Deuteronomy 11:24

Every place wherein the soles of your feet shall tread,.... Meaning in the land of Canaan; though the Jews vainly apply this to every land, and country, and place therein, where any of them come;

Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

Every place; not absolutely, as if the Jews should be lords of all the world, as the rabbins fondly conceit; but in the Promised Land, as it is restrained in the following words. Shall be yours, either by possession, or by dominion, to wit, upon condition of your obedience. From the wilderness, to wit, of Sin, on the south side. And Lebanon; and from Lebanon; or, and to Lebanon, which was the northern border. The river Euphrates on the east. So far their right of dominion extended, but that their sins cut them short; and so far Solomon extended his dominion. Unto the uttermost sea; the western or midland sea; Heb. the hindermost sea; for the eastern part of the world being generally esteemed the foremost, and the southern on the right hand, , and consequently the northern on the left hand, the western part must needs be behind. Of these bounds of the land see 15:18 ,4.

(24) Every place.—Repeated in Joshua 1:3-4, where see Note.

Verse 24. From the river] Euphrates, which was on the east, to the uttermost sea - the Mediterranean, which lay westward of the promised land. This promise, notwithstanding the many provocations of the Israelites, was fulfilled in the time of Solomon, for "he reigned over all the kings from the river (Euphrates) even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt." See 2 Chronicles 9:26, and the note, See Clarke on Numbers 34:12.

18–25. The Pl. address is continued in a series of formulas, repeated with some variations from previous passages. The secondary nature of part of this section cannot be doubted. The emergence of the Sg. in Deuteronomy 11:19 shows that the passage is a quotation (slightly varied) of Deuteronomy 6:6-9; it has been partly adapted to the compiler’s Pl., while Deuteronomy 11:22 naturally follows on to Deuteronomy 11:17. The rest only partly repeats, and contains some matter peculiar to this section of Deut. 18–21. See on Deuteronomy 6:6-9. Besides the form of address, Sg. there, Pl. here, there are the following differences: Deuteronomy 6:6-9 has shall be upon thine heart, and wants and in your soul; takes next thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children (a more natural place and a sign of the originality of Deu 6:6-9), and wants Deuteronomy 11:21, which is repeated from other passages. See Deuteronomy 4:40, Deuteronomy 6:2, Deuteronomy 11:9. In Deuteronomy 11:19 read with Sam., LXX, in the house. Deuteronomy 11:18-21 break the connection: Deuteronomy 11:22 follows naturally on Deuteronomy 11:17. 21. as the days of the heavens above the earth] Not repeated in Deut.; the phrase is equivalent to for ever, cp. Psalms 89:29; Job 14:12. The eternity of the heavens was self-evident to primitive Israel, and for long it appeared that they could be shaken only by the appearance of God in His glory, 2 Samuel 22:8 (cp. Job 26:11). It was not till the later Apocalypse that the imagination became frequent of the passing away both of heaven and earth. 22. Repetitions of previous verses: diligently keep all this commandment, Deuteronomy 5:31, Deuteronomy 6:17 (the commandments), Deuteronomy 6:1, this is the commandment; to love, Deuteronomy 6:5; to walk, Deuteronomy 10:12; to cleave, Deuteronomy 10:20. To I command you, Sam., LXX add to-day. 23. drive out] Deuteronomy 4:38. possess nations greater, etc.] Deuteronomy 9:1, but Sg. 24. whereon the sole of your foot shall tread] For the idiom see Deuteronomy 2:5; Joshua 1:3. from the wilderness, and Lebanon] Joshua 1:4; perhaps we should read and unto Lebanon (Grätz, Dillm. and others). and from the river, the river Euphrates] See on Deuteronomy 1:7. unto the hinder sea] i.e. according to the Semitic orientation, the western sea, the Mediterranean. These limits are, of course, ideal, but observe how the promise is limited by the words every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread. 25. There shall no man, etc.] So Deuteronomy 7:24, but Sg. the fear of you and the dread of you] So Deuteronomy 2:25, but Sg.

24. Every place… shall be yours — The boundaries of the land are here briefly stated: from Arabia on the south to Lebanon on the north; from the Euphrates on the east to the Mediterranean on the west.