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I. "A land which the Lord thy God CARETH for," says the Jewish lawgiver. The word is very suggestive to us. It speaks to our hearts of a kind and loving oversight. Our age, distinguished as it has been by scientific advances of all kinds, has perhaps in nothing made more rapid strides than in improved methods for the cultivation of the soil. The farmer no longer rejoices in his ignorance; and agricultural chemistry has taken rank among the established studies of the day. But what proof are all such appliances against the continued drought, or the falling blight, or the wasting rains? No; we must be taught, as Israel was taught, that fruitfulness was not so much the happy product of the soil, still less the natural requital of man's industry and skill, but an immediate effect of the Divine blessing — a consequence of the eyes of the Lord never being off the land, but ever seeking and ever caring for it to do it good.

II. BUT THE EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE A CARED FOR PEOPLE, and, therefore a fresh ground for our devotedness and love, IS TO BE FOUND IN THE TIME WHEN THIS BLESSING OF AN ABUNDANT HARVEST HAS BEEN SENT TO US.

III. But here the scoffer may interject, "Why, if this be 'a land which the Lord careth for,' IS IT SUFFERED TO BE DARKENED HERE AND THERE BY THE OVERHANGING PESTILENCE, or drained of its best blood to keep down a despot's pride?" Should we call that a cared for land over which the ploughshare had never passed, neither iron had entered to break up the fallow ground? Many can see this with regard to the wasting sickness, who find it hard to apply to the case of a tyrant's misdoing. But we cannot allow a Divine purpose to the pestilence, and refuse a heavenly mission to the sword. It would be a deep enigma in Providence, and contrary to all that has been hitherto known among men, if the desolating scenes which are now taking place in the East should be without some great moral — should pass away, like the dark shapes upon a storm cloud, and leave no trace behind. All God's judgments, whatever the instrumentality employed, are to teach men righteousness. It is so with individuals; it is so with nations.

(D. Moore, M. A.)

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KJV: For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:

WEB: For the land, where you go in to possess it, isn't as the land of Egypt, that you came out from, where you sowed your seed, and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs;