Deuteronomy 5:26

Deu 5:26. Flesh — Is here put for a man in his frail, corruptible, and mortal state.

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

Or, man.

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

26. flesh] Emphatic; it cannot endure immediate contact with spirit (Isa_31:3).

the living God] Rather, a living God, cp. Deu_4:33. The phrase always occurs in the O.T. without the article even when as in 1Sa_17:26; 1Sa_17:36, and Jer_23:36 it is the living God who is meant. In Jer_10:10 it is indefinite as here. These are all the instances of this form. Kindred forms in Jos_3:10 indefinite; Hos_2:1, 2Ki_19:4; 2Ki_19:16 definite.

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.

O that there were such an heart in them,.... Not that there is properly speaking such volitions and wishes in God; but, as Aben Ezra observes, the Scripture speaks after the language of the children of men; and may be considered as upbraiding them with want of such an heart, and with weakness to do what they had promised; and, at most, as approving of those things they spoke of as grateful to him, and profitable to them: the words may be rendered, "who will give (l) that they had such an heart"; not to me, but to them, as Aben Ezra notes; they cannot give it to themselves, nor can any creature give it to them; none but God can, and therefore they ought to have prayed to him to give them an heart to hearken and do; agreeably to which is the Arabic version,"it is to be wished by them, that such an heart would continue with them;''which they by their language signified was in them: that they would fear me; which is not naturally in the heart of man, is a gift of God, a part of the covenant of grace, is implanted in regeneration, and is no inconsiderable branch of it; it is opposed to pride, and is consistent with faith and joy, and is increased by views of the grace and goodness of God, and is a distinguishing character of a good man:

and keep all my commandments always; not only one, but all, and not only at some certain times, but continually; and which are to be kept in faith from a principle of love, with a view to the glory of God, and in the strength of Christ; and to this the fear of God is necessary, for where there is no fear of God, there is no regard to his commandments; but where there is a reverential fear of God, there are faith, hope, love, and every other grace; yea, the Spirit, the author of all, who is in the saints, to enable them to walk in the statutes of the Lord, and to keep his judgments and do them; and such keep the commandments of God, not from a slavish fear, but from a sense of divine goodness:

that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever; for the fear of God, and the keeping of his commandments, issue in the good of men, in their own good, their inward peace, and spiritual welfare; in the good of others, their neighbours, servants, and children, by way of example and instruction; and even in the public peace and prosperity of a nation in which they dwell: not that these things are meritorious of eternal life, but are what are approved of by the Lord, and are grateful to him; which is the chief view in the expression of the text.

(l) "quis det", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius; "quis dabit", Piscator.

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

Flesh is here put for man in his frail, corruptible, and mortal state, as Mat 16:17; 1Co 15:50; Eph 6:12; Heb 2:14.

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

Flesh - Is here put for man in his frail, corruptible, and mortal state.

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

OH THAT THIS THEIR HEART WOULD REMAIN IN THEM, TO FEAR ME. Scripture uses this expression because man has freedom of choice to be righteous or to be wicked, and “Everything is in the power of Heaven except for fear of Heaven.” It is thus an expression of common usage.And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the expression [before us] is similar to the verse, And unto man He said: ‘Behold, the fear of the Eternal, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ And so the Rabbis have said with regard to the reward for [performance of] the commandments:, the small crown-like decorations atop many of the letters of the Torah. He asked G-d what the tagim represented. G-d answered, “Many generation from now, there will live a man named Akiba, the son of Joseph. He will explain every dot and decoration of all letters.” Moses then requested that he be permitted to listen to one of Rabbi Akiba’s lectures. After hearing it, Moses returned to G-d and said, “You have a man like Akiba and you give the Torah through me!” G-d answered, “Be silent; so I have decreed.” Moses then asked that he be shown Rabbi Akiba’s reward. G-d answered, “Turn around,” Moses then saw etc. — Rabbi Akiba was one of the Ten Martyrs from among the greatest Rabbis of the generation who were put to death by command of the Roman Emperor Hadrian for their public defiance of the Roman ban against studying the Torah and the general practice of Judaism. See Vol. II, p. 301, and Note 369. “Moses saw that they [i.e., the Romans] were cutting the flesh of [the martyr] Rabbi Akiba in meat markets. Moses said to G-d, ‘Master of the universe! Is this the reward for such [knowledge of the] Torah!’ The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, ‘Be silent, thus have I decreed.’” You will understand this from what He has said to Moses, And as for thee, stand thou here by Me.

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.