---
title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah"
author: "Adam Clarke"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 199 of 914
url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/199/
cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 199. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/199/"
---

# Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah

*Adam Clarke*

Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 1 of 2.

## 199. Deuteronomy · 14 of 29

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/199/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/199/#p-N

[¶0] Necte, Amarylli, modo; et Veneris, dic, vincula necto.

[¶1] Virg. Ecl. viii., ver. 77. "Knit with three Knots the fillets, knit them straight;

[¶2] Then say, these Knots to love I consecrate."

[¶3] Dryden.

[¶4] A consulter with familiar spirits - שאל אוב shoel ob, a Pythoness, one who inquires by the means of one spirit to get oracular answers from another of a superior order. See on [Lev 19:31] (note).

[¶5] A wizard - ידעני yiddeoni, a wise one, a knowing one. Wizard was formerly considered as the masculine of witch, both practising divination by similar means. See on [Exo 22:13] (note), and [Lev 19:31] (note).

[¶6] Or a necromancer - דרש אל המתים doresh el hammethim, one who seeks from or inquires of the dead. Such as the witch at Endor, who professed to evoke the dead, in order to get them to disclose the secrets of the spiritual world.

### Verse 15

[¶8] The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet - Instead of diviners, observers of times, etc., God here promises to give them an infallible guide, who should tell them all things that make for their peace, so that his declarations should completely answer the end of all the knowledge that was pretended to be gained by the persons already specified.

[¶9] Like unto me - Viz., a prophet, a legislator, a king, a mediator, and the head or chief of the people of God. This was the very person of whom Moses was the type, and who should accomplish all the great purposes of the Divine Being. Such a prophet as had never before appeared, and who should have no equal till the consummation of the world.

[¶10] This prophet is the Lord Jesus, who was in the bosom of the Father, and who came to declare him to mankind. Every word spoken by him is a living infallible oracle from God himself; and must be received and obeyed as such, on pain of the eternal displeasure of the Almighty. See [Deu 18:19], and [Act 3:22], [Act 3:23]; and see the conclusion of this chapter, [Deu 18:22] (note).

### Verse 22

[¶12] If the thing follow not - It is worthy of remark that the prophets in general predicted those things which were shortly to come to pass, that the people might have the fullest proof of their Divine mission, and of the existence of God's providence in the administration of the affairs of men.

[¶13] The promise contained in the [Deu 18:15] and [Deu 18:18] verses of this chapter has long been considered of the first importance in the controversies between the Christians and Jews. "Christ," says Ainsworth, "was to be a man, and of the stock of the Jews, by promise, because the people could not endure to hear the voice of God, [Deu 18:16]. And as in respect of his prophecy, so of the priesthood: for every high priest is taken from among men, [Heb 5:1]; and also of his kingdom, as in [Deu 17:15] : From among thy brethren shalt thou set a king over thee like unto me. "1. Christ alone was like unto Moses as a Prophet; for it is written, There arose not a prophet in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do, [Deu 34:10], [Deu 34:11], [Deu 34:12]. This therefore cannot be understood of the ordinary prophets which were raised up in Israel, but of Christ only, as the apostles expound it [Act 2:22-26].

[¶14] 2. Christ was like unto Moses in respect to his office of mediation between God and his people, [Deu 5:5]; [1Tim 2:5]; but greater than Moses as being the mediator of a better covenant, (or testament), which was established upon better promises, [Heb 8:6].

[¶15] 3. Christ was like unto Moses in excellency; for as Moses excelled all the prophets in speaking to God mouth to mouth, [Num 12:6], [Num 12:7],[Num 12:8], so Christ excelled him and all men in that being in the bosom of the Father, he hath come down from heaven and declared God unto us, [Joh 1:18]; [Joh 3:13].

[¶16] 4. Christ was like to Moses in faithfulness, but therein also excelling; for Moses was faithful in God's house as a servant, but Christ as the son over his own house, [Heb 3:2], [Heb 3:5], [Heb 3:6].

[¶17] 5. Christ was like to Moses in signs and wonders, wherein he also excelled Moses, as the history of the Gospel shows; for he was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, [Luk 24:19]. A man approved of God among them, by miracles, signs, and wonders, which God did by him in the midst of them, [Act 2:22]. For he did among them the works which no other man did, [Joh 15:24]. Unto him, that is, not unto the diviners, wizards, or any such like, but unto him, and him only; as Him thou shalt serve, [Deu 6:13], is expounded, Him only, [Mat 4:10]. And though this is principally meant of Christ in person, of whom God said, Hear him, [Mat 17:5]; yet it implies also his ministers, as himself said, He that heareth you heareth me, [Luk 10:16]." To these may be added,

[¶18] 6. As Moses was king among his people, in this respect Christ is like to him, but infinitely greater; for he is King of kings and Lord of lords, [Rev 19:16]; [1Tim 6:15].

[¶19] 7. He was like to Moses as a legislator. Moses gave laws to Israel by the authority and commandment of God, which the Jews have ever acknowledged as coming from the immediate inspiration of the Almighty: these are contained in the Pentateuch. Christ gave a new law, the Gospel contained in the four Evangelists and Acts of the Apostles, on which the Christian Church is founded, and by which all genuine Christians are governed both in heart and life. To all which may be added,

[¶20] 8. That God never commissioned any human beings to give laws to mankind but Moses and Christ; and therefore, as a lawgiver, Christ alone resembles Moses; for to the present hour none but themselves have given laws in the name of God, which he has ratified and confirmed by the most indubitable and infallible signs, proofs, and miracles.

[¶21] Dr. Jortin, in his Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, has drawn a parallel between Moses and Christ in a great number of particulars, which he concludes thus: "Let us search all the records of universal history, and see if we can find a man who was so like to Moses as Christ was, and so like to Christ as Moses was. If we cannot find such a one, then have we found Him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write to be Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God." On this subject see Ainsworth, Calmet, and Dodd, who have all marked this striking correspondence between Moses and Christ.

### Introduction

[¶23] Three cities of refuge to be appointed in the midst of the promised land; the land being divided into three parts, a city is to be placed in each, a proper way to which is to be prepared, [Deu 19:1-3]. In what cases of manslaughter the benefit of those cities may be claimed, [Deu 19:4-6]. Three cities more to be added should the Lord enlarge their coasts, and the reasons why, [Deu 19:7-10]. The intentional murderer shall have no benefit from these cities, [Deu 19:11-13]. The landmark is not to be shifted, [Deu 19:14]. One witness shall not be deemed sufficient to convict a man, [Deu 19:15]. How a false witness shall be dealt with - he shall bear the punishment which he designed should have been inflicted on his neighbor, [Deu 19:16-20]. Another command to establish the lex talionis, [Deu 19:21].

### Verse 2

[¶25] Thou shalt separate three cities - See on [Num 35:11] (note), etc.

### Verse 3

[¶27] Thou shalt prepare thee a way - The Jews inform us that the roads to the cities of refuge were made very broad, thirty-two cubits; and even, so that there should be no impediments in the way; and were constantly kept in good repair.

### Verse 9

[¶29] Shalt thou add three cities more - This was afterwards found necessary, and accordingly six cities were appointed, three on either side Jordan. See [Jos 21:1-3], etc. In imitation of these cities of refuge the heathens had their asyla, and the Catholics their privileged altars. See [Exo 21:13] (note), [Exo 21:14] (note), and [Num 35:11] (note), etc.

### Verse 11

[¶31] If any man hate his neighbor - See on [Exo 21:13] (note).

### Verse 14

[¶33] Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark - Before the extensive use of fences, landed property was marked out by stones or posts, set up so as to ascertain the divisions of family estates. It was easy to remove one of these landmarks, and set it in a different place; and thus the dishonest man enlarged his own estate by contracting that of his neighbor. The termini or landmarks among the Romans were held very sacred, and were at last deified.

[¶34] To these termini Numa Pompillus commanded offerings of broth, cakes, and firstfruits, to be made. And Ovid informs us that it was customary to sacrifice a lamb to them, and sprinkle them with its blood: -

[¶35] Spargitur et caeso communis terminus agno.

[¶36] Fast. lib. ii., ver. 655.

[¶37] And from Tibullus it appears that they sometimes adorned them with flowers and garlands: -

[¶38] Nam veneror, seu stipes habet desertus inagris,

[¶39] Seu vetus in trivio florida serta lap is.

[¶40] Eleg. lib. i., E. i., ver. 11. "Revere each antique stone bedeck'd with flowers,

[¶41] That bounds the field, or points the doubtful way."

[¶42] Grainger.

[¶43] It appears from Juvenal that annual oblations were made to them: - - Convallem ruris aviti

[¶44] Improbus, aut campum mihi si vicinus ademit,