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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Deuteronomy 32:7–14. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Moses, having in general represented God to them as their great benefactor, whom they were bound in gratitude to observe and obey, in these verses gives particular instances of God's kindness to them and concern for them. 1. Some instances were ancient, and for proof of them he appeals to the records (Deu 32:7): Remember the days of old; that is, "Keep in remembrance the history of those days, and of the wonderful providences of God concerning the old world, and concerning your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; you will find a constant series of mercies attending them, and how long since things were working towards that which has now come to pass." Note, The authentic histories of ancient times are of singular use, and especially the history of the church in its infancy, both the Old Testament and the New Testament church. 2. Others were more modern, and for proof of them he appeals to their fathers and elders that were now alive and with them. Parents must diligently teach their children, not only the word of God, his laws (Deu 6:7), and the meaning of his ordinances (Exo 12:26, Exo 12:27), but his works also, and the methods of his providence. See Psa 78:3, Psa 78:4, Psa 78:6, Psa 78:7. And children should desire the knowledge of those things which will be of use to engage them to their duty and to direct them in it.
Three things are here enlarged upon as instances of God's kindness to his people Israel, and strong obligations upon them never to forsake him: -
I.The early designation of the land of Canaan for their inheritance; for herein it was a type and figure of our heavenly inheritance, that it was of old ordained and prepared in the divine counsels, Deu 32:8. Observe,
1.When the earth was divided among the sons of men, in the days of Peleg, after the flood, and each family had its lot, in which it must settle, and by degrees grow up into a nation, then God had Israel in his thoughts and in his eye; for, designing this good land into which they were now going to be in due time an inheritance for them, he ordered that the posterity of Canaan, rather than any other of the families then in being, should be planted there in the mean time, to keep possession, as it were, till Israel was ready for it, because those families were under the curse of Noah, by which they were condemned to servitude and ruin (Gen 9:25), and therefore would be the more justly, honourably, easily, and effectually, rooted out, when the fulness of time should come that Israel should take possession. Thus he set the bounds of that people with an eye to the designed number of the children of Israel, that they might have just as much as would serve their turn. And some observe that Canaan himself, and his eleven sons (Gen 10:15, etc.), make up just the number of the twelve tribes of Israel. Note,
(1.)The wisdom of God has appointed the bounds of men's habitation, and determined both the place and time of our living in the world, Act 17:26. When he gave the earth to the children of men (Psa 115:16), it was not that every man might catch as he could; no, he divides to nations their inheritance, and will have every one to know his own, and not to invade another's property.
(2.)Infinite wisdom has a vast reach, and designs beforehand what is brought to pass long after. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning to the end (Act 15:18), but they are not so to us, Ecc 3:11.
(3.)The great God, in governing the world, and ordering the affairs of states and kingdoms, has a special regard to his church and people, and consults their good in all. See Ch2 16:9, and Isa 45:4. The Canaanites thought they had as good and sure a title to their land as any of their neighbours had to theirs; but God intended that they should only be tenants, till the Israelites, their landlords, came. Thus God serves his own purposes of kindness to his people, by those that neither know him nor love him, who mean not so, neither doth their heart think so, Isa 10:7; Mic 4:12.
2.The reason given for the particular care God took for this people, so long before they were either born or thought of (as I may say), in our world, does yet more magnify the kindness, and make it obliging beyond expression (Deu 32:9): For the Lord's portion is his people. All the world is his. He is owner and possessor of heaven and earth, but his church is his in a peculiar manner. It is his demesne, his vineyard, his garden enclosed. He has a particular delight in it: it is the beloved of his soul, in it he walks, he dwells, it is his rest for ever. He has a particular concern for it, keeps it as the apple of his eye. He has particular expectations from it, as a man has from his portion, has a much greater rent of honour, glory, and worship, from that distinguished remnant, than from all the world besides. That God should be his people's portion is easy to be accounted for, for he is their joy and felicity; but how they should be his portion, who neither needs them nor can be benefited by them, must be resolved into the wondrous condescensions of free grace. Even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy eyes so to call and to account them.
II.The forming of them into a people, that they might be fit to enter upon this inheritance, like an heir of age, at the time appointed of the Father. And herein also Canaan was a figure of the heavenly inheritance; for, as it was from eternity proposed and designed for all God's spiritual Israel, so they are, in time (and it is a work of time), fitted and made meet for it, Col 1:12. The deliverance of Israel out of slavery, by the destruction of their oppressors, was attended with so many wonders obvious to sense, and had been so often spoken of, that it needed not to be mentioned in this song; but the gracious works God wrought upon them would be less taken notice of than the glorious works he had wrought for them, and therefore he chooses rather to advert to them. A great deal was done to model this people, to cast them into some shape, and to fit them for the great things designed for them in the land of promise; and it is here most elegantly described.
1.He found him in a desert land, Deu 32:10. This refers, no doubt, to the wilderness through which God brought them to Canaan, and in which he took so much pains with them; it is called the church in the wilderness, Act 7:38. There it was born, and nursed, and educated, that all might appear to be divine and from heaven, since they had there no communication with any part of this earth either for food or learning. But, because he is said to find them there, it seems designed also to represent both the bad state and the bad character of that people when God began first to appear for them.
(1.)Their condition was forlorn. Egypt was to them a desert land, and a waste howling wilderness, for they were bond-slaves in it, and cried by reason of their oppression, and were perfectly bewildered and at a loss for relief; there God found them, and thence he fetched them. And,
(2.)Their disposition was very unpromising. So ignorant were the generality of them in divine things, so stupid and unapt to receive the impressions of them, so peevish and humoursome, so froward and quarrelsome, and withal so strangely addicted to the idolatries of Egypt, that they might well be said to be found in a desert land; for one might as reasonably expect a crop of corn from a barren wilderness as any good fruit of service to God from a people of such a character. Those that are renewed and sanctified by grace should often remember what they were by nature.
2.He led him about and instructed him. When God had them in the wilderness he did not bring them directly to Canaan, but made them go a great way about, and so he instructed them; that is, (1.) by this means he took time to instruct them, and gave them commandments as they were able to receive them. Those whose business it is to instruct others must not expect it will be done of a sudden; learners must have time to learn. (2.) By this means he tried their faith, and patience, and dependence upon God, and inured them to the hardships of the wilderness, and so instructed them. Every stage had something in it that was instructive; even when he chastened them, he thereby taught them out of his law. It is said (Psa 107:7) that he led them forth by the right way;. and yet here that he led them about; for God always leads his people the right way, however to us it may seem circuitous: so that the furthest way about proves, if not the nearest way, yet the best way home to Canaan. How God instructed them is explained long after (Neh 9:13), Thou gavest them right judgments and true laws, good statutes, and commandments; and especially (Deu 32:20), Thou gavest them also thy good Spirit to instruct them; and he instructs effectually. We may well imagine how unfit that people would have been for Canaan had they not first gone through the discipline of the wilderness.
3.He kept him as the apple of his eye, with all the care and tenderness that could be, from the malignant influences of an open sky and air, and all the perils of an inhospitable desert. The pillar of cloud and fire was both a guide and a guard to them.
4.He did that for them which the eagle does for her nest of young ones, Deu 32:11, Deu 32:12. The similitude was touched, Exo 19:4, I bore you on eagles' wings; here it is enlarged upon. The eagle is observed to have a strong affection for her young, and to show it, not only as other creatures by protecting them and making provision for them, but by educating them and teaching them to fly. For this purpose she stirs them out of the nest where they lie dozing, flutters over them, to show them how they must use their wings, and then accustoms them to fly upon her wings till they have learnt to fly upon their own. This, by the way, is an example to parents to train up their children to business, and not to indulge them in idleness and the love of ease. God did thus by Israel; when they were in love with their slavery, and loth to leave it, God, by Moses, stirred them up to aspire after liberty, and many a time kept them from returning to the house of bondage. He carried them out of Egypt, led them into the wilderness, and now at length had led them through it. The Lord alone did lead him, he needed not any assistance, nor did he take any to be partner with him in the achievement, which was a good reason why they should serve the Lord only and no other, so much as in partnership, much less in rivalship with him. There was no strange god with him to contribute to Israel's salvation, and therefore there should be none to share in Israel's homage and adoration, Psa 81:9.
III.The settling of them in a good land.
This was done in part already, in the happy planting of the two tribes and a half, an earnest of what would speedily and certainly be done for the rest of the tribes.
1.They were blessed with glorious victories over their enemies (Deu 32:13): He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that is, he brought him on with conquest, and brought him home with triumph. he rode over the high places or strong holds that were kept against him, sat in ease and honour upon the fruitful hills of Canaan. In Egypt they looked mean, and were so, in poverty and disgrace; but in Canaan they looked great, and were so, advanced and enriched; they rode in state, as a people whom the King of kings delighted to honour.
2.With great plenty of all good things. Not only the ordinary increase of the field, but, which was uncommon, Honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock, which may refer either,
(1.)To their miraculous supply of fresh water out of the rock that followed them in the wilderness, which is called honey and oil, because the necessity they were reduced to made it as sweet and acceptable as honey and oil at another time. Or,
(2.)To the great abundance of honey and oil they should find in Canaan, even in those parts that were least fertile. The rocks in Canaan should yield a better increase than the fields and meadows of other countries. Other productions of Canaan are mentioned, Deu 32:14. Such abundance and such variety of wholesome food (and every thing the best in its kind) that every meal might be a feast if they pleased: excellent bread made of the best corn, here called the kidneys of the wheat (for a grain of wheat is not unlike a kidney), butter and milk in abundance, the flesh of cattle well fed, and for their drink, no worse than the pure blood of the grape; so indulgent a Father was God to them, and so kind a benefactor. Ainsworth makes the plenty of good things in Canaan to be a figure of the fruitfulness of Christ's kingdom, and the heavenly comforts of his word and Spirit: for the children of his kingdom he has butter and milk, the sincere milk of the word; and strong meat for strong men, with the wine that makes glad the heart.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
As far as I can see, Scripture is undoubtedly presenting a picture of the educator of children and describing the guidance he imparts.
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Summary
Deuteronomy 32:10, a profound verse within the Song of Moses, eloquently portrays God's unparalleled and tender care for Israel during their formative wilderness journey. It depicts God as the vigilant guardian who discovered His people in a desolate and dangerous land, meticulously guided them through trials, imparted divine wisdom, and protected them with the fierce affection reserved for the most precious possession, likening His watchfulness to guarding the very pupil of His eye. This verse stands as a powerful testament to God's unwavering faithfulness, sovereign initiative, and profound covenant love for His chosen nation.
Context
Literary Context
Deuteronomy 32:10 is strategically placed within the "Song of Moses" (Deuteronomy 32:1-43), a prophetic and poetic discourse delivered by Moses just before his death and Israel's long-awaited entry into the Promised Land. This song functions as a solemn witness against Israel should they stray from the covenant, yet also as a deep theological reflection on God's character and His enduring relationship with His people. It meticulously recounts God's past acts of faithfulness, His righteous judgments, and His unmerited grace, while simultaneously foreshadowing Israel's future apostasy, subsequent divine discipline, and ultimate restoration. Verse 10 specifically contributes to the section (verses 7-14) that serves as a powerful historical retrospective, vividly recalling God's providential care for Israel from their nascent stages, contrasting their initial vulnerability with His mighty and tender protection. This historical remembrance sets the theological foundation for the subsequent warnings and promises within the song.
Historical & Cultural Context
The historical setting for this verse is Israel's arduous forty-year sojourn in the wilderness following their miraculous exodus from Egyptian bondage. This period was characterized by extreme physical hardship, constant vulnerability to external threats, and an absolute dependence on divine provision for sustenance and direction. The evocative phrases "desert land" (midbâr) and "waste howling wilderness" (tôhûw yᵉlêl yᵉshîymôwn) are not mere geographical descriptions; they conjure images of an uninhabitable, chaotic, and perilous environment, reminiscent of the primordial chaos described in Genesis 1:2. In the ancient Near East, deserts were commonly perceived as places of death, demonic activity, and divine judgment. For God to not only "find" but also sustain and transform a nascent people in such a hostile environment profoundly underscored His unique power, unwavering commitment, and His ability to bring order out of chaos, life out of desolation, and to meticulously nurture a nomadic tribe into a distinct nation under His direct tutelage and protection.
Key Themes
This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes central to Deuteronomy and the broader Pentateuch. It powerfully illustrates God's Initiative and Sovereign Grace, emphasizing that Israel's very existence, preservation, and flourishing were entirely due to God's unprompted intervention and unmerited favor, rather than any inherent worthiness on their part. The imagery of God "leading about" and "instructing" highlights Divine Guidance and Pedagogy, portraying God as the patient, wise, and meticulous teacher who prepared His people for their destiny, much like a parent diligently teaches a child (compare Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Furthermore, the climactic phrase "kept him as the apple of his eye" profoundly underscores the theme of God's Cherished Love and Vigilant Protection, revealing the depth of His affection and unwavering commitment to His covenant people, treating them as supremely valuable and safeguarding them with fierce devotion, a theme also powerfully echoed in Deuteronomy 7:6-8.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb (H4672) signifies to come forth to, appear, exist, or to attain, find, or acquire. In this context, it emphasizes God's active seeking and intervention, portraying Him as the one who discovered Israel in their helpless and directionless state in the wilderness. It highlights God's sovereign initiative in establishing a relationship with a people who were not yet a nation, underscoring His unmerited grace rather than any inherent worthiness on their part.
This noun (H8414) refers to a desolation (of surface), an empty place, or a state of being "without form." It is famously used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the primordial earth as "without form and void." Here, it powerfully describes the wilderness as a place of emptiness, desolation, and utter lack of order or life, intensifying the contrast with God's life-giving presence and the order He brings.
This diminutive noun (H380) literally means "the little man of the eye" or the pupil/ball of the eye. The pupil is the most sensitive and vital part of the eye, instinctively guarded with the utmost care. To protect something "as the apple of one's eye" means to treat it as supremely precious, indispensable, and to guard it with the highest degree of vigilance and tenderness. This imagery conveys God's profound affection, tender watchfulness, and unwavering commitment to Israel's safety and well-being.
Verse Breakdown
"He found him in a desert land"
This clause highlights God's compassionate initiative. Israel, at this nascent stage, was not a mighty nation but a scattered, vulnerable, and wandering people, recently freed from slavery, without a homeland or clear identity. God "found" them in their desperate state, emphasizing His sovereign choice and unmerited favor.
"and in the waste howling wilderness"
This phrase intensifies the preceding one, painting a stark picture of the environment. The wilderness was not merely empty but actively hostile and dangerous, a place of desolation and the cries of wild animals. It underscores the extreme vulnerability of Israel and magnifies the miracle of their survival and flourishing under God's meticulous care.
"he led him about"
This refers to God's meticulous guidance of Israel through the wilderness. The routes were often circuitous, not direct, for their benefit—to humble them, test their faith, and teach them absolute dependence on Him. This speaks to God's patient, strategic, and often mysterious providence, always with their ultimate good and spiritual formation in mind.
"he instructed him"
Beyond physical guidance, God provided profound spiritual and moral instruction. This refers to the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, the statutes, ordinances, and covenant commands that meticulously shaped Israel's identity, worship, and societal structure. God's instruction was foundational to their existence as His unique, holy people.
"he kept him as the apple of his eye"
This climactic phrase uses a powerful metaphor to convey the depth of God's protective love. It signifies the most vigilant, tender, and fierce protection imaginable. Israel was not merely an object of care but a cherished possession, guarded with the same instinctive, vital care one would give to the most precious and vulnerable part of their own body.
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 32:10 is richly imbued with literary devices that amplify its profound message. The primary device employed is Imagery, creating vivid mental pictures of Israel's vulnerable state and God's powerful, tender protection. The descriptive phrases "desert land" and "waste howling wilderness" evoke a sense of desolation, danger, and primordial chaos, effectively contrasting with God's life-giving and ordering presence. The "howling" aspect of the wilderness, stemming from the Hebrew root yalal (to howl), carries an Onomatopoeic quality, suggesting the eerie sounds of wild beasts or the desolate wind, further emphasizing the harshness and peril of the environment. The most striking device is the Simile and Metaphor embedded in "he kept him as the apple of his eye." This comparison highlights the supreme preciousness of Israel to God and the extraordinary vigilance and tenderness of His care. Furthermore, the description of God "finding," "leading," "instructing," and "keeping" Israel employs Anthropomorphism, attributing human actions, emotions, and protective instincts to God, thereby making His profound relationship with His people more relatable and intimately comprehensible.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Deuteronomy 32:10 powerfully articulates the foundational truth of God's unmerited grace and unwavering covenant faithfulness. It portrays God as the initiator of the relationship, actively seeking out and nurturing a vulnerable people. This divine initiative, meticulous guidance, and vigilant protection are not based on Israel's merit or strength but solely on God's sovereign choice and steadfast love. The verse establishes a profound theological precedent for God's relationship with His people throughout salvation history, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to preserve and perfect those He has chosen, even amidst their weakness, rebellion, and unfaithfulness. It underscores that true security, identity, and flourishing come only from absolute dependence on God's providential care and faithful adherence to His divine instruction.
Reflection and Application
Deuteronomy 32:10 offers profound comfort and a significant challenge for contemporary believers. It serves as a powerful reminder that our spiritual journeys often commence in a "wilderness"—a place of spiritual desolation, confusion, or helplessness, where we are acutely aware of our vulnerability and lack of direction. Just as God "found" Israel in their desperate state, He actively seeks us out in our brokenness, extends His unmerited grace, and initiates a transformative relationship. This verse encourages us to trust implicitly in His providential leading, even when the path seems circuitous, difficult, or counter-intuitive, knowing that His "leading about" is always for our ultimate good, spiritual formation, and the deepening of our dependence on Him. Furthermore, the imagery of being kept "as the apple of His eye" provides immense reassurance of God's vigilant, tender, and unwavering protection. We are not abandoned to the "howling wildernesses" of life but are supremely precious to Him, guarded with fierce, divine love. This profound truth should inspire deep confidence, heartfelt gratitude, and a deeper commitment to walking in His ways, embracing His instruction as the very wisdom that sustains and guides us through life's own challenges and uncertainties.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "waste howling wilderness" truly signify beyond a physical location?
While literally describing the desolate and dangerous Arabian desert, "waste howling wilderness" (from the Hebrew tôhûw yᵉlêl yᵉshîymôwn) carries deep symbolic weight. "Tôhûw" is the same word used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the earth before creation, signifying chaos, formlessness, and emptiness. "Howling" suggests the cries of wild animals or the desolate wind, emphasizing danger and the absence of life. Together, it represents a state of utter vulnerability, chaos, and desolation, both physically and existentially. For Israel, it was a place of testing, dependence, and the stripping away of self-reliance. Theologically, it highlights God's power to bring order out of chaos, life out of death, and to sustain His people even in the most hostile environments. It can also symbolize the spiritual wildernesses we experience—times of confusion, despair, or moral emptiness—where God's intervention is uniquely manifest.
Is the "apple of his eye" imagery unique to Deuteronomy 32:10?
No, the powerful imagery of being "the apple of his eye" is a recurring motif in Scripture, underscoring the preciousness of God's people and the intensity of His protective care. It appears in other significant passages, such as Psalm 17:8, where the psalmist prays for God's protection using this very phrase. Most notably, in Zechariah 2:8, God declares that whoever touches His people touches "the apple of His eye," indicating that harming them is a direct affront to God Himself. This consistent use across different biblical books reinforces the profound, intimate, and vigilant nature of God's love and guardianship over those He cherishes.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Deuteronomy 32:10, while recounting God's historical care for Israel, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Son of God, the very Word made flesh, is the one who truly "found" humanity in its spiritual "waste howling wilderness" of sin, alienation from God, and utter helplessness (Romans 5:8). He is the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to seek out the one lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7), embodying the divine initiative and compassionate seeking described in the verse. Christ "led us about" through His earthly ministry, teaching us the way of truth and life (John 14:6), and "instructed" us through His parables, sermons, and ultimately, through the Holy Spirit who guides believers into all truth (John 16:13). Most powerfully, it is through Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross that believers are "kept as the apple of His eye," purchased with His own precious blood and made supremely valuable to God (1 Peter 1:18-19). The security and eternal preservation of believers are guaranteed by the indwelling Spirit and the unshakeable grip of Christ, who declares that no one can snatch His sheep out of His hand (John 10:28). Thus, the tender, vigilant, and unwavering love God showed Israel in the wilderness is perfectly and eternally realized in Christ's redemptive relationship with His church, His new covenant people.