Deuteronomy 31:21

Deu 31:21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

Ver. 21. For I know their imagination.] As a man that knows what roots he hath in his garden; though there be not a flower appears, yet he can say, when the spring comes, this and this will come up, because he knows the garden, and knows what roots are there: so the Lord knows our thoughts afar off, because he knows the principles that are within, and knows what they will do when occasion serves; he is privy to that root that beareth gall and wormwood. {Deu 29:18}

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.

Deu 31:21. This song shall testify against them as a witness — That they were sufficiently admonished of their duty, and forewarned what would be the consequence of their defection from me and my worship, (Deu 32:18-19,) and be a clear evidence that the calamities which befall them are judgments sent from me for the punishment of their transgressions. How ought this to be remarked with wonder! For, to this very day, above three thousand years after, this song is a strong proof and demonstration, both to Jews and Christians, that Moses did indeed speak by the commandment of God. I know their imagination — Inclination to idolatry, which they do not check as they ought: and some of them do not only cherish it in their hearts, but, as far as they can and dare, secretly practise it, as may be gathered from Amo 5:25; Act 7:43.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That these evils are come upon them, because they forsook me.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 21. This song shall testify against them] Because in it their general defection is predicted, but in such a way as to show them how to avoid the evil; and if they did not avoid the evil, and the threatened punishment should come upon them, then the song should testify against them, by showing that they had been sufficiently warned, and might have lived to God, and so escaped those disasters.

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

(21) This song . . . shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed.—And it is not forgotten now. St. Paul made special use of it in the last days of the second Temple. This song is a favourite piece of Hebrew poetry to this day. Rashi observes: “This is a promise to Israel that the law shall not be utterly forgotten by their seed.”

I know their imagination.—Heb., yêtzer, the same word employed in Gen_6:5; Gen_8:21. It is the word commonly used in Rabbinical literature for the evil nature or good nature in any man. The nature which they are forming, or making, this day, would be a literal rendering of the sentence in this verse. And yet with all this, He made Balaam say, “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob nor seen perverseness in Israel” (Num_23:21). Comp. 1Ch_28:9, “The Lord . . . understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts,” and Psa_103:14, “He knoweth our frame (yêtzer); He remembereth that we are dust.”

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

21. many evils … are come upon it] Cp. Deu_31:17; this song shall testify to its face, the same vb. as in Deu_19:18; as a witness, Deu_31:19; its seed; its imagination, yéṣer, lit. moulding. This term and its synonyms are applied in the O.T. to evil imaginations in rebellion against God (e.g. Gen_6:5; Gen_8:21, Psa_10:2; Psa_140:2, Pro_6:18, Lam_3:60 f.) except in two passages (1Ch_28:9; 1Ch_29:18), where they are used indifferently, and in Isa_26:3 where the yéṣer or imagination is described as stayed on God.

before I bring it into the land, etc.] See 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.

Moses therefore wrote this song the same day,.... The same day it was dictated to him by divine inspiration; he wrote it, as Josephus says (d),"in hexameter verse, which he left in the holy Bible or book (the Pentateuch), containing (as he adds) a prophecy of things future, according to which all things have been done, and are done; and in nothing of it has he erred from the truth;''which is a very just account of it, and worthy of observation:

and taught it the children of Israel; instructed them in the meaning of it, directed them to repeat it frequently, to lay it up in their memories, and often meditate upon it; as being a divine composition, and of great importance, as the consideration of it will make appear.

(d) Antiqu. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 44.

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

Thoughts. Hebrew, "imagination." Septuagint, "wickedness." --- Them. Hebrew, "concerning which I swore." Septuagint add, "to their fathers." (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

It shall not be forgotten: this seems not to be a precept that they should remember it, but a prediction, that God would give them sad occasion to remember it, by bringing upon them the dreadful calamities mentioned in it.

Their imagination which they go about, even now; either their inward inclinations to idolatry, which they do not check, as they ought, but rather entertain with delight; and some of them do not only cherish it in their hearts, but as far as they can and dare secretly practise it, as may be gathered from Amo 5:26; Act 7:43; or their secret purposes to allow themselves therein, when they are settled in their land, which were clearly known to God, though it may be not fully evident to themselves.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. This song shall testify against them as a witness — This ode, passing down from father to son, from generation to generation, would rebuke the apostasy of the nation. How in the midst of prevailing idolatry and gross corruption these divine words would be like the utterances of the prophets of the old and the apostles of the new dispensation! Every time the ode was repeated it would reprove and rebuke. In the days of apostate kings, if the song were repeated, how startling the words, “They sacrificed unto devils, not unto God!”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Their imaginations - Inclinations to Idolatry, which they do not check, as they ought; and some of them do not only cherish it in their hearts, but as far as they can and dare, secretly practice it, as may be gathered from Amos v, 25 Acts vii, 43.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

When many evils and troubles come upon this people

Here evils and troubles are described as if they were human and could find people. AT: "When this people experiences many evils and troubles" (See: Personification)

this song will testify before them as a witness

This speaks of the song as if it were a human witness testifying in court against Israel. (See: Personification)

it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants

This can be stated in active form. AT: "their descendants will not forget to keep it in their mouths" (See: Active or Passive)

it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants

This can be stated positively. AT: "their descendants will remember to keep it in their mouths" (See: Active or Passive)

it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants

The idiom "forget it from the mouth" means to stop speaking about it. AT: "their descendants will not stop speaking about it to each other" (See: Active or Passive)

the plans that they are forming

What people plan to do is spoken of as if it were a physical object. AT: "what they plan to do" (See: Metaphor)

the land that I promised

God's promise of the land was to give it to the people of Israel. This can be stated clearly. AT: "the land that I promised I would give to them" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

evil

trouble

people group

testimony

testimony

descend

oath

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

וענתה השירה הזאת לפניו לעד [AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS …] THAT THIS SONG SHALL TESTIFY that in it I had warned them concerning all the things that had befallen them.

כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו FOR IT SHALL NOT BE FORGOTTEN OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF THEIR SEED — This is an assurance to Israel that the Torah in which this song is contained will never be entirely forgotten by their descendants (Shabbat 138b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

FOR I KNOW THEIR INCLINATION WHICH THEY HAVE SHOWN THIS DAY. The meaning thereof is like the expression, for now I know that thou art a G-d-fearing man, which is knowledge become actualized, for knowledge of the future is knowledge in potential., (Vol. I, p. 279). Now, if Israel had not sinned in the wilderness and the recognition of his temperament had not been actualized, it would have been inappropriate for him to testify against them in the Song, saying that it is known to Him that you will sin and therefore I call [heaven and earth] to witness that many evils and troubles like such and such will come upon you. Instead it would have been proper that He give them the Torah with unspecified foreknowledge: If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the Land; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword. But now, that their bad temperament and their straying heart had become known to them as well, He told them all that would occur to them. This is similar to what is said, Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew etc., therefore I have declared to thee from of old; before it came to pass I announced it to thee.

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.

For I know their impulse. They do not wish to enter the Land of Israel in order to serve me, which is My intent, as the verse states, “That they may keep His statutes” (Tehillim 105:45). However, they want to enter to fulfil their desires, and this will lead to all the evil that will surely come, as the verse states, “Yeshurun grew fat and rebelled” (Devarim 32:15).

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.