Deuteronomy 33:28

Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(28) Israel then shall dwell in safety—i.e., in confidence and security. “In His days (the days of Messiah) Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely” (Jeremiah 23:6), but not until they learn to rest upon “the everlasting arms.”

Benson Commentary

Deuteronomy 33:28. Israel shall dwell in safety alone — Either, 1st, In safety, although they be alone, and have no confederates to defend them, but have all the world against them, yet my single protection shall be sufficient for them. Or, 2d, Distinct and separated from all other nations, with whom I will not have them to mingle themselves. The fountain — That is, the posterity of Jacob, which flowed from him as waters from a copious fountain, in great abundance. So the expression is used Psalm 68:26. The fountain is here put for the river, or streams which flow from it, as Jacob, or Israel, who is the fountain, is often put for the children of Israel. The Hebrew word, however, which we render fountain, often signifies an eye, and the sense here may be, The eye of Jacob shall look upon a land of corn, &c. Also his heavens shall drop down dew — That is, those heavens, or that air which hangs over his land, shall water it with refreshing dews, and render it fruitful in corn, wine, and other products of a most fertile country. Thus Moses confirms to Jacob’s seed the blessing which Isaac gave to Jacob himself, Genesis 27:28.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

33:26-29 None had such a God as Israel. There is no people like the Israel of God. What is here said of the church of Israel is to be applied to the spiritual church. Never were people so well seated and sheltered. Those who make God their habitation, shall have all the comforts and benefits of a habitation in him, Ps 91:1. Never were people so well supported and borne up. How low soever the people of God are at any time brought, everlasting arms are underneath them, to keep the spirit from sinking, from fainting, and their faith from failing. Divine grace is sufficient for them, 2Co 12:9. Never were people so well commanded. Thus believers are more than conquerors over their spiritual enemies, through Christ that loved them. Never were people so well secured and protected. Israel shall dwell in safety alone. All who keep close to God, shall be kept safe by him. Never were people so well provided for. Every true Israelite looks with faith to the better country, the heavenly Canaan, which is filled with better things than corn and wine. Never were people so well helped. If in danger of any harm, or in want of any good, they had an eternal God to go to. Nothing could hurt those whom God helped, nor was it possible the people should perish who were saved by the Lord. Never were people so well armed. Those in whose hearts is the excellency of holiness, are defended by the whole armour of God, Eph 6. Never were people so well assured of victory over their enemies. Thus shall the God of peace tread Satan under the feet of all believers, and shall do it shortly, Ro 16:20. May God help us to seek and to set our affections on the things above; and to turn our souls from earthly perishing objects; that we may not have our lot with Israel's foes in the regions of darkness and despair, but with the Israel of God, in the realms of love and eternal happiness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine - The King James Version does not preserve the symmetry of the clauses. Render it: "Israel shall dwell in safety; alone shall the fountain of Jacob be" (compare Psalm 68:26; Isaiah 48:1); "in a land," etc.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

28. the fountain of Jacob—The posterity of Israel shall dwell in a blessed and favored land.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Alone; either,

1. Though they be alone, and have no confederates to defend them, but have all the world against them, yet my single protection shall be sufficient for them. Or,

2. Distinct and separated from all other nations, with whom I will not have them to mingle themselves. See Numbers 23:9 Ezra 9:1,2.

The fountain of Jacob, i.e. the posterity of Jacob, which flowed from him its waters from a fountain, in great abundance. Compare Psalm 68:26 Isaiah 48:1. The fountain is here put for the river or streams which flow from it, as Psalm 94:10; as the root is put for the branch, 2 Chronicles 22:10 Isaiah 11:10 Revelation 5:5; and as Jacob or Israel, who is the fountain, is oft put for the children of Israel. Or, the eye (for so the Hebrew word oft signifies)

of Jacob, i.e. of the people of Israel; and so the sense is, They who now only hear of the land of promise shall shortly see it, which I am not suffered to do, and shall enjoy it, which is oft signified by seeing, as Psalm 4:6 27:13 34:12 Ecclesiastes 2:1 3:13.

His heavens, i.e. those heavens or that air which hangs over his land.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Israel then shall dwell in safety alone,.... The Canaanites being thrust out of their land, and Israel put into the possession of it, should dwell in safety, or "confidently" (l); without fear of enemies, though surrounded with them on all hands; and though alone, a separate people, distinct from all others their neighbours round about them; see Numbers 23:9. So the spiritual Israel dwell in the eternal God, their mansion, or dwelling place; in Christ, their rock; and in a strong city, the church, where they are in the utmost safety. God is all around them; Christ is their refuge, strong hold, and tower; the Holy Spirit in the midst of them is mighty; angels are their guardians, and the church their strong city, whose walls and bulwarks are salvation: here they dwell confidently and securely; though they have sometimes their fears, they have no just reason for them; and when faith is in exercise, are free from them, casting all their care on the Lord, and having confidence in him; where they are alone, not solitary; all the three divine Persons dwell with them, and also angels and saints their fellow citizens; but independent of others, having large provisions in Christ, in the covenant, and in the house of God; and are a separate and distinct people now, and will be to all eternity; See Gill on Numbers 23:9,

the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; that is, the Israelites that spring from Jacob, as streams of water from a fountain; see Isaiah 48:1; these shall be or dwell upon the land of Canaan, a land abounding with corn and wine, and all good things, Deuteronomy 8:7; or "in" or "by the fountain of Jacob" (m); in a well watered land, there they should dwell. So the spiritual Israel of God dwell in and by Christ, the fountain of gardens, the well of living waters, of life and salvation, in whom all fulness of grace dwells for their supply: or "the eye of Jacob" (n) is or shall be on a land, &c. that is, the Israelites had their eye on the good land of Canaan, and would quickly not only be in sight, but in possession of it. Every true Israelite has a spiritual eye, which is the eve of faith, the evidence of things not seen, which looks to and upon that better country, the land afar off, heaven and eternal happiness, and expects and waits for the full, enjoyment of it:

also his heavens shall drop down dew: the heavens over the land of Canaan should drop down dew upon it, and make it fruitful to bring forth corn and wine, which was Jacob's blessing, Genesis 27:28. Thus the Lord in the heavens drops down the dew of grace, and the blessings of it, upon his people, which make them revive as the corn, and grow as the vine; and Christ's heavenly ministers drop the dew of Gospel doctrine upon them, to the great refreshment of them, Deuteronomy 32:3.

(l) "confidenter", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "secure", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. (m) "Fonte Jabakobi", Junius & Tremellius, "apud fontem Jacobi", Cocceius. (n) "oculus Jahakob", V. L. Tigurine version, Pagninus, Montanus, Munster.

Geneva Study Bible

Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: {r} the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

(r) Who was plentiful in issue as a fountain.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

28. fountain … alone] For fountain, ‘ain, some propose ‘am, people. But the figure is emphatic and natural after the previous line: Israel’s life shall flow unmixed, untainted with that of the expelled peoples.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 28. - The clauses of this verse are parallel to each other; their symmetry will be seen if we render and arrange thus -

"And Israel dwelleth securely,
Alone, the fountain of Jacob,
On a land of corn and new wine;
His heavens also drop down dew." The fountain of Jacob is parallel to Israel. Israel is so designated because they came forth from Jacob as waters from a copious source (Ibn Ezra; cf. Isaiah 48:1; Psalm 68:26). Deuteronomy 33:28

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

"And Israel dwells safely, alone the fountain of Jacob, in a land full of corn and wine; his heavens also drop down dew." Because the God of old was the dwelling and help of Israel, it dwelt safely and separate from the other nations, in a land abounding with corn and wine. "The fountain of Jacob" is parallel to "Israel;" "alone (separate) dwells the fountain of Jacob." This title is given to Israel as having sprung from the patriarch Jacob, in whom it had its source. A similar expression occurs in Psalm 68:27. It completely destroys the symmetry of the clauses of the verse to connect the words, as Luther does, with what follows, in the sense of "the eye of Jacob is directed upon a land." The construction of שׁכן with אל, to dwell into a land, may be explained on the ground that the dwelling involves the idea of spreading out over the land. On the "land of corn," etc., see Deuteronomy 8:7 and Deuteronomy 8:8. אף is emphatic: yea his heaven, i.e., the heaven of this land drops down dew (vid., Genesis 27:28). Israel was to be congratulated upon this.