, Who freed the pagan peoples, who had hitherto been infants in the spiritual, from sin, lay down, and extracted the souls of the saints from hell, just as a lion cub sucks the milk from a lioness. “Naphtali is full of favor and filled with blessing from the Lord” (Deut. 33:23). Naphtali represents those who have reached perfection by the grace of Immanuel, who is the favor of the Heavenly Father. "The West and the South will inherit". The heritage in the west is Christ. The prophet calls out about him, saying: “Sing... to him who ascended into the west, the Lord is his name” (Ps. 67:5). The inheritance in the south is also Christ, who divides the abodes of the saints in His Kingdom. “Blessed is the child of Asher.” Asher means the leader of the singers, so he is the leader of the praises. “He shall dip his foot in oil” (Deut. 33:24). Oil signifies the communion of the Spirit; the leg is the doing of righteousness. “Iron and brass are your boots” (Deut. 33:25). This makes it clear how firm and constant those who praise and proclaim God must be. Simeon is not blessed because he was cursed by his father Jacob for beating the Shechemites, and instead of repenting of his first crime, he added a new crime to this in the person of Zamri, the son of Salmon, exterminating “twenty-four thousand” (Num. 25:9), who were struck with a plague for his sin. Levi, although he was cursed along with Simeon, received a blessing from Moses, firstly, for the jealousy of the Levites, who struck their brothers who worshiped the calf, and secondly, for the jealousy of the Levite Phinehas, with which he rushed against Zimri, the son of Salmon, and killed him. “Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eyes were not darkened, nor his mouth was corrupted” (Deut. 34:7), that is, until the time when Emmanuel appeared and, as it were, buried the law, the prophets clearly saw the mystery of the coming of Emmanuel; the prophetic trumpets did not cease, and the voice of the heralds did not fail until the day of the appearance of the Son. There is no interpretation for this chapter. You might be interested in: