141 You are the children of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead,
141 Ye are the children of the Lord your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
141 "You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead.
141 You are children of God, your God, so don't mutilate your bodies or shave your heads in funeral rites for the dead.
141 "You are the children of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead.
141 "Since you are the people of the Lord your God, never cut yourselves or shave the hair above your foreheads in mourning for the dead.
18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.
18 And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;
18 And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,
18 And today God has reaffirmed that you are dearly held treasure just as he promised, a people entrusted with keeping his commandments,
18 Also today the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments,
18 The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.
(Read Deuteronomy 26:16-19)
Moses here enforces the precepts. They are God's laws, therefore thou shalt do them, to that end were they given thee; do them, and dispute them not; do them, and draw not back; do them, not carelessly and hypocritically, but with thy heart and soul, thy whole heart and thy whole soul. We forswear ourselves, and break the most sacred engagement, if, when we have taken the Lord to be our God, we do not make conscience of obeying his commands. We are elected to obedience, Titus 2:14. Holiness is true honour, and the only way to everlasting honour.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 14:1
Commentary on Deuteronomy 14:1-21
(Read Deuteronomy 14:1-21)
Moses tells the people of Israel how God had given them three distinguishing privileges, which were their honour, and figures of those spiritual blessings in heavenly things, with which God has in Christ blessed us. Here is election; "The Lord hath chosen thee." He did not choose them because they were by their own acts a peculiar people to him above other nations, but he chose them that they might be so by his grace; and thus were believers chosen, Ephesians 1:4. Here is adoption; "Ye are the children of the Lord your God;" not because God needed children, but because they were orphans, and needed a father. Every spiritual Israelite is indeed a child of God, a partaker of his nature and favour. Here is sanctification; "Thou art a holy people." God's people are required to be holy, and if they are holy, they are indebted to the grace God which makes them so. Those whom God chooses to be his children, he will form to be a holy people, and zealous of good works. They must be careful to avoid every thing which might disgrace their profession, in the sight of those who watch for their halting. Our heavenly Father forbids nothing but for our welfare. Do thyself no harm; do not ruin thy health, thy reputation, thy domestic comforts, thy peace of mind. Especially do not murder thy soul. Do not be the vile slave of thy appetites and passions. Do not render all around thee miserable, and thyself wretched; but aim at that which is most excellent and useful. The laws which regarded many sorts of flesh as unclean, were to keep them from mingling with their idolatrous neighbours. It is plain in the gospel, that these laws are now done away. But let us ask our own hearts, Are we of the children of the Lord our God? Are we separate from the ungodly world, in being set apart to God's glory, the purchase of Christ's blood? Are we subjects of the work of the Holy Ghost? Lord, teach us from these precepts how pure and holy all thy people ought to live!