SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:26
yo pongo hoy por testigos al cielo y a la tierra, que presto pereceréis totalmente de la tierra a la cual pasáis el Jordán para heredarla; no estaréis en ella largos días sin que seáis destruidos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 4:26
Verse 26. I call heaven and earth to witness against you] A most solemn method of adjuration, in use among all nations in the world. So Virgil, AEn., lib. xii., ver. 176, &c. Tum pius AEneas stricto sic ense precatur: Esto nunc Sol testis et haec mihi terra vocanti] Fontesque fluviosque voco, quaeque aetheris alti Relllgio, et quae caeruleo sunt numina ponto, &c.
"Then the great Trojan prince unsheathed his sword, And thus, with lifted hands, the gods adored: Thou land for which I wage this war, and thou Great source of day, be witness to my vow! - Almighty king of heaven and queen of air, Propitious now and reconciled by prayer,] Ye springs, ye floods, ye various powers who lie Beneath the deep, or tread the golden sky,] HEAR and ATTEST!" PITT.
God and man being called upon to bear testimony to the truth of what was spoken, that if there was any flaw or insincerity, it might be detected; and if any crime, it might not go unpunished. Such appeals to God, for such purposes, show at once both the origin and use of oaths. See the note on "chap. vi. 13".
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 26. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day , etc.] Should they be guilty of such a sin, since they were so strongly and publicly cautioned against it; and even the heaven and the earth were called upon as witnesses of the law being set before them, which so expressly forbids it, ( Deuteronomy 30:19) that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it ; though they were now about to go over Jordan and inherit the land of Canaan, yet they would not enjoy it long, but be taken and carried captive out of it; as the ten tribes were by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, and the two tribes by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and both for their idolatry and other crimes.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 24-40 - Moses urged the greatness, glory, and goodness of God. Did we conside what a God he is with whom we have to do, we should surely make conscience of our duty to him, and not dare to sin against him. Shal we forsake a merciful God, who will never forsake us, if we ar faithful unto him? Whither can we go? Let us be held to our duty by the bonds of love, and prevailed with by the mercies of God to cleave to him. Moses urged God's authority over them, and their obligations to him. In keeping God's commandments they would act wisely for themselves. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Those who enjoy the benefit of Divine light and laws, ought to support their character for wisdom and honour, that God may be glorified thereby. Those who cal upon God, shall certainly find him within call, ready to give an answe of peace to every prayer of faith. All these statutes and judgments of the Divine law are just and righteous, above the statutes and judgment of any of the nations. What they saw at mount Sinai, gave an earnest of the day of judgment, in which the Lord Jesus shall be revealed i flaming fire. They must also remember what they heard at mount Sinai God manifests himself in the works of the creation, without speech of language, yet their voice is heard, Ps 19:1, 3; but to Israel he mad himself known by speech and language, condescending to their weakness The rise of this nation was quite different from the origin of all other nations. See the reasons of free grace; we are not beloved for our own sakes, but for Christ's sake. Moses urged the certain benefi and advantage of obedience. This argument he had begun with, ver. #(1) That ye may live, and go in and possess the land; and this he conclude with, ver. #(40), That it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee. He reminds them that their prosperity would depend upo their piety. Apostacy from God would undoubtedly be the ruin of their nation. He foresees their revolt from God to idols. Those, and thos only, shall find God to their comfort, who seek him with all their heart. Afflictions engage and quicken us to seek God; and, by the grac of God working with them, many are thus brought back to their righ mind. When these things are come upon thee, turn to the Lord thy God for thou seest what comes of turning from him. Let all the arguments be laid together, and then say, if religion has not reason on its side None cast off the government of their God, but those who first abando the understanding of a man.
Original Hebrew
העידתי 5749 בכם היום 3117 את 853 השׁמים 8064 ואת 853 הארץ 776 כי 3588 אבד 6 תאבדון 6 מהר 4118 מעל 5921 הארץ 776 אשׁר 834 אתם 859 עברים 5674 את 853 הירדן 3383 שׁמה 8033 לרשׁתה 3423 לא 3808 תאריכן 748 ימים 3117 עליה 5921 כי 3588 השׁמד 8045 תשׁמדון׃ 8045
