Deuteronomy 31:18

Deu 31:18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

Ver. 18. Hide my face,] i.e., Withdraw my favour, and therewith all good.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31:18 I will hide my face: The invisible God used this figure of speech (see study note on 8:2) to communicate the breaking of fellowship between himself and his people. He turned away to indicate his rejection and repudiation.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. I will surely hide my face] Withdraw my approbation and my protection. This is a general meaning of the word in Scripture.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(18) I will surely hide my face.—“As though I did not see (them) in their distress” (Rashi).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. hide my face] Some Heb. MSS, Sam., LXX, etc., add from them; but the Heb. has the next vbs. in Sg. evil which it has wrought, and it turned to other gods (Sam. they and they). The Heb. vb. is panah, not used exactly so elsewhere in Deut., but cp. Deu_29:18 (17), Deu_30:17, and below Deu_31:20.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now, therefore, write ye this song for you,.... Which was now dictated by the Lord, and given to Moses and Joshua to write, which is recorded in Deu 32:1,

and teach it the children of Israel; teach them by it, instructing them in the meaning of it: thus it was usual in ancient times to write things in verses, that they might be the more pleasingly attended to and regarded, and be longer retained in memory; and especially this practice was used with children, and still is:

put it in their mouths; oblige them to get it by heart, or lay it up in their memories, and repeat it frequently, that it may be familiar to them, and not be forgotten by them:

that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel; when in times to come they shall call to mind how in this song they were cautioned against such and such sins, and what they were threatened with should befall them on account of them, and how all things have come to pass exactly as foretold in it; which would be a testimony for God of his goodness to them, of his tender care of them, and concern for them, in the previous cautions he gave them; and of his foreknowledge of future events; and a testimony against them for their ingratitude and other sins.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

AND I WILL SURELY HIDE MY FACE IN THAT DAY. The meaning thereof is that [He will hide His face] on a different occasion [for it was already stated in Verse 17, and I will hide My face from them]. Since the Israelites already reflected in their hearts that they sinned against G-d, and that these evils came upon them because their G-d was not among them, it would have been fitting — according to the exceeding mercies of G-d — that He help them and rescue them because they had already denied the idols. This is similar to what is stated, Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, because thou sayest: ‘I have not sinned,’ [indicating that the very denial of wrongdoing is a grievous sin, but here the admission of sin should have caused G-d to help them]. Therefore he [Moses] states that, because of the great evil that they did in trusting idols, He will again hide His face from them — not like the first hiding of His face when He hid the face of His mercies and many evils and troubles came upon them — but that only the face of redemption will be hidden and they will abide by the promise of the face of His mercies. [This is the promise of] And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them etc. [They will not be shown the face of redemption] until they add to the aforementioned regret real confession and perfect repentance, as is stated above, and thou shalt return unto the Eternal thy G-d etc.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.