Deuteronomy 32:2

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) My doctrine.—Or, my learning, that which I receive—a not very common, but beautiful expression in the Hebrew. Everything that comes down from the “Father of lights” is handed on by one heavenly messenger to another, until it falls upon the heart of man, in just that form in which he can best receive it. The Son of God says,” My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me.” “I speak that which I have seen with my Father.” Of the Holy Spirit He says, “He shall receive of Mine and shall show it unto you.” The apostles speak “in words which the Holy Ghost teacheth.” The parallels of the verse appear to be these:—My learning shall drop as the rain; My speech shall distil as the dew, as the sweeping showers upon the tender herb, as the multitude of drops upon the grass. The “small rain” of the Authorised Version points to a different and probably untenable derivation of the Hebrew word. The rain is more definite than the dew, and therefore the first word in the second half of the verse should be stronger than the second, and not vice versâ. The tender herb just sprouting can bear heavier showers than the grown grass.

Benson Commentary

Deuteronomy 32:2. My doctrine shall drop as the rain — As nothing is more grateful to the thirsty earth than gentle showers, so there cannot be any thing more acceptable to those who are desirous of knowing the divine will than the revelation of it. And as the dew and rain gently falling soften and refresh the earth, producing both verdure and fertility; so my doctrine, or the words I am going to speak, if received into people’s minds in faith and love, will cause them to grow in grace and goodness, and produce the fruits of righteousness. Or it may be rendered, Let my doctrine drop, &c. Accordingly the learned Bishop Patrick understands this as a prayer, that his words, which were sent from heaven to them, might sink into their hearts and soften them, as the rain doth the earth, and so make them fruitful in obedience.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

32:1,2 Moses begins with a solemn appeal to heaven and earth, concerning the truth and importance of what he was about to say. His doctrine is the gospel, the speech of God, the doctrine of Christ; the doctrine of grace and mercy through him, and of life and salvation by him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed - (See Isaiah 59:21). This is in accordance with the promises everywhere made in he Bible to the people of God (see Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15; Genesis 15:18; Genesis 17:7-8; Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 89:4; Isaiah 43:5). It may be regarded, first, as a promise of the richest blessings to them as parents - since there is to a parent's heart no prospect so consoling as that which relates to his offspring; and, secondly, as an assurance of the perpetuity of their religion; of their return from captivity, and their restoration to their own land.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2, 3. My doctrine shall drop, &c.—The language may justly be taken as uttered in the form of a wish or prayer, and the comparison of wholesome instruction to the pure, gentle, and insinuating influence of rain or dew, is frequently made by the sacred writers (Isa 5:6; 55:10, 11).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Look what effect rain and dew have upon herbs and grass, which they make fresh and fragrant and growing, the same effect I may justly expect and hope that my discourse will have upon your hearts, i.e. to make them soft and pliable and fruitful. Or this may be a prayer, Let my doctrine drop, &c. Oh that it might do so, that my discourse might not be lost upon you, but be profitable to you! the future tense of the indicative mood being put for the imperative mood, as is usual.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew,.... Which some, as Aben Ezra, take to be a prayer or wish, that the doctrine spoken by him might fall upon men like rain and dew on the earth, penetrate into their hearts, and influence them, and produce good effects there; but the words rather seem to be a prophecy of what would be: and by his "doctrine" and "speech", which signify the same thing, is meant, not his law, which was fiery, this cooling, like rain and dew; that was like a storm, this as a gentle rain; that was terrible, this desirable; that was distressing, this refreshing, this no other than the Gospel, the speech of God, the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of grace, and mercy through him, and of life and salvation by him: it has its name from a word, which signifies to "receive" (f); for it was received from God by Moses, and by the prophets after him, by Christ himself, as Mediator, and by the apostles from him, and is worthy of the acceptation of all: this is comparable to "rain", because, like that, it comes from heaven, is the gift of God, tarries not for man, but comes without any desert of man, and often without his desire; falls by divine direction in places and on persons, as the Lord's will and pleasure is, and that in great plenty, with a fulness of spiritual blessings, and precious promises; and for its effects, it cools the conscience, filled with fiery wrath and indignation, moistens and softens the hard heart, like the dry and parched earth, refreshes and revives the drooping spirit, and makes barren souls fruitful in grace and good works: and it is like "dew", which also is from heaven, and of God, fell in the night of the world; and as that falls in a temperate air, so this, when the stormy dispensation of the law was over; and though but a small thing in the eyes of the world, is of great influence, the power of God unto salvation, very grateful and delightful, and of great moment and importance; hereby the love and favour of God is diffused, the blessings of grace dispensed, the heavenly manna communicated, and the Spirit and his graces received: and this, like rain and dew, "drops" and "distils" silently, not in a noisy manner as the law; insensibly, falling on persons at an unawares, in great abundance, like the drops of rain and dew; and effectually, working in all that believe: dew was a symbol of doctrine with the Egyptians (g): this is further illustrated:

as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: the first of those words for "rain", according to Jarchi, has the signification of a stormy wind, but that seems to contradict the gentle dropping and distilling of it; rather it signifies "hairs" (h), and denotes, as our version, the smallness of the rain, being as small, thin, and light as hairs; and the latter word (i) has the signification of millions and thousands, there being such vast, numbers as those in a shower of rain: the "tender herb" and "grass" may denote the multitude of persons to whom the Gospel would come, and be made useful; and may describe sensible sinners, tender consciences, such as are weak in themselves, with whom it is the day of small things, are newborn babes, little children; who are just springing up in grace, as among the grass, and as willows by the water courses: now all this is said by Moses, to recommend his doctrine, as well as what follows.

(f) a "accepit". (g) Hor. Hieroglyph. l. 1. c. 26. (h) a "pilus", Leviticus 13.10. (i) a "multum", see Psal. cxliv. 13.

Geneva Study Bible

My {b} doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

(b) He desires that he may speak to God's glory and that the people, as the green grass, may receive the dew of his doctrine.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. My doctrine] Lit. my taking, what I have received and take to men, my message; cp. St Paul 1 Corinthians 11:23, ἐγὼ γὰρ παρέλαβον ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ὃ καὶ παρέδωκα ὑμῖν. Or alternatively, what I have apprehended or learned; so commonly in the Wisdom literature for instruction or learning, Proverbs 1:5; Proverbs 4:2; Proverbs 9:9 (cp. Isaiah 29:24), but also for apprehensibleness, persuasiveness, Proverbs 16:21; Proverbs 16:23.

My speech] Sam., LXX, Syr. prefix and.

small rain] Heb. se.îrîm, only here (therefore Lag. emends to resîsîm rain-drops or fine rain, Song of Solomon 5:2). Translate mist. The word may be connected with se‘ar, hair (Ar. sha‘ir, ‘to be hairy’), as the Scot. haar and Lincolnshire harr = ‘sea-mist’ are connected with ‘hair.’ Musil, however, says that certain Arab tribes who connect the successive winter-rains with different stars or constellations, call the fourth of the series esh-She‘ri or She‘ra, meaning ‘the Sirius-rain.’

tender grass] Heb. dĕshĕ, fresh young grass.

showers] Heb. rebîbîm,—lit. lavish or frequent showers; Ar. rababa, ‘much water.’

Thus the Song strikes its keynote—the note to which it returns in the end after its indictment of the people—of quickening and refreshing power for the tender hopes of Israel after the long drought of their captivity. Others think that the figure includes that of a heating and sweeping rain for the rebellious (so a Chaldee para-phrast), as if it were meant that the Song would be a savour of life unto life to some, but of death unto death to others. This is not borne out by the terms of this v.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - My doctrine shall drop as the rain. The Hebrew verb here and in Deuteronomy 33:28 is properly rendered by" drop;" it expresses the gentle falling of a genial shower or the soft distillation of dew. The clause is best taken imperatively, as it is by the LXX., the Vulgate, and Onkelos: Let my doctrine drop as the rain, let my speech distil, etc. The point of comparison here is not the quickening, fructifying, vivifying influence of the rain and dew, so much as the effective force of these agents as sent from heaven to produce results. So might his doctrine come with power into the minds of his hearers. Doctrine (לֶקַה from לָקַח to take); that which takes one (Proverbs 7:21, "fair speech," By which one is captivated), or which one takes or receives, viz. instruction (Proverbs 4:2; Isaiah 29:24). Small rain; gentle showers, such as conduce to the growing of herbs. The Hebrew word (שְׂעִידִים) primarily means hairs, and is here used of rain coming down in thin streams like hair. Showers; heavy rain (רִבִיבִים from רָבַב, to be much or many, equal to multitude of drops). Deuteronomy 32:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

But because what was about to be announced was of such importance throughout, he desired that the words should trickle down like rain and dew upon grass and herb. The point of comparison lies in the refreshing, fertilizing, and enlivening power of the dew and rain. Might the song exert the same upon the hearts of the hearers. לקח, accepting, then, in a passive sense, that which is accepted, instruction (doctrine, Proverbs 16:21, Proverbs 16:23; Isaiah 29:24). To "publish the name of the Lord:" lit., call, i.e., proclaim (not "call upon"), or praise. It was not by himself alone that Moses desired to praise the name of the Lord; the hearers of his song were also to join in this praise. The second clause requires this: "give ye (i.e., ascribe by word and conduct) greatness to our God." גּדל, applied here to God (as in Deuteronomy 3:24; Deuteronomy 5:21; Deuteronomy 9:26; Deuteronomy 11:2), which is only repeated again in Psalm 150:2, is the greatness manifested by God in His acts of omnipotence; it is similar in meaning to the term "glory" in Psalm 29:1-2; Psalm 96:7-8.