Deuteronomy 32:12

So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Deuteronomy 32:12. So — With such tenderness and care; the Lord alone did lead him — When they were shut up in Egypt, as in their nest, whence they durst not venture to fly or stir, he taught, and encouraged, and enabled them to fly out from that bondage; he dealt tenderly with them, bearing with their infirmities, keeping them from all harms. There was no strange god with him — To assist him at that work, or to deliver them. The more unworthy they, in giving to idols a share in that worship which they owe to God only.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

32:7-14 Moses gives particular instances of God's kindness and concern for them. The eagle's care for her young is a beautiful emblem of Christ's love, who came between Divine justice and our guilty souls, and bare our sins in his own body on the tree. And by the preached gospel, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, He stirs up and prevails upon sinners to leave Satan's bondage. In ver. 13,14, are emblems of the conquest believers have over their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, in and through Christ. Also of their safety and triumph in him; of their happy frames of soul, when they are above the world, and the things of it. This will be the blessed case of spiritual Israel in every sense in the latter day.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

With him - i. e., with God. The Lord alone delivered Israel; Israel therefore ought to have served none other but Him.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. As an eagle … fluttereth over her young—This beautiful and expressive metaphor is founded on the extraordinary care and attachment which the female eagle cherishes for her young. When her newly fledged progeny are sufficiently advanced to soar in their native element, she, in their first attempts at flying, supports them on the tip of her wing, encouraging, directing, and aiding their feeble efforts to longer and sublimer flights. So did God take the most tender and powerful care of His chosen people; He carried them out of Egypt and led them through all the horrors of the wilderness to the promised inheritance.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

i.e. When they were shut up in Egypt, as in their nest, whence they durst not venture to fly nor stir, he taught, and encouraged, and enabled them to fly out and flee themselves from that bondage, and brought them into a state of liberty and safety; he dealt tenderly with them, bearing with their infirmities, keeping them from all harms.

No strange god with him, to wit, to assist him at that work, or to deliver them. The more unworthy they in giving to idols a share in that worship and service which they owe to God only.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

So the Lord alone did lead him,.... Out of Egypt, through the wilderness, to the land of Canaan, going before them in a pillar of fire and cloud; though this is not to be understood to the exclusion of the ministry of Moses and Aaron, by whom he led them, Psalm 77:20; it may be interpreted of the people being alone in the wilderness when led:

and there was no strange god with him; with Israel; so Aben Ezra, no idolatry among them then; to which sense are the Targums of Jerusalem and Jonathan; but it may rather signify that the Lord alone was the leader of his people, and he had no assistant in that work, and therefore all the glory should be given to him: he is the leader of his people, in a spiritual sense, out of a state of unregeneracy, which is a state of darkness and bondage; out of the ways of sin, and from the pastures of their own righteousness, into an open state of grace, which is a state of light and liberty; in Christ the way, and in the paths of faith, truth, holiness, and righteousness, unto the heavenly glory, typified by the land of Canaan, the blessings of which are next described: the Jews say (z), this will be in the days of the King Messiah; when there will be no abominable thing in Israel, the Lord alone shall lead him.

(z) Tikkune Zohar, Correct. 18. fol. 32. 2. 36. 2.

Geneva Study Bible

So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. did lead him] Still the imperf. for vividness.

strange] Not the adj. in Deuteronomy 32:16, but foreign, Deuteronomy 15:3, Deuteronomy 31:16.

13 He made him to ride the highlands,

And to eat of the fruit of the hills,

Suckled him with honey from the crag

And oil of the flinty rock,

14 Curd of the kine, milk of the flock,

With the fatness of lambs and of rams,

Bulls of Bashán and he-goats,

With the finest flour of the wheat—

And the grape’s blood thou drankest in foam!

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - The Lord alone did lead him (cf. Exodus 13:21; Exodus 15:13). With him; i.e. along with Jehovah, as aiding him. Deuteronomy 32:12

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

"The Lord alone did lead him, and with Him was no strange god. He made him drive over the high places of the earth, and eat the productions of the field; and made him suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flint-stone. Cream of cattle, and milk of the flock, with the fat of lambs, and rams of Bashan's kind, and bucks, with the kidney-fat of wheat: and grape-blood thou drankest as fiery wine." Moses gives prominence to the fact that Jehovah alone conducted Israel, to deprive the people of every excuse for their apostasy from the Lord, and put their ingratitude in all the stronger light. If no other god stood by the Lord to help Him, He had thereby laid Israel under the obligation to serve Him alone as its God. "With Him" refers to Jehovah, and not to Israel.