Ver. 30. Over against Gilgal— These words do not refer to the situation of the two mountains Gerizim and Ebal, which were in the middle of the tribe of Ephraim, several miles west from Gilgal; but they refer to the Canaanites, (i.e. one of the seven devoted nations, properly called Canaanites,) whose territories are here said to extend from the plain of Gilgal, which was near Jordan, (Joshua 2:9.) to these mountains, Gerizim and Ebal, which lay near the plain or oaken grove of Moreh; that very place of Canaan, where Abraham formerly dwelt. Genesis 12:6. The Samaritan has it, over against Gilgal, near the oak of Moreh, towards Sichem. See Genesis 35:4.
Reflections on the foregoing Chapter s, by Lord Clarendon.
"There could not be a better way found out, though that was not sufficient to keep the children of Israel in their integrity towards God, than by the frequent putting them in mind, and fixing in their memory the history of all the miracles which he had wrought for them, from the time of their being in Egypt, to their being in a triumphant condition in the land of Canaan; in which they had been eye-witnesses of more and greater miracles, than all the world besides had been acquainted with from the time of the deluge. All that he expected from them for all his mercies, was, that they would acknowledge him as their God, and depend upon him, and not have recourse to other gods, from whom they had received no benefit, and who never had done, nor ever could do good for those who depended upon them. And if the memory of all the wonders he had done in Egypt, their walking through the sea as upon dry land, and seeing all those who pursued them covered and drowned in that very sea: if their having found bread in the wilderness, and a dry rock having given them drink when they were at the point of fainting: if the subduing many nations, more warlike than themselves, and putting them into the quiet possession of their habitations and dominions: if all this would not imprint a notion of his omnipotence and paternal affection in their hearts, in such indelible characters, that they should never be in doubt to whom they ought to pay their vows, or whither to repair in their distress; they must be more brutish creatures, and more unworthy of his future protection and preservation, than the fowls of the air or the beasts of the field."
"We are much more inexcusable than these Israelites, if, after the clear and full information we have received, and which is every day inculcated, of the history of the whole life and death of our Saviour, the infinite benefits we have received from him, and the infinite torments which he endured for us, we do either forget the matter or the manner of those obligations. But if, by the vain hopes or fears of this world, our ambition of honour and preferment, or our apprehension of punishment or disgrace, we are startled in the performance of our duty to him, and observation of his commands; we have—pretend what we will—forgot what he did, and what he said; how much he despised the world, and all the temptations thereof, out of his love and value of us, and only to teach us the way to come to him in a better world. If we be terrified, by the power and threats of princes, from doing any thing which he has enjoined us, or to act any thing that he has forbidden us to do; we have forgotten that kings are to tremble before him for those very threats, and for using the power he has given them so unrighteously; whilst we should at the same time be commended and justified for being obstinate in his commandments. There needs nothing under divine grace but a constant and due reflection that there will be a day of judgment, no man knows how soon; and that he, who died himself to save us, is to sit judge upon that day; to make us appear before him with confidence as fit objects of his mercy."